Let’s just add this to the “Is there anything these guys won’t try” list. It seems the GOP wants to divvy up California’s 55 Electoral Votes based on Congressional districts, rather than the present winner-take-all system. I can’t believe they said this with a straight face:
“The pitch is pretty straightforward,” Eckery said. “We’re unlocking 55 electoral votes, and making it so candidates have to compete for them…. Candidates are not going to be able to ignore California. That would benefit all Californians.”
I guess Republicans are tired of seeing our 55 votes go entirely to Dems & want to take a few bites out of the biggest blue state. Now, I’m no fan of the Electoral College, but unless you do this in every state - red & blue, alike - singling out California seems like a Rovean ploy.
“This is all about rigging the system, fixing the system, to tilt the electoral college to the Republicans, all under the pretense of being a reform,” Lehane said.
As the story states, the measure is still in its infancy, but as Election ‘08 nears, don’t be surprised to see this on the ballot.
i may not live in California, so they make think this doesn’t affect me, but i hate this idea. i’m from Virginia, where the republican’s always get their way, and of course, no one would dare suggest this here, because there are a lot of democratic districts that get overshadowed.
however, if they did this for every state, this might not be a bad way to improve upon the electoral college.
Comment by karen — August 6, 2007 @ 8:47 pm
I have not seen this! Do you have a link to the original story? The electoral college is ridiculous, but I don’t think this is Constitutional.
Comment by A aka LeftLeaningLady — August 7, 2007 @ 6:02 am
Aaka,
It’s constitutional. Every state can choose how they divvy up their electoral votes. Maine and Minnesota, IIRC, do it the same way.
There’s two things that I think about the plan:
1. I think that it would be fairer to voters. Right now, about 30-40% of votes (Republicans for President) aren’t represented in the electoral college. That’s wrong — both for Democrats in Virginia and for Republicans in California.
2. I am absolutely CERTAIN that if it passed, no candidate would campaign in California (other than to get money for other states.) Why would a candidate spend millions of dollars in California to pick up just one seat in the Electoral college?
I support it, but it ain’t gonna happen.
Comment by ChipUni — August 7, 2007 @ 9:32 am
“Do you have a link to the original story?”
Yeah, just click on the “this” in the first sentence of the post, that should take you to the LA Times.
Comment by Kelly — August 7, 2007 @ 9:46 am
[…] may remember, Back in August, I wrote about the GOP’s efforts to divy up California’s 55 electoral votes. Well, […]
Pingback by liberal angst » Some Good News — September 28, 2007 @ 11:54 am