Massachusetts Passes National Popular Vote Bill, Joins Other Anti-Gun States

National Popular Vote ^ | 7/30/08

[pabianice]

MA joined rabidly anti-gun states MD, IL, HI, and DE in this vote, an attempt to end the rights of smaller states to elect the President by ending the Electoral College. (Q: Can this be done without amending the Constitution?)

[WayneS]

With THIS Supreme Court?

Maybe.

In another five years or so, YES.

[Valpal1]

Not going to happen. Small states have no incentive to pass a bill and enter their state into a neutering agreement.

[Night Conservative]

Not enough states will pass this BS for it to ever take effect.

And even if they did, it is unconstitutional and would not stand up to judicial review. Non-issue.

[avacado]

Exactly what the Founding Fathers did not want: Mob Rule.

[Phlyer]

Q: Can this be done without amending the Constitution?

A: Yes. The Constitution says: Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors, equal to the whole Number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress: but no Senator or Representative, or Person holding an Office of Trust or Profit under the United States, shall be appointed an Elector. (Emphasis added)

So if the various legislatures agree to this, then they can choose their electors based on the vote in other States. I think it's dumb, and if they tried to do it in my State I'd certainly be contacting my State representatives and senators.

[HamiltonJay]

This will last until the people realize their state voted overwhelmingly democrat, and their EC votes will now go Republican. These initiatives are stupid and idiotic, and completely undermine their own constituents.

[rexgrossmansonlyfan]

Does anyone else remember in 2000 it was widely thought there was a good chance Bush would get the popular vote and Gore the electoral in the weeks before the election and nobody in the media had a problem with it?

[pnh102]

And even if they did, it is unconstitutional and would not stand up to judicial review. Non-issue.

Hopefully, as you stated, enough states will reject this. However, as more liberal human waste infests the sane states, this could be a problem that sadly the Supreme Court will have to deal with. One one hand, the Constitution says explicitly that states can choose Electors in any way they see fit. Furthermore, interstate compacts are allowed. On what grounds does this proposal become unconstitutional?

Please note I am not trying to say this is a good idea. I think I might be missing something in the Constitution that disallows this.

[Pearls Before Swine]

If passed by an electoral majority of states, this would stimulate voter fraud on a hitherto unimaginable scale. The dead would be resurrected to vote Democrat in droves. The pressure to block military absentee votes would be huge. In any close election, the leverage to vote fraud would be unimaginably large with this rule.

[rexgrossmansonlyfan]

Note how this does not require MA to go with the popular vote.

Will they still do this if McCain wins the popular vote nationally but doesn’t win MA as would most likely be the case?

[chaos_5]

How exactly does a state presume to have the authority to change federal law? The arrogance is alarming.

[Roccus]

Article 1 Sec. 10

No State shall, without the Consent of Congress, lay any duty of Tonnage, keep Troops, or Ships of War in time of Peace, enter into any Agreement or Compact with another State, or with a foreign Power, or engage in War, unless actually invaded, or in such imminent Danger as will not admit of delay.

[PhilosopherStones]

XIVth Amendment, I would assume. Equal protection clause. Your vote as a citizen of, say Idaho, would be overridden by votes from, say Massachussets.

[Sacajaweau]

We learned from Florida that Federal rules have to be preserved in a Federal Election.

[BigEdLB]

Remember - Massachusetts is the bluest of blue states, and they will try anything - Remember Hugh Hewitt’s book - If it’s not close - They can’t cheat.

I might be in favor of a district system, but a national pop vote defeats federalism.

[NonValueAdded]

Hold on now: Under Massachusetts legislative procedures, an additional vote is required in both the House and Senate to transmit the bill to the Governor. Although this vote was on the agenda on the session's last day (July 31), no action was taken. [emphasis added]

Doesn't that mean this has died in for the legislative season? Isn't this really a non-story for now, other than the Senate seems willing to pass it?

[massgopguy]

Will they hand me a ballot with a check in the box next to Barack Obama’s name at my Polling Place?

[Roccus]

See post #13

[massgopguy]

I thought Barrios was out?!!! WTF? He took a Lobbyist job after trying to get Fluffer-Nutters banned.