CA: Schwarzenegger vetoes national presidential vote bill (Electoral College)

Contra Costa Times ^ | Sep. 30, 2006 | SAMANTHA YOUNG

[calcowgirl]

SACRAMENTO - California's electoral votes for president should not be awarded based on the national popular vote, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said Saturday as he vetoed a bill that would have changed the way the state's electoral votes are awarded.

Rushing to beat a midnight bill-signing deadline, the Republican governor signed 110 bills including a bill to require labeling of Sonoma wine and another that boosts Internet security.

He vetoed 73 bills, including a mandate for alternate fuels.

Schwarzenegger said a national popular vote bill by Assemblyman Tom Umberg, D-Santa Ana, disregards the will of a majority of Californians. The bill would have changed the way California's 55 electoral votes are awarded during presidential elections, giving them to the winner of the national popular vote rather than the candidate who captured the state.

"This is counter to the tradition of our great nation which honors states rights and the unique pride and identity of each state," Schwarzenegger said.

Supporters argued that presidential candidates don't compete for California's votes, coming to the state only to raise campaign cash and spending most of their time in battleground states such as Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Florida.

"I think that the governor is misguided," Umberg said. "The only way to make California relevant is to have it re-engage in the presidential election and not have it be thought of as an afterthought."

Umberg said supporters would seek to get the measure, which would have added California to a multistate agreement that is part of a national campaign started in February, on the ballot if necessary. The Los Altos-based nonprofit National Popular Vote is seeking to change the way the country picks the president.

Schwarzenegger also vetoed legislation that would have required half the cars sold in the state to run on cleaner alternative fuels such as natural gas, fuel cells or biofuels by 2020.

The Republican governor, who earlier this week signed sweeping legislation that would cap the state's greenhouse gas emissions, called the bill's mandate "counterproductive."

"I strongly support the goal to increase California's use of alternative transportation fuels, however this bill is counterproductive to several major initiatives already underway and will cost California more than $1.2 billion in transportation funding," Schwarzenegger said.

The bill by Assemblyman Joe Nation, D-San Rafael, would have required the Air Resources Board to adopt alternative fuel regulations in an effort to reduce California's dependence on oil.

The Department of Finance estimated the measure would have cost the state at least $1.2 billion per year in transportation funds through lost gasoline taxes.

Schwarzenegger signed more than 100 bills, including:

_ AB 2415 by Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, D-Los Angeles, requires wireless home networking equipment manufacturers to begin providing consumers information to help protect their personal information. Most computer users do not know they can secure their wireless networks, which can be tapped by neighbors looking for a free Internet connection.

_ AB 1953 by Assemblywoman Wilma Chan, D-Alameda, reduced the amount of lead allowed in pipes or plumbing parts that carry drinking water. Schwarzenegger said the measure will help ensure Californians get safe drinking water. The law reduces the amount of lead from 8 percent to 0.25 percent.

_ SB 1380 by state Sen. Wesley Chesbro, D-Arcata, prohibiting the sale of wine that advertises a Sonoma County label unless at least 75 percent of the grapes used to make the wine are from the county. Schwarzenegger said the bill would ensure wine drinkers aren't mislead by labeling, saying Sonoma is "a premier appellation known around the world and consumers expect that the wine they purchase with that storied name on the label actually comes from Sonoma."

In other action, he vetoed 73 bills, including:

_ SB 1818 by Sen. Richard Alarcon, D- Van Nuys, would have required "big box" retailers to pay communities' legal fees if local governments prevail in lawsuits that challenge zoning ordinances or regulations aimed at restricting the stores. In a veto message, Schwarzenegger said the bill would discourage large retailers from opening stores in California. He also said it was not necessary to protect local governments from baseless or frivolous lawsuits.

[calcowgirl]

Good news!

Thanks Arnold!

[MassachusettsGOP]

Good, hopefully this Cockamani idea will die now.

[1035rep]

Excellent!

