Retiring Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) filed legislation Tuesday to abolish the Electoral College in light of Democratic (thought, president)
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I mean, even if the Electoral College was abolished tomorrow, it still wouldn't make Hillary president. Because the 2016 election was run on the basis of getting electoral votes.
Interesting how she didn't raise this point BEFORE the election, makes you wonder why.
It's funny that some "states' rights" advocates who defend the Confederacy are aghast when a state decides the national government is no longer working in their best interest, isn't it?
States rights involve areas that the federal government intrude in on, and are not addressed in the Constitution (enumerated powers). The election system is in the Constitution, so there is no sates rights issue to debate. However, using your Confederacy example, no where in the Constitution does it state a state cannot leave the US. The Constitution establishes enumerated powers of the federal government, if you do not know what that means, then I suggest you look it up.
First of all, most polling places are within walking distance to where people live. It's one thing that this country has done a fantastic job on - making it very easy to vote.
Second of all, even if you live in a blue state and you're Republican, or you live in a red state and you're Democrat, you can still vote on local issues, you can still vote for state reps, etc. Even if your vote doesn't count towards the Presidential election, you still have a voice in your state. You will notice that we did win the House and the Senate and governances, and a whole slew of other things - that can't be done by people who stay home. In order to make changes, you don't wait until it's time for the big prize, you start locally and work your way up.
Well, of course votes matter on local and statewide issues. How does that justify the fact that they do not matter in a Presidential race?
And no, you are wrong about walking to a polling place. Many people do not have that option, particularly in states that have chosen to reduce the number of places to vote. "Wasting gas" is not a phrase I would have chosen, but for people who don't have cars or have to choose between driving to a polling place or driving the grocery store, it matters. "The country" may have made it easy to vote, although it's taken steps backward in that department, but some states very definitely do not.
Correct. The EC and how it functions to elect a President is in Article II of the U.S. Constitution. It would take a Constitutional Amendment to change it, and I just don't see that happening.
These same people wined because the GOP sent bills up tht wont ever go to a vote.. remember them crying about the tens of millions in "wasted" taxpayer money? now its a good idea, bedamned with the rules..
I guess I rather like the Electoral System. It does make presidential candidates campaign in some of the smaller states.
Negative. State size is absolutely irrelevant with the current system. The candidates campaign in a small number of swing states, regardless of their size.
Small states (NH) and large states (FL) receive campaign attention if they are swing states.
While small states (VT) and large states (CA, TX, etc) are ignored if they are not swing states.
Correct. The EC and how it functions to elect a President is in Article II of the U.S. Constitution. It would take a Constitutional Amendment to change it, and I just don't see that happening.
Negative. It does not take a constitutional amendment to go to a national popular vote. All it takes is a majority of states enacing legislation to pass the National Popular Vote interstate compact. In fact 11 states have already done so. Only an additional 10-15 are needed at this point to switch to popular vote.
Now you only need to convince 38 states it makes total sense.
Negative. As few as 10 (depending on size) more states are all that need convincing with the 11 that are already on board.
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