New Mexico lawmakers seek popular-vote system for president

The Albuquerque Journal ^ | January 3, 2019 | AP

[CedarDave]

SANTA FE, N.M. — Democratic New Mexico legislators in Santa Fe haven’t given up bringing their state into a movement to elect future U.S. presidents by popular vote.

Four lawmakers have introduced a bill to place New Mexico into an inter-state compact that requires Electoral College voters to cast ballots for the national popular vote winner. States representing 270 electoral votes must join for the compact to function.

[CedarDave]

Democrats, left-wing progressive ones at that, took total control of state government this past November and are looking to follow California (sanctuary state, gun control, all energy to be renewable, etc.). This is just one more thing, together with their putting the brakes on oil/gas drilling (which pays greater than 33 percent of state income) that will move NM toward Venezuela.

[Paladin2]

NM’s population is too small for them to go nationwide pop vote and gain anything.

Losers....

[CedarDave]

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[Kickass Conservative]

>>>inter-state compact<<<

Gee, that sure sounds like something the Confederacy tried to do.

[Paladin2]

New Mexico/Population
2.088 million (2017)

Say...., Isn’t that place really part of Mexico?

[Paladin2]

Isn’t New Mexico essentially a Texas State Park?

[laplata]

That’s a nasty -itch.

[CedarDave]

Say...., Isn’t that place really part of Mexico?

More so all the time, especially here in the oil patch where English is truly a second language and most low-skilled workers are not from here. It certainly pays more than other jobs immigrants (legal or otherwise) take. I wonder how many would support the Dems in Santa Fe who would take their good paying jobs away from them if they could?

[Bernard]

Maybe those people who thought people from New Mexico were from another country and needed a passport in the USA were on to something.

[Paladin2]

At least compared to New York State they are busy drilling in NM.

I’ve always liked visiting NM, it seems like a Great Place.

[Especially enjoyed the Texans learning to ski at Taos...]

[Tijeras_Slim]

It’s where Texan skiers come to die of hypothermia, but not before they piss off all the other skiers.

[Openurmind]

The problem is... If several other blue states join the pact, and they will, it could become a very valid threat. It is a dangerous concept that can’t be taken lightly and needs to be squashed right away before it snowballs. This concept is probably one of the most serious threats facing our free republic at this time.

[Paladin2]

I agree that it is extremely problematic.

Other than ‘Rats being ‘Rats, I’m unclear on the motivation of the NM politicians. How will they benefit?

[Mr. Rabbit]

If this happens and a Republican wins the popular vote, but loses the EC, you can bet all of these leftist states will reneg on the compact in a microsecond. This unconstitutional scheme will only apply to cases where a Republican wins the EC without the popular vote. Bet on it.

[youngidiot]

Indeed! Continue to sound the alarms!

[Mr. Rabbit]

Furthermore, if the progtards want a pure popular vote, there is a constitutional means to do so. It’s called “The Amendment Process”. Two thirds of both the House and Senate and Three-Fourths of the state legislatures and you’re Golden. It’s been done before, so no whining that it’s “impossible”. The reality is this scheme isn’t really that popular. If it were, it would have been done a LONG time ago.

[Amendment10]

"… to place New Mexico into an inter-state compact [emphasis added] that requires"

FR: Never Accept the Premise of Your Opponent’s Argument

Not only would these states be violating the Constitution's "compact" clause of Article I, Section 10, Clause 3 if these states joined the compact without Congress's consent, but consider the following.

"Article I, Section 10, Clause 3: 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 [emphases added], or with a foreign Power, or engage in War, unless actually invaded, or in such imminent Danger as will not admit of delay."

President Trump needs to work with all the states to put a stop to "winner take all" laws for electoral votes, such laws in violation of the 12th Amendment imo.

"Excerpted from the 12th Amendment: "The Electors shall meet in their respective states, and vote by ballot for President and Vice-President, one of whom, at least, shall not be an inhabitant of the same state with themselves; they shall name in their ballots the person voted for as President, and in distinct ballots the person voted for as Vice-President, and they shall make distinct lists of all persons voted for as President, and of all persons voted for as Vice- President, and of the number of votes for each, which lists they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the seat of the government of the United States, directed to the President of the Senate [emphasis added]; …"

Corrections, insights welcome.

[Vermont Lt]

It’s not unconstitutional. The designation of electors is left up to the states. They can set up the votes any way they want.

It goes against the intent of the Constitution, but that’s not illegal.

[Jim Noble]

There are practical problems with the “NPV” scheme as well.

For example: Who would be in charge of counting the votes?

[central_va]

So is Federal Judge from Hawaii going to step in here?