GOP eyes new election laws

Associated Press ^ | Jan 18, 2013 10:18 AM EST | Steve Peoples

[Olog-hai]

After back-to-back presidential losses, Republicans in key states want to change the rules to make it easier for them to win.

From Wisconsin to Pennsylvania, GOP officials who control legislatures in states that supported President Barack Obama are considering changing state laws that give the winner of a state’s popular vote all of its Electoral College votes, too. Instead, these officials want Electoral College votes to be divided proportionally, a move that could transform the way the country elects its president.

Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus endorsed the idea this week, and other Republican leaders support it, too, suggesting that the effort may be gaining momentum. There are other signs that Republican state legislators, governors and veteran political strategists are seriously considering making the shift as the GOP looks to rebound from presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s Electoral College shellacking and the demographic changes that threaten the party’s long-term political prospects. …

Democrats are outraged at the potential change. …

[Valpal1]

The electoral college was established at the federal level for national elections, so I assume the founders meant what they did.

They also left the apportionment of electoral votes up to the states to decide for themselves.

[BillyBoy]

>> The map below shows the counties won by Obama in blue and the ones won by Romney in red. We’re all ruled by the cities. <<

Bingo. The freepers claiming it's a north vs. south battle in this country with "liberal yankeeland" have it wrong. States like Indiana certainly aren't "liberal". Rather, it's an urban vs. rural battle for the culture of this country.

If you live in El Paso, Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, Memphis, Detroit, Miami, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Denver, Las Vegas, St. Louis, Charlotte, Cleveland, Milwaukee, etc., the local government and electorate is overwhelmingly Democrat and liberal.

[cotton1706]

The cities have become over-representative in the representative assembly that is the Electoral College. This is the way to balance it. State by state.

[itsahoot]

This is saying “we can’t win so we rig the game”.

Strangely it works for the Dims?

We will never win another election if we let them own the voting machines, which should be outlawed.

[cripplecreek]

[gunner03]

I think you’re wrong on this. Here in Washington State, elections are won by the votes of King County, in spite of the fact that most of the state is conservative.