[goldstategop]

It doesn't compute. I was surprised to see him veto the alternative fuels mandate on cars. After all he IS a big Green Fan. More likely, he wanted to save his Hummers from the junkyard.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." -Manuel II Paleologus

[calcowgirl]

They're still trying to work it in other states:

http://www.nationalpopularvote.com/npv/

[goldstategop]

He should have signed it and reamed it up the Democrats' ass.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." -Manuel II Paleologus

[SideoutFred]

Alert....alert....Arnold acted like a Conservative today.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled programming.

His liberal alter ego will return tomorrow

[calcowgirl]

was surprised to see him veto the alternative fuels mandate on cars.

Maybe it didn't mandate his preference? He didn't veto all of the alternative fuel legislation. Today he signed SB 1505; Senator Lowenthal, Alan (D-Long Beach)Fuel: hydrogen alternative fuel.

[Lancey Howard]

Credit where credit is due. Kudos to Arnold.

[Dutch Boy]

It won't die. It will hide for awhile and pop it's ugly head out from under the rock it was hiding under. The democrats populate most cities. Cities are centers of dense population. The dems can't win given rules that are more than 200 years old so they want to change them. Just like spoiled children.

I'll bet the dems would change their toon about getting rid of the EC if the GOP wanted elections based on congressional district vote. Just remember the red/blue map after the the 2004 election.

[Young Scholar]

Alert....alert....Arnold acted like a Conservative today.

The alternative explanation (that my cynical side came up with) is that he's hoping they'll work for a constitutional amendment to do away with the Electoral College instead--and do away with the "born a citizen" requirement while they're at it.

[socialismisinsidious]

It would be nice if it died now but that is not the Loony Liberal Socialist way.

They will whine, cry, stomp their feet, cheat, make victims and use any back door that they can to get what they want. History means nothing....hell, they change history to meet their needs. I'm afraid that the fat, lazy sheople in this country (who couldn't tell you how the EC works if their lives depended on it) will fall in line on this, totally clueless, with the "progressives".

The American people will never knowingly adopt Socialism. But under the name ‘liberalism’ they will adopt every fragment of the Socialist program, until one day America will be a Socialist nation, without knowing how it happened.” Norman Thomas co-founder of the American Civil Liberties Union

[beelzepug]

"...hopefully this Cockamani idea will die now."

It won't. The democrats know this is the key to permanent occupancy of the White House. If we ever go to a popular vote system, the President will always be elected by a handful of large metropolitan areas, full of low income, non-property owning, entitlement mentality liberals, many of whom will not even be citizens. We'll be a third world craphole in one generation.
The key to stopping this movement is in educating people about why an electoral system was chosen by the founders. There's a good reason why the word "united" was not capitalized in the early use of the "united States of America". It wasn't meant to be a name of a country but a description of a confederation of states, each with the power to cast their vote for President. These things are just not taught in public schools anymore. And who runs the schools? Let me think.........

[goldstategop]

Ahhh yes... some alternative fuels are more equal than others. Green Gas Station 2006 ;-)

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." -Manuel II Paleologus

[calcowgirl]

I'm just looking through some of today's signings/vetoes.
He vetoed Chuck Devore's (R) Hemp bill.

[goldstategop]

Its still legal to market hemp in California, eh? Its the good side of weed.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." -Manuel II Paleologus

[maine-iac7]

the dimRats have every intention of deepsixing the electoral college - as that will negate red state votes....they know it's the only way they can win - particularly if the voter ID bill gets passed. We have to be on our toes -

The level of evil in DC is being ratcheted up to an all time, frenetic, high

[calcowgirl]

>Its still legal to market hemp in California, eh?

It's legal for California manufacturers to buy it from foreign countries, but not for farmers to grow it, even though industrial hemp is used in many products and can be distinguished from marijuana. Go figure.

DeVore joined with lefty Assemblyman Mark Leno to sponsor the bill and McClintock supported it in the Senate. Here's a link to the law. The Senate and Assembly analysis, as well as the text of the enrolled bill go into more details.

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/bill/asm/ab_1101-1150/ab_1147_bill_20060824_enrolled.html

[maine-iac7]

Speaking of bills - did the DC pols go into recess without voting on the Voter ID bill?

