MD to drop out of Electoral College?

[CrusaderFrank]

It's a movement in a whole lot of states at the moment. Basically, state's invoking their right to chose electorates by a method of their own choosing - in this case, by nationwide popular vote.

...and it unconstitutional

What's unconstitutional? State's have the right to choose delegates in any manner they see fit.

Someones vote in another state should not be worth more than mine, it violates equal protection as set forth in Bush v Gore where the votes of Democrat counties cant be worth more than non-Democrat counties.

It's also just plain fucking stupid and against our founding, but that's just how Democrats roll these days

 

[DiamondDave]

Wow. Winning an election by getting the most votes. How novel!

Idiot...

Has NOTHING to do with how the state votes, according to the proposal... If you could comprehend, you might catch that

And there is good reason, and it has been explained many times, why we have differing ways for obtaining our government officals in each branch of the government... it is a GOOD thing that not all offices are chosen by direct popular vote elections

That "good" reason would be..that the majority of people in this country are not the conservative corporate zombies you think they are..

The Electoral College is antiquated and designed to keep white landed gentry in power.

Simple as that.

MD leadership is basically ignoring MD and going on the national result... making MD irrelevant

The electoral college helps ensure differing ways of choosing the person that is selected as the supreme executive... it ensures that even in a losing effort, the voices of even the small states are heard... that is a GOOD thing, not a bad thing

Simple.. that is EXACTLY what you are... just add the word minded after it

 

[DiamondDave]

We've been moving away from identification with states and towards identification with America for a long time. A lot of the provisions in the Constitution protecting small states from domination by large ones are obsolete for that reason, although I don't expect them to be struck down anytime soon.

California has a similar law in effect now. I was leery of it when I first heard about it, but then I realized that it would hardly ever make a practical difference. The winner of the national popular vote is almost always the EC winner, too. In fact, I can only think of twice that it's been otherwise since most states began choosing electors by popular vote: 1888 and 2000.

In 2000, if those laws had been in effect, both California and Maryland would have given their EC votes to the winner of the nationwide popular vote, Al Gore -- which they did anyway. It would have made no difference. The only time it would make a difference is if our state votes for the loser of the nationwide vote, AND that loser wins in the EC. This can only happen if the election is razor-close, as 2000 was, and the argument is that the winner of the nationwide popular vote SHOULD win the election, so it's the right thing to do even so.

No.. we have a branch of government that is chosen by popular vote.. and rightfully the other 2 branches have differing ways of being chosen... good for the whole balance of power thing...

 

[Dragon]

"Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors, equal to the whole Number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress: but no Senator or Representative, or Person holding an Office of Trust or Profit under the United States, shall be appointed an Elector."

U.S. Constitution, Article II, Section 1.

If a state wants to appoint electors on the basis of the nationwide popular vote, that's its prerogative according to the Constitution. This may seem weird, but it clearly ISN'T unconstitutional.

 

[bripat9643]

It's a movement in a whole lot of states at the moment. Basically, state's invoking their right to chose electorates by a method of their own choosing - in this case, by nationwide popular vote.

It's a movement doomed to fail. Any state that passes such a measure is screwing itself.

 

[Dragon]

No.. we have a branch of government that is chosen by popular vote.. and rightfully the other 2 branches have differing ways of being chosen... good for the whole balance of power thing...

Balance of power between the people and -- what, exactly?

 

[Dont Taz Me Bro]

The Electoral College is antiquated and designed to keep white landed gentry in power.

What is exactly is your evidence of this?

 

[Dont Taz Me Bro]

It would eliminate the electoral imbalance enjoyed by small-population states. You want your vote to count the most, move to Wyoming. Second choice, D.C.

It was designed that way purposely to give the smaller states a little more influence in the election so the people in those rural areas wouldn't be completely dominated by the urbanites in every national election.

(I thought I fixed your avatar for you)

Pats are still the most successful team of the new century.

 

[bripat9643]

No.. we have a branch of government that is chosen by popular vote.. and rightfully the other 2 branches have differing ways of being chosen... good for the whole balance of power thing...

Balance of power between the people and -- what, exactly?

The balance of power between ticks on the ass of society and people who work for a living.

 

[CrusaderFrank]

We have directed our electors to vote based solely upon the editorial recommendation of the Wall Street Journal.

That works, right?

 

[Leweman]

Imagine having to do a nationwide recount if the vote count is within a million votes. That would get real interesting.

 

[Ernie S.]

It's just incredibly stupid.
Suppose the popular vote went for the GOP candidate and he has 268 electoral votes. Further suppose, in Maryland, the Democrat candidate won. Maryland, with their new law, would decide the election for the GOP, against the will of their citizens.

 

[Avatar4321]

My state is run by idiots

Clearly. When I finish my move down there, we will need to change that.

 

[Avatar4321]

What's happening in Maryland? On Tuesday, Maryland became the first state in the union to drop out of college. The electoral college, that is.

Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley signed a law that would award the state's electoral votes to the winner of the national popular vote. As long as others agree to do the same. "Actually, Maryland will drop out only if a lot of other states do, too. Maryland's new law will go into effect only if enough states pass similar laws to total 270 electoral votes -- the number needed to elect a President," O'Malley said.

Dropping out of the electoral college - CNN

Wow. Winning an election by getting the most votes. How novel!

And dangerous for a nation our size.

 

[Avatar4321]

No.. we have a branch of government that is chosen by popular vote.. and rightfully the other 2 branches have differing ways of being chosen... good for the whole balance of power thing...

Balance of power between the people and -- what, exactly?

The Constitution of the United States balances the power between the individual people, the State governments, and the Federal Government.

The idea comes from historical evidence when you have divisions of power between 3 groups, you have:

1) Stability
2) Peace
3) Liberty

When you weaken the power of one and create only two parties of power, you then have a power struggle between the two remaining parties where one dominates the other. This creates, tension, conflict, and an eventual loss of liberty.

The reason why we have so much tension between the Federal Government and individuals is because we've eliminate State power in the Federal government which previously provided additional checks on Federal Government. Thus in a struggle for power between the individual and the Federal Government, the Federal government will triump over time, as we are seeing now.

If we want to strengthen the individuals, we, counterintuitively, need to restore power to the states. Not take more power away from the States. The best way to do this would be to repeal the 17th amendment and Restore the Senate to the States as the Constitution originally designed.

Not only would that provide another check on the Federal government, but it would severely weaken the power of special interest groups because they would no longer be able to finance the direct election of Senators.

 

[Avatar4321]

Imagine having to do a nationwide recount if the vote count is within a million votes. That would get real interesting.

If by interesting you mean there will be violence on the streets and no one accepting the election results as accurate, you are completely correct.

 

[driveby]

On a side note, O'Malley is a tool and a crook, Kerry on......

 

[whitehall]

Things must be looking pretty bad for Barry Hussein when democrat governors opt to drop out of the union rather than see their party lose the presidential election.

 

[Avatar4321]

Things must be looking pretty bad for Barry Hussein when democrat governors opt to drop out of the union rather than see their party lose the presidential election.

I dont think this is the same as secession.

 

[Inthemiddle]

It's a movement in a whole lot of states at the moment. Basically, state's invoking their right to chose electorates by a method of their own choosing - in this case, by nationwide popular vote.

...and it unconstitutional

What? The constitution explicitly says that the states may choose their electors in any manner they wish.