Posted on 01/03/2019 9:22:24 PM PST by yesthatjallen
Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tn.), a vocal critic of President Trump, on Thursday introduced two bills to eliminate the electoral college and prevent presidents from pardoning themselves or their family members.
Cohen introduced the constitutional amendments on the first night of the 116th Congress, both digs at Trump.
“Presidents should not pardon themselves, their families, their administration or campaign staff," Cohen said in a statement. "This constitutional amendment would expressly prohibit this and any future president, from abusing the pardon power.”
The amendments are unlikely to pass since they require a two-thirds vote in both houses of Congress and then must be ratified by three-fourths of states.
Cohen has previously predicted that Trump's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., and his son-in-law Jared Kushner will both be indicted by special counsel Robert Mueller. He did not offer evidence for his assertion.
Mueller is reportedly working on the final report in the Russia probe, which has reportedly included an investigation of Trump Jr.'s 2016 meeting with a Russian lawyer in Trump Tower.
Trump in June of last year said he has the right to pardon himself, but insisted he has no reason to do so because he has not committed a crime.
"As has been stated by numerous legal scholars, I have the absolute right to PARDON myself, but why would I do that when I have done nothing wrong?” the president wrote in a tweet.
Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton, won 65.8 million votes and he lost the popular vote.
Some Democrats have also increasingly criticized the electoral college since 2016, when Trump lost the popular vote but won the presidency because he won the electoral college.
Trump won 304 electoral votes compared to 227 for Clinton.
"In two presidential elections since 2000, including the most recent one in which Hillary Clinton won 2.8 million more votes than her opponent, the winner of the popular vote did not win the election because of the distorting effect of the outdated Electoral College," Cohen said in his statement announcing the constitutional amendment. "Americans expect and deserve the winner of the popular vote to win office."
"More than a century ago, we amended our Constitution to provide for the direct election of U.S. Senators," he added. "It is past time to directly elect our President and Vice President.”
Constitution? Wazzat?
Don’t think CONgress change the Constitution via a Bill.
NO WAY will I ever support this nonsense on the EC. It is the only thing standing between me, here in Alaska, and the welfare hordes of NYC.
“More than a century ago, we amended our Constitution to provide for the direct election of U.S. Senators,” he added. “
And just look how that’s “worked out!”
I often wonder why I have to provide a thumb print to get a drivers license, but if I have to show an ID to vote I’m being repressed? The only thing I can come up with is government corruption.
Let’s do away with congressional districts and make them at large elections too. That would put Cohen out of a job for sure
Now they gotta change the Constitution without the Senate, Supreme Court or the Executive branch's help.
Those are changes to the constitution. They require more than simple legislative bills
That it won't be done will only make them angrier and more radical.
They will never get two-thirds in the House. This is kabuki political theater.
Definitely not the selling point he thinks it is.
“Outdated electoral college”? Because all of this country would be just fine with california and new york deciding presidential elections. He’s just a tad out of touch.
They would need 290 votes which they don’t have.
This all about playing to the deranged Rat base.
If the margin were real, legal votes, they would have the beginning of an argument. Wisely, the Founders set up the EC to offset the tyranny of pure democracy.
Why do we need Congress? Everyone sit at home on their IPads and vote on proposed laws tweeted in by any knucklehead with a hair brained idea.
You can’t just introduce a bill to make a change to the constitution. Frigging idiots.
as long as a majority of the idiots in the house and senate don’t go stupid.. Trump can always veto.
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