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Will popular vote elect president in 2020?
The Hill ^ | April 27, 2014

Posted on 04/27/2014 12:20:23 PM PDT by SMGFan

The movement to change how presidents are elected is gaining steam and proponents of the long-stalled popular vote initiative are predicting victory by 2020.

Eleven states/jurisdictions have enacted the National Popular Vote (NPV) bill, giving the proposal 165 electoral votes — 61 percent of the 270 electoral votes needed to trigger the new voting system. Legislatures that passed the law include California, Illinois, New Jersey. Massachusetts, Maryland, Washington, Washington, D.C., Hawaii, Rhode Island and Vermont. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) signed a popular vote bill into law last week.

All of these states, as well as the nation’s capital are liberal leaning, but activists note they are making progress in red states, such as Oklahoma and Nebraska. In the 2000 election, George W. Bush lost the popular vote and won the presidency. At the time, Democrats rallied behind the popular vote idea. The memory of that contested election has made many Democrats eager to jump on board, and some Republicans skeptical.

The NPV bill guarantees the presidency to the candidate with the most popular votes in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Under the bill’s interstate compact, all electorate votes from enacting states would go to the candidate with the most popular votes in the general election. The plan can only take effect when it is enacted by enough states to claim a majority of the electoral vote.

(Excerpt) Read more at thehill.com ...


TOPICS: Politics/Elections; US: California; US: District of Columbia; US: Hawaii; US: Illinois; US: Maryland; US: Massachusetts; US: New Jersey; US: New York; US: Rhode Island; US: Vermont; US: Washington
KEYWORDS: 2020election; andrewcuomo; california; districtofcolumbia; election2020; electoralcollege; electoralvote; electoralvotes; hawaii; illinois; maryland; massachusetts; nationalpopularvote; newjersey; newyork; npv; rhodeisland; vermont; washington
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1 posted on 04/27/2014 12:20:23 PM PDT by SMGFan
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To: SMGFan

My prediction: there won’t be a presidential election in 2020. At least not in a country configured as the USA is now.


2 posted on 04/27/2014 12:24:31 PM PDT by Gluteus Maximus
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To: SMGFan

A popular vote will only further reduce the significance of individual states in contrast to one big state.


3 posted on 04/27/2014 12:30:54 PM PDT by Telepathic Intruder (The only thing the Left has learned from the failures of socialism is not to call it that)
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To: Telepathic Intruder

If this happens, it’s game over for the US. But then it will be time for a new game.


4 posted on 04/27/2014 12:32:42 PM PDT by The Antiyuppie ("When small men cast long shadows, then it is very late in the day.")
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To: SMGFan

If so, the nation will be at the end of the road.


5 posted on 04/27/2014 12:37:52 PM PDT by mulligan (I)
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To: The Antiyuppie

It will require a constitutional amendment, of course, which isn’t easy. Liberals will, naturally (or otherwise), support anything which brings us one step closer to socialism and tyranny.


6 posted on 04/27/2014 12:39:30 PM PDT by Telepathic Intruder (The only thing the Left has learned from the failures of socialism is not to call it that)
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To: Gluteus Maximus

2012 was the last one


7 posted on 04/27/2014 12:43:05 PM PDT by molson209 (Blank)
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To: Gluteus Maximus

So,I Thought The Left Didn’t Believe In Article 5 Of The US Constitution?


8 posted on 04/27/2014 12:46:29 PM PDT by bandleader
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To: SMGFan

How about each state [50, screw DC] gets ONE vote for President. Whichever candidate wins the popular vote in that state gets that state’s vote. At least that would negate the big liberal states giving an unfair amount of electoral votes to any one candidate. Or is that too easy?


9 posted on 04/27/2014 12:48:14 PM PDT by W. (Obama's "presidency" has been nothing but a form of welfare for his family, friends and supporters.)
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To: SMGFan

Then it will be cities, cities, cities. No politician will step foot in a rural state. Not worth the effort. Who can give the most money to the most cities (and the Urban dwellers therein)? That’s what presidential elections will look like.


10 posted on 04/27/2014 12:51:06 PM PDT by fhayek
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To: SMGFan

All of those eleven states constitute one mega-Democrat state; this changes nothing thus far.


11 posted on 04/27/2014 12:52:06 PM PDT by Theodore R. (It was inevitable: Texans will always be for Cornball and George P.!)
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To: molson209

I disagree (if) the GOP starts advocating for AMERICAN JOBS.

Both parties are content with ever more jobs going overseas.

We currently run a massive and ever-growing trade deficit with Communist China. One in which the GOP and Democrats have been big players.

American politics needs American politicians to support policies which primarily build up America.

Neither party is currently building up America.

GOP get with it. Now.


12 posted on 04/27/2014 12:52:22 PM PDT by Cringing Negativism Network (http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c5700.html#2013)
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To: W.

It would really make VT get the big head to do that. Coolidge wouldn’t recognize the place.


13 posted on 04/27/2014 12:53:22 PM PDT by Theodore R. (It was inevitable: Texans will always be for Cornball and George P.!)
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To: All


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14 posted on 04/27/2014 12:56:40 PM PDT by musicman (Until I see the REAL Long Form Vault BC, he's just "PRES__ENT" Obama = Without "ID")
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To: Telepathic Intruder

The individual states already have the constitutional authority to determine how they select their electors. No amendment is required. Nebraska and Maine grant electors based on each congressional district. If a state decides to follow the national popular vote, they may do so. However, the effect will be vigorous campaigning in CA, TX, FL and NY. And of course, it will be challenged in court should a Republican win the national vote....


15 posted on 04/27/2014 12:59:17 PM PDT by Hessian (Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana.)
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To: SMGFan

What has happened to this country?


16 posted on 04/27/2014 1:13:46 PM PDT by al_c (Obama's standing in the world has fallen so much that Kenya now claims he was born in America.)
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To: bandleader
"So,I Thought The Left Didn’t Believe In Article 5 Of The US Constitution?"

Article V is not involved. States already have the power to do this if they wish.

17 posted on 04/27/2014 1:32:34 PM PDT by Da Bilge Troll (Defeatism is not a winning strategy!)
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To: SMGFan

What a waste of time. In most instances the winner of the popular vote IS the winner of the electoral college. As a matter of fact, the Electoral College causes a landslide in some instances where the popular vote is actually much closer.

The electoral college protects the small states. Without it there would be an uprising from many les populous states.


18 posted on 04/27/2014 1:33:30 PM PDT by Jim from C-Town (The government is rarely benevolent, often malevolent and never benign!)
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To: W.
"Or is that too easy?"

I wouldn't say that, exactly. Have you started a tax-exempt organization to push this yet? ;)

19 posted on 04/27/2014 1:35:55 PM PDT by Da Bilge Troll (Defeatism is not a winning strategy!)
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To: SMGFan

Liberals are always trying to rob the little guys, and the latest is this. We need to stop the popular vote drive, and reform election laws.


20 posted on 04/27/2014 1:39:52 PM PDT by ExCTCitizen (I'm ExCTCitizen and I approve this reply. If it does offend Libs, I'm NOT sorry...)
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