Destroying the Electoral College: The Anti-Federalist National Popular Vote Scheme

The Heritage Foundation ^ | 2020 | Hans Von Spakovsky

[CondoleezzaProtege]

The National Popular Vote (NPV) plan is the latest in a long line of schemes designed to replace the Electoral College. Imbued with the ideals of this nation’s Founders, the Electoral College has proved itself both effective in providing orderly elections for President and resilient in allowing a stable transfer of power of the leadership of the world’s greatest democracy.

Therefore, while it would be a mistake to replace the Electoral College, replacing this system with the NPV would be a disaster. The NPV would devalue the minority interests that the Founders sought to protect, create electoral administrative problems, encourage voter fraud, and radicalize the U.S. political system. It also would likely violate the U.S. Constitution’s Compact Clause, while directly contravening the Founders’ view of federalism and a representative republic.

In an age of perceived political dysfunction, effective policies already in place—especially successful policies established by this nation’s Founders, such as the Electoral College—should be preserved.

Key Takeaways:

- The National Popular Vote (NPV) scheme strikes directly at the Founders’ view of federalism and a representative republic.

- The NPV scheme would encourage voter fraud and elevate the importance of urban centers while diminishing the influence of small states and rural areas.

- The supporters of NPV are not hiding their goal: They are trying to manipulate the Electoral College out of existence.

[chopperk]

Losing the College would destroy America.

[gundog]

Absolutely. But with an ignorant electorate....

I was having a conversation with a guy I know, tangentally, through a friend. I told him I didn’t get too worked up about converting voters in Oregon, because the Electoral College was going to turn them blue, regardless. He said “Yeah, and you know, most of those big colleges are back East.” I try not to talk politics with him.

[drypowder]

This all about the Democrats ability to cheat.

[copaliscrossing]

I know this is a little off topic but I really think some of these State’s dominated by just one ultra-liberal city or County should have an Electoral College for electing their Governors. It is sooooo frustrating in The Peoples Republic of Washingtonstan to be totally controlled by King County / Seattle metro area. Same with Oregon and Portland.

[antidemoncrat]

The Democrats ... I mean Demoncrats would love for this Constitutional Republic to become a Democracy which would mean the blue states, mostly on the East and West Coasts would be in control of all elections forever.

[VetoBill]

How could a NPV compact be enforced? Such inter-state agreements the mediating party IS the federal government and that would certainly be forcing the Feds into imposing legislation directly at odds with the Constitution.

So, to me, the NPV would quickly face an issue where the agreement demands action by a State AND any action by that State could be quickly be rescinded by that State itself.

It would be a treaty among States (illegal) and any State could pull itself out at any time.

It would take military action among the agreeing States to enforce since couldn’t (shouldn’t) be involved.

[Gay State Conservative]

IIRC the Constitution forbids states from reaching certain types of “treaties” (my word) with each other without the consent of Congress. One such “treaty” with which I'm familiar is the New York/New Jersey Port Authority...which manages airports,bridges and tunnels in both states.