Posted on 12/22/2016 10:20:32 AM PST by mdittmar
WASHINGTON U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced a renewed effort to amend the U.S. Constitution to honor the principle of one person, one vote in the election of U.S. President and Vice President. Durbin first proposed this constitutional amendment in 2000 and has supported it regardless of the outcome in previous presidential elections. Republican Congressman Ray LaHood joined Durbin in his earlier efforts.
Noting the challenges of passing a constitutional amendment, Durbin also called on states to join the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, which would require each states electors to cast a ballot in favor of the candidate who won the national popular vote.
Twice in recent memory, a majority of American voters cast their vote for the losing presidential candidate. This is certainly not what the Founders intended. Its time to retire this 18th century invention that disenfranchises millions of Americans, said Senator Durbin. The American people deserve to choose all of their leaders, and I will continue to support efforts to empower voters. We face an uphill battle in Congress, but states have the power to act now by adopting the Compact and committing their electors to the candidate chosen by the voters.
So far, 11 jurisdictions have entered the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact: Illinois, California, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington. These jurisdictions represent a total of 165 Electoral College votes. The National Popular Vote Interstate Compact will take effect when enough states have joined the Compact to represent a majority of electoral votes (270 of 538).
“Dick” - God never gave a bigger one a more appropriate name...
GMTA, only I would take it further, by limiting ballots to English. That would kill it for sure.
Twice in recent memory, a majority of American voters cast their vote for the losing presidential candidate.
Twice in recent memory, a majority of American voters (IN EACH STATE) cast their vote for the winning presidential candidate.
There are more people in two counties of Illinois than exist in my whole state.
If the election was based on popular vote only, then candidates would campaign solely in CA, NY, FL, TX and other high population centers like large cities. And we all know who those states and cities are populated by.................
Lil’ Dick thinks he’s more wise than Adams and Madison.
Not going anywhere you dick...Dick.
What a despicable piece of garbage this guy is. The only time the Constitution matters to him is when he can misuse or misquote it.
If this is ever allowed to happen the east and west coast states (primarily NY and CA) will control all future elections.
I just went to “dickie’s” website and sent him the following.
I am sure I will get a nice response justifying his position. Yeah, right!
Are you out of your mind?
Have you ever read the constitution?
You do realize that the Electoral College was created and incorporated into the Constitution to prevent places like Philadelphia, New York City and Boston from putting whomever they wanted into the presidency while leaving entire states such as New Hampshire, Connecticut, Rhode Island and all of the other STATES with no say whatsoever?
Although we are ostensibly from the same community and even have been members of the same parish, I am always amazed at your complete lack of caring about anything other than your own political career and whatever the powers in Chicago tell you to do.
Perhaps you should move to D.C. since you seem to better represent the elite people inside the beltway than those in Illinois. Oh, I almost forgot, D.C. does not have a senator so you would lose your cushy job and all of its perks.
Try listening to the people in Illinois who are not cursed by living in Cook county and its environs or the other islands of left wing idolatry scattered across the state.
Every time I see an article with reference to you I am again reminded of how utterly unrepresented the people of Springfield are by you in the U.S. senate.
How about you propose a bill to place term limits on Senators? Two terms should be more than adequate then they could go back to being regular citizens instead of feeding off of the government teat forever.
Hey Dirtbag, how about National Citizen vote legislation? Hmmmm?
I strongly suspect that the legislation, already passed by many states, would be deemed an unconstitutional “interstate compact.”
Someone may have more details than I do, but I would analyze this as follows:
State legislatures may select electors by whatever manner they wish, at least under The Constitution. (This assumes that the people of the state voting for the legislators know and don’t disapprove of the manner of selection.)
But if the “popular vote” provision is only effective if enough other states use the same criteria, then it’s in effect an “interstate compact.”
And of course it appears that mostly “Democrat” states have adopted this measure. So if a Republican wins the “popular vote” but loses the Electoral College, it would help the Republican if in fact these laws were constitutional at all.
It’s not about the laws, though, for many. It’s just about power, the laws be damned. Scary.
i bet he is not prepared for each state to have the same number of Congressmen, no matter what the population... of course, he wants it both ways...
North Korea LOL.
In North Korea I think the various Kims over the years have gotten almost 100% of the vote in each election.
Note to Dick Durbin:
How about putting some of your energy & money towards cleaning up ILLINOIS?
The reason for the Electoral College has been plain for all these years.
IF you want all the Presidents to be selected by New York &
California—look for the middle of the country to secede. They will be under a system of taxation without representation, among other things.
How do your Illinois constituents feel about not having a say in the Presidential Elections???
Screw your own head on straight, Durbin. You are off base with this.
No, of course not.
They are playing on ignorance. We need civics education back in the schools.
That is soooo stereotypical. Didn’t we just KNOW that when some turd brain cobbled up a bill to destroy one of our guardrails against mob rule, it would be a turd brain like Durbin?
We need a parallel amendment to boot NY and CA out of the union.
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