Posted on 09/24/2007 8:18:18 AM PDT by SmithL
Democrats have been working themselves into a lather of righteous indignation over a Republican-backed ballot measure that would, if enacted next year, change the way California allocates its presidential electoral votes.
One Democratic radio ad campaign denounced it as a "partisan power grab," and the state's Democratic leaders have been echoing that line for weeks. Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean has pledged "whatever it takes within legal boundaries" to defeat the measure.
Currently, the candidate with the largest popular vote is awarded all of the state's 55 electoral votes, the same system used in 47 other states.
The proposed ballot measure would award one electoral vote to the popular vote winner in each of the state's 53 congressional districts, and the two remaining votes to whichever candidate is the top vote-getter statewide.
The universal assumption is that under the current system, next year's Democratic candidate would be assured of all 55 electoral votes, a fifth of those needed to win the White House, but that under the proposed change, the Democrat could expect about 35 votes with the other 20 or so going to the Republican candidate, based on recent voting patterns.
That would be a 40-vote marginal swing, with the 20 shifted votes being the equivalent of those in a fairly large state such as Ohio or Pennsylvania, and perhaps enough to deny the White House to the Democrats.
To hear Democratic leaders describe it, the measure is a dirty trick, a despicable theft that undermines democracy and rigs the election.
Actually, it's a pretty straightforward, albeit partisan, maneuver, and may be nothing more than a feint to force Democrats to spend big money. It may even be unconstitutional, ...
(Excerpt) Read more at sacbee.com ...
and yet, if this were happening in a Republican controlled state, the Dems would be all for it.
I thought that the Dems were trying this in other states.
Dems only want to enact this legislation in red states. The blue states they already have sewn up.
Basically what the Democrats are saying is they want San Francisco and Los Angeles to control the votes. That is exactly what is happening. The rest of the state has nothing to say about it. The population in those two cities control it.
The Constitutional language seems pretty clear. The only question is does the mob at large equate to “the legislature”? I think not. The Founders had not envisioned the move towards direct demmocracy which is so prevelant in the Western USA, but California law clearly maintains a legislature.
The US Constitution requires them to design the manner for choosing electors.
Of course you could write the bill as passing a law requiring the legislature to pass a law. But, they still might not. So the ballot measure would need to have some teeth in it, like forfiting pension perhaps, or jail time.
Failing that I think it’s doomed to lose in the courts.
Despite the fact I think the proposed law is unconstitutional if passed by direct-vote, I think it’s a great law!
If the people pass it the legislature should follow suit.
Other big states should consider this too. It’s a reasonable modification of the electoral college system, one that makes sense for big states.
I think small states might choose to stay with the winner take all system.
All you have to do is look at a red/blue map of California to realize that this is a pretty accurate statement. They hate disenfranchised voters, as long as they’re not Republicans.
bttt
They supported it in Ohio and Colorado.
It is the State Legislature itself that has effected the "move towards direct democracy" by creating the initiative process. The people of California have now decided to apply this delegated authority to the issue of choosing Presidential Electors. Had the California State Legislature intended for the initiative process to be inapplicable for this purpose they could have written this exception into State law, but they did not. Thus those California citizens who are seeking by means of the initiative process to redefine how Presidential Electors are chosen in California are doing so in a manner directed by the California Legislature, just as the United States Constitution requires.
"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
So much for making every vote count.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.