Posted on 08/20/2007 7:50:44 AM PDT by SmithL
AMERICANS DON'T like the Electoral College. It's unwieldy, it seems anti-democratic and it has given rise to one of the more despicable facts of modern presidential campaigning: rather than addressing the concerns of the entire country, major-party candidates choose to do most of their post-primary campaigning in just a few battleground states - Ohio and Florida happen to be the most popular ones right now. So, in the face of a proposed California ballot measure that means to erode it, allow us to explain why the Electoral College system is worth defending - at least until someone comes up with a nonpartisan, effective means of abolishing it.
The ballot measure, known right now only as No. 07-0032, was filed by Thomas W. Hiltachk, managing partner of Bell, McAndrews & Hiltachk. This is the law firm for the California Republican Party. The measure would do away with the custom of awarding all of California's 55 electoral votes to the winner of the statewide popular vote. Instead, 2 electoral votes would be given to the statewide winner and the rest would be given to whoever won in each of 53 congressional districts. Because 19 of California's 53 districts are represented by Republicans, and 22 districts voted for President Bush in 2004, this initiative would probably offer around 20 electoral votes to a Republican in the 2008 presidential election.
"What can be more fair than this?" said Kevin Eckery, spokesman for Californians for Equal Representation, which is the nominal entity sponsoring the initiative. "Everyone's voice is going to be heard. It could even help third-party candidates, like the Green Party, in a place like San Francisco."
Please. This is nothing but dirty politics. . . .
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
You are damned right it is undemocratic. What this bozo doesn’t seem to comprehend is that we live in a Representative Republic, not a democracy!
They speak for all Americans?........not me!........
“AMERICANS DON’T like the Electoral College.”
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Oh, really? Now there is the classic opening statement from the Peoples Democratic Republic of San Freakcisco. Yes, I would agree that far-left liberals who want their big-city mindless masses to convert the voting system to squash the conservative bastions of America...THAT is WHO does not like the Electoral College syste...and I would certainly not call them Americans.
Nice try pinkos.
That's a bold statement. It doesn't surprise me that this idiotic assertion is not backed up by fact. But then again, "Americans" have only started "not liking" the Electoral College when Bush won in 2000. I'm wondering... had Kerry been able to steal the election in Ohio and win an electoral majority without winning a majority of the popular vote, would these same "Americans" be so gung-ho about changing a system which has served us very well for the past 200+ years?
me neither. the last thing I want is to have the president chose by NYC, San Fran, and LA.
Note that it’s in a currently dependable Democrat voting state they’re hesitant to get rid of the thing they claim to disapprove of. They’d be just fine getting rid of it in Arizona or Tennessee.
Imagine if the total nationwide vote count was really close. Then you would have to recount every single ballot in the country, as opposed to just having to recount in one state.
Don’t assume the SF Chronic is actually defending the Electoral College. They just want a nationwide “reform” undertaken rather than piecemeal.
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“For instance, the efforts of John Koza - a genetic programming professor at Stanford University - to circumvent the Electoral College in favor of having each state ensure its electoral votes to the winner of the national popular vote merit attention.”
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Of course libs want to trash the Electoral system. Then national candidates will concentrate on a handful of large (liberal) cities and to hell with flyover country.
A more appropriate opening sentence would be: “Americans don’t understand the Electoral College.” Ask the average person on the streets of New York or San Francisco what is the Electoral College and they will ask you where is it located and what is the tuition to attend.
There were a lot of people singing its praises when King William was pulling in less than 50% of the popular vote.
Excuse me, correct me if i am wrong but if every state used
this new California system to pick electors,given the
present ideological makeup of this country, a demoncratic
president would NEVER be elected.
or texas
Are you kidding..Electoral College is THE party campus..it is my parents alma mater..they met there at a tailgating party before the big homecoming game against Hogwarts..besides..this year so belongs to Electoral College..they are this year's Boise State..They should easily go undefeated during the regular season..that should get them a BCS spot..I see them beating Texas in the Fiesta Bowl 37-36..GO EC!!!!!!!!!!
I've asked people who want to do away with the Electoral College if they'd like to do away with the Senate as well, since it was structured the way it is for the same reasons - I get a blank stare, or, in the case of the more arrogant libs - denial that they have anything to do with each other.
That is a BIG PING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The only thing that bugs me about the Electoral College is that being a Massachusetts resident, I know my vote doesn’t count at all. That can be frustrating. But I understand its purpose.
Deconstructing the EC will have to come first, then the Senate. They can feign ignorance till then.
"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 Palelologus
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