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This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://talkingpointsmemo.com/?p=1384676
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://talkingpointsmemo.com/?p=1384676
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This seems like a perfect solution to the problem, so I wonder if it will ever pass.
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So… you’re saying we’re doomed?
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This is great, as far as it goes, but it does nothing to stop hanky panky at the state level.
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True, but we need to prevent ratfuckery at all levels of the voting process: voting itself, tabulation/counting, certification, etc.
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Right, they are trying to line up the holes of many slices of swiss cheese to snake a win from a loss and any time we can seal up one of the holes on one of the layers, the less likely that failures on other layers will ultimately lead to a travesty of justice like they were aiming for on Jan. 6.
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The real problem is the EC itself. It has to go before the problem of minority ratfuckery is solved.
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A better way of reforming the EC and making it less likely to produce a winner who lost the popular vote is to repeal the 1929 Permanent Apportionment Act. That is prior to 1920 with each census the number of House seats and Electoral votes would increase with the population. This reduced the disparity that has grown very large since 1920 between popular votes per electoral votes in large states like CA when compared with small states like WY.
If the EC is replaced with a pure popular vote, the money required for a presidential race will jump from a billion to infinity. That is the one thing the EC does do keep the money required to run a presidential campaign below infinity by reducing the need to campaign everywhere and at all times by allowing campaigns to write-off states like California and Mississippi. Just think of the extra money over and above what is now required if a candidate had to campaign for every vote which would require them to spend money in expensive markets like New York City and Houston.
Therefore instead of getting rid of the EC, we should go back to the way the census and reapportionment was handled before 1929.
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“We can’t predict which party will be in a position to exploit the weaknesses in our Electoral College in 2024 or 2028, or beyond, but Congress can ensure that nobody does.”
That may be true, but we sure as hell can predict which party will certainly try to do so if ever in that position.
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Speaking of January 6th … What’s happening on that front ?
have not heard much in the past week from the House Select Committee on January 6 Capitol attack… are the members busy with other things ? -
or - ( I HOPE ) -
are they vigorously digging through mountains of information and laying out an investigation & hearing strategy that will cut through the crap & put the truth in the spotlight on center stage - in such a way that it will not be possible to avoid prosecuting the perpetrators.
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Were the Republicans acting in good faith, this sounds like a great solution.
The Republicans haven’t acted in good faith since the 50’s.
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Without the fantasy of overturning elections that can’t be won by majority vote, what will there be to fund raise on?
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The Big Lie, i.e. disputing the presidential election result, is hardly new. The LA Times, under HG Otis, maintained for 11 days after the 1884 election that James Blaine, not Grover Cleveland, was the winner.
11 whole days, huh?
We’re going on eleven whole MONTHS now.
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