Electoral College next in the crosshairs?

[frankfrank]

The remaining votes would go to the candidate winning the most districts NOT the most votes..

Virginia has 11 districts and 13 electoral votes. Under this proposed system Obama, who won 51% percent of Virginias vote in 2012, would recieve only 4 of 13 of it's electoral votes.

They need to bring back the guillotine, because this is treasonous.

If this was happening in an African, or Latin American, or a Pacific island nation it would be called out rightly for the evil that it is.

I agree, if it's not treasonous it is, at the very least, BLATANT cheating. Of course they're cherrypicking which states would have these proportional Electors.

Anybody notice they aren't trying to pass this same system in states like Georgia, Kentucky, Oklahoma? Those solidly-red states would end up having some of their Electors cast votes for the Democratic Presidential candidate. Oh the horror! Those five states are the "perfect" states for their nefarious purposes, because instead of all the Electors voting for the Democrat [[as the popular vote is reliably - or, in Ohio's case, usually - "blue"), most of the Electors would vote for the Republican, because all of these states have mostly-Republican delegations in Washington. I'm not sure if the Wisconsin congresscritters are mostly Republicans but, even if not, such a change would have some of their Electors voting for the Republican, unlike now.

Fortunately, five of these states [[FL, VA, WI, OH, most recently MI) show signs of backing off that. [Uhhh...with PA, where it still might happen, that makes *six* states - I thought it was five?]

What is being proposed is dirty pool, certainly.

BUT I'VE NEVER HEARD ANYBODY FRAME THE ARGUMENT THIS WAY: Doesn't this entirely violate the Balance of Powers? I'm also not certain whether violating the Balance of Powers is UNCONSTITUTIONAL...are there any Constitution scholars here?

I say that this would violate the Balance of Powers because, if this method was used nationwide, the President/Veep would be *guaranteed always* to be the SAME affiliation as the dominant Party in Congress. I don't think it was ever intended that the President should always be from the same Party that "rules" Congress.



THE PRESIDENCY SHOULD *NOT* BE GERRYMANDERED.

[Cincinnati_Kid]

Republicans are looking for any angle they can to try to sit back in the big chair. It's disgusting.

[jiminnm]

Nebraska and Maine have awarded electors' votes like this for years. If I remember correctly, electors for the House districts are awarded based on how each House district voted and the two electors for Senators are awarded based on the state wide popular vote.

[jerrytimes]

The President does represent you.

Imagine if you had a huge pro-war, barely literate idiot in the White House. He might accidentally go to war with countries such as, let's say, Iraq, and kill 200,000 innocent Iraqi civilians.

Now imagine you have a much less pro-war president that brings troops home, avoids wars, and promotes diplomacy.

A president most certainly represents the people. S\He also appoints judges and justices and has the power to veto legislation.

You are joking.... please tell me that you are either joking, or that you don't pay attention to current events.

[jerrytimes]

Republicans are looking for any angle they can to try to sit back in the big chair. It's disgusting.

How do you figure? Obama won the popular vote both elections. If I recall, when Bush won, that is when the outcry came to get rid of the electoral college.

If you want to know whats disgusting, just take a look at the lying f@ck that is president now. He's for the middle class! LIAR! Hes done squat for me or anyone else that is middle class. Hell, he even took money out of my paycheck this year. For me, its about $130 a month. My wife and child couldn't use that money, he decided that he has a better use for it.

[Gistok]

I think you're missing the point of a Presidential election. The President does not represent you.

You know you're preaching to the choir, don't you?? We've all taken a civics lesson or two... not to mention Political Science 101... so your comment comes across as a rather narrow minded perspective...

Time to look at the bigger picture...

[brizee]

I PRAY these people are actually stupid enough to keep pushing this issue.

This state may turn progressive yet.

[jerrytimes]

Umm, how would removing the electoral college help the Republicans? Wouldn't it have benefited the Democrats in 2000? What election has their been where a Republican had more votes that a Democrat and not won the presidency? Maybe I'm missing something.

I actually wish there was something in place where people had to prove that they actually had a clue about whom they were voting for, or at least get rid of the party system. I'm tired of people just voting for someone because of the R or D next to their name.

[brizee]

Interesting times ahead.

I'd just like to thank the state of Michigan for sticking us all with this replicant.

[noise]

As offensive [[and obviously wrong) as it is to call all conservatives racist, I guess its OK for me to now retort by calling all liberals retarded. Well, not all liberals, but any liberals that agree with your offensive statement are obviously retarded.

Interesting that you'd be equally offended by a literal characterization and a pejorative slur.

[noise]

How do you figure? Obama won the popular vote both elections. If I recall, when Bush won, that is when the outcry came to get rid of the electoral college.

If you want to know whats disgusting, just take a look at the lying f@ck that is president now. He's for the middle class! LIAR! Hes done squat for me or anyone else that is middle class. Hell, he even took money out of my paycheck this year. For me, its about $130 a month. My wife and child couldn't use that money, he decided that he has a better use for it.

For the record, I'm middle class and I'm way better off under this President than the previous. I'm not a fan of him in any way, but I'd like to counter the hysterics from partisans.

[Johnnny5]

I voted for Obama in the 2012 election, but I have to admit that Michigan's current system of allocating all of our votes to one candidate is inherently unfair. If Mitt Romney had won Michigan by just 10 votes and Michigan had given all 16 of her Electoral College votes to Romney many here would have been screaming bloody murder.

That being said, I think this is a dirty strategic play by Republicans in Lansing and it's not right to change the rules in the middle of the game. The current system favors Democratic candidates, but 20 years from now the same system may very well benefit Republicans. Even though it's not a totally fair system I say it should stay as it is.