The Critical Critic Loc: Turtle Island

I do... and likewise.

I did, it’s now part of my original response to you... just about which part I thought Magoo hit the nail.

working class stiff Loc: N. Carolina

OK....gotcha.

The Critical Critic Loc: Turtle Island

Just curious. I don’t remember if we ever discussed the EC.. are you a fan, or no?

working class stiff Loc: N. Carolina

I think the electoral college was a wise decision from our founders. I have never questioned the legitimacy of the Trump victory.

I suspect that the current discontent by liberals with the EC stems from the fact that the current President seems not to recognize that making enemies of the American voters who supported his opponent is just not a smart move. While I don't question his legitimacy, I do not appreciate that he thinks of me as treasonous and un-American. He has said so on enough occasions that I do question his approach to governing, not the way he was elected.

While the EC was instituted to prevent a tyranny of the majority, an EC victory is also not a license for the tyranny of the minority. From my perspective, that is how Mr. Trump governs.

The solution to this problem is for the American people to vote him out of office by the popular vote and the electoral college vote. That is my hope for 2020.

If the President wins by the EC again but loses the popular vote, I can predict that the electoral college will come under increasing pressure from the national popular vote compact.

The Critical Critic Loc: Turtle Island

I can appreciate most all of that. My only point of contention would be the very last part. I’m of the position that an argument can be made such a compact is unconstitutional, by way of it being in violation of at least Article I Section 10 Clause 3. A national popular vote would be disastrous. If it were a wise idea surely the combined genius of the Framers would have provided for it.

dongreen76

Well, Proud Incurry- the electorial college has shown it's down side.Even though the popular vote which epitomizes the concept of Democracy served its purpose and functioned to corroborate the concept of a Democracy,(barely).The electorial which is not a device that nesscesarily is as true to Democratic concepts as much as the popular vote is, thwarted the system so grossly,it makes intelligent people wonder should it be discarded,should we have it any way.Knowing that how it is set up,it is the case that any of it's members, when they vote do not have to vote according to the way their constituency wants them to vote.They can vote their own private will and not the will of that particular congressional district and state that they represent.A will that came about do to a majority vote in that particular congressional district and state-even if the electoriate did,vote his/her constituency's opinion,this would still be denominative as to the whole of the more pervasive national opinion.So the question goes ,why should we have a procedural process that contradicts the very foundations that defines us ,when in this case those very foundations were shattered .The electorial college which is not as representitive of a true Democracy as the popular vote is, failed us miserably by sanctioning gross incompetence.

crazylibertarian Loc: Florida by way of New York & Rhode Island

But the were complaining in 2000 with Bush vs. Gore. Many have complained over the decades. I think we should keep it.

The distribution is entirely up to each state. It is not mandated that a state even have an election. The winner-take-all is a tradition, not a mandate. Maine give two votes to the overall winner with each congressional district determining one. I think that's a good choice.

In 1960, John Kennedy's very narrow plurality (not majority) over Richard Nixon translated into a strong electoral victory. Much the same happened in 1968 with Nixon-Humphrey with George Wallace taking a lot of southern states.

The Critical Critic Loc: Turtle Island

Good morning, Don. Just in case you didn’t know, the USA is NOT a democracy, never was, and by the grace of God, never will be. The electoral college was chosen by the Farmers to prevent democracy. You should research exactly what the Framers thought about democracies. Democracy is not our foundation, and certainly doesn’t define us.

MR Mister Loc: Washington DC

Thank you Sonny, glad you're here!

MR Mister Loc: Washington DC

Good job, sir.

MR Mister Loc: Washington DC

Things that have worked for 240 years should be left alone.

debeda

Right on, PR

working class stiff Loc: N. Carolina

I get your point. The various states cannot make a 'compact' without Congressional approval. That point, it seems to me, might conflict with the right of states in choosing their own electors. If we get to the point where a compact of states throws their electors in with the winner of the popular vote, we may have a SCOTUS case on our hands. Until then, I see such a proposed compact in the same light as the call by some conservatives for a convention of the states.

I wouldn't describe a national popular vote as disastrous. Most of the times the electoral college and popular vote align. Now, I wouldn't mess with the Constitution because I think that it is a genius move to have a popular vote loser be allowed to govern. And I do mean genius. The main question for me is: does that person govern wisely?

maximus Loc: Chattanooga, Tennessee

The reason's that applied then apply now probably more than at any other time in history.
So, you want a popular vote to guarantee a democratic POTUS. That means that 3 states out of 50 will choose the POTUS from that moment on.
THAT...is exactly the reason that the electoral college exists. Thank god for the wisdom of our founding fathers.

jimpack123 Loc: wisconsin

If I was Trump I would be very worried the Tariff war is Hurting Trump very badly. it is looking like he will lose WIS. Michigan, and Minn. and Ohio and Penn. His only hope is that someone runs as a third party to offset the independent vote