WE MUST get this passed - without the dead, alien, and multi-vote voters, I think the public will be surprised at how many LESS democrat votes there will be. (The dimRAts know it - and are panicked.)

[Between the Lines]

They're still trying to work it in other states:

Without California's 55 electoral votes, it is going to be an uphill battle for them to do it.

[Amerigomag]

No veto message available yet for AB 2948 but good job governor.

[srmorton]

Although individual states might have the right to decide how to allocate their electoral votes, the electoral college could not be eliminated without a constitutional amendment. I do not see how such an amendment could ever get two thirds of the states to ratify something that would give them less say in the election of the POTUS.

It really is a stupid idea. The winner of the popular vote will most likely be the winner of the electoral college vote. The 2000 election was an exception to the rule and I remember the pundits saying that it had only happened once or twice before.

[july4thfreedomfoundation]

I don't understand what the liberals had hoped to gain if this bill had become law. In 2000, Al Gore carried California and received all 55 of California's electoral college votes.

If this bill had been the law of the land in 2004, George W. Bush would have received ALL of California's 55 electoral college votes. True, Kerry carried California,
but George W. won the popular vote nationwide by over 3 million votes.....

[srmorton]

I was thinking that, too. What obviously gave them this brilliant idea was the 2000 election, but it would have made no difference since Al Gore won both the state of CA and the popular vote. Maybe they're afraid that CA might turn red. (LOL)

[dcrider182]

some of these bills are absolutely stupid! how do they even get put in front of him.. and the people that put it there still have a job?

Cali need to take out the trash or succeed from the Union..or hell. Split Cali in Half. Make 2 states. you'll see Nor cal go Red every election from here on out. With the amount of goods and services we send south. Nor cal will never have a money problem again. And SO cal will be in debt for as long as they are a blue state.. Now THATS a bill someone should shove in front of the Gov..

[Zack Attack]

I don't understand what the liberals had hoped to gain if this bill had become law. In 2000, Al Gore carried California and received all 55 of California's electoral college votes.

I don't get it either. If only California did this it would have changed nothing in 2000 and helped Bush in 2004. Maybe if just California and NY could do this...

[calcowgirl]

...some of these bills are absolutely stupid!

Yep. You should see the other 700+ bills that got signed into law.

[staytrue]

The idea is that in a lot of places, there are no competitive races worth voting for and so turnout is low.

So if the election was based on popular vote, it is not clear how turnout would have changed and no one really knows if gore would have won the popular vote in 2000 or even if bush would have won the popular vote in 2004.

What I like about the electoral college is that in close elections, swing states (aka moderate voters) decide the election.

With a change to popular vote, it will be about turning out your base. With the EC, it is about winning the swing voter. Frankly, some of the base on both sides are insane people.

[newzjunkey]

Definitely one I'm *glad* to see smacked down by veto.

[newzjunkey]

I don't understand what the liberals had hoped to gain if this bill had become law.

Trying to understand was your first mistake. ;)

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

What's really funny about this bill is if it was signed into law, and a Republican won the national popular vote in 2008, all 55 (?) of Kalifornia's electoral votes would go to McLame or whoever the Republican nominee happened to be. The Democrat majority in Kalifornia would end up not being represented at all. At least, under the current system, the Democrats' majority will, as nauseating as that might be to the rest of the country, wins out and gets weighted repressentation (Congressmen + Senators). Wouldn't Kalifornia rather have it that way?

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

If we ever go to a popular vote system, the President will always be elected by a handful of large metropolitan areas, full of low income, non-property owning, entitlement mentality liberals, many of whom will not even be citizens. We'll be a third world craphole in one generation.

Not necessarily. Dubya won the popular vote in 2004.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

I do not see how such an amendment could ever get two thirds of the states to ratify something that would give them less say in the election of the POTUS.

And if it can't get 2/3 of the states to ratify it, how could it ever hope to get the Constitutionally mandated 3/4 to do so? :-)

[srmorton]

You're absolutely right. I was thinking of the two thirds majority needed in BOTH houses of Congress which I doubt could ever be achieved in the first place.