The definition of insanity...the Electoral College

[pbmus]

Link to tweet

[SheltieLover]

1. This must change!

[JoeOtterbein]

2. It also makes us feel we are nothing more than patches of...

...dirt.

[dalton99a]

3. I don't give a shit about the historical background, it is a STUPID system.

(I know the historical background)

[TDale313]

4. We're- unfortunately- pretty stuck with it.

Which, as a Californian- seriously sucks. But it would take a fair number of small states and Congresspeople from those small states who benefit from the current process to agree to change it. The compact between states to vote for the national popular vote winner is more doable (states with ec votes of 270 agree, and that bypasses the need for a constitutional amendment) but still a steep climb.

[brush]

7. Perhaps a movement to make EC votes porportional to...

percentage of votes gained can be talked up. Just getting rid of it altogether will get an automatic knee jerk "NO" reaction from repugs because it helps them most, but keeping all states in play, which when you think about it, is in accord with our republic system of government, maybe such a movement could eventually gain favor.

[TDale313]

9. Yeah, that's a huge part of the problem

Not just the system, but that the number of seats in Congress and the EC Votes has not kept pace with growing populations and with the redistribution from rural to urban areas. It’s flawed in concept and even more in practice. Readjusting would help. If we can get the compact to essentially work around the EC, even better imo.

[misanthrope]

10. My understanding is there's nothing preventing the states from doing so already

But there's a risk in doing so. Do you think Californians are going to willingly let Republican candidates take some of their electors if there's no guarantee the Democratic candidates can garner a representative number from Texas? Without everyone doing it at once, you would likely be guaranteeing one side a landslide in the next presidential election.

[brush]

18. There's no danger in California that there are enough republicans to...

Last edited Fri Nov 6, 2020, 04:54 AM - Edit history (1)

supplant Democratic control of the state government apparatus. There's just not enough of them.

Of course all states would have to adapt such a proportional system at the same time. And considering that Democrats have out voted republicans six out of the last seven presidential elections there not much danger there.

Maybe if such a system comes into effect, we can also work on getting rid of repug gerrymandering too which allows repugs to dominate state legislature, and even federal ones. If that happens creatures like Jim Jordan will never be in Congress again. His district's physical shape is a meamdering abomination drawn to include republican neighborhoods and to avoid Democratic ones.

[misanthrope]

19. The House cap needs to go

Reduce the size of districts from its current status of 740,000 citizens. That's ridiculously large and makes the Congress less responsive to constituents. Hopefully, that might help solve some of the gerrymandering issues.

[brush]

20. Hmmmm. I hadn't thought of that. Might be good.

Have to expand the House chamber for the additional seats but that can be done.

[colsohlibgal]

5. Agree 100%

It gives way more power to voters in sparsely populated States than voters in heavily populated States. No other democratic nation does this. And it only can benefit one party.

Enough. No Electoral College no Dubya no Chitolini. The lives that could have been saved.

[world wide wally]

6. Colorado just passed a resolution to basically do away with the EC

Our EC votes would go to the candidate with the highest popular vote total in the nation

[groundloop]

8. But again, this only works if red states will also go along..... and they won't

As to the original post and the fact that we're obsessing over Georgia.... yes, true, but there's a little bit more going on. We're watching the metamorphosis of a red state into a blue state. And I believe that IF Georgia can hold stay in the Biden category that all the new voters will feel rewarded for voting and will be much more likely to keep voting in upcoming elections (including the ultra important Jan. 5th double Senate runoff).

[Kaleva]

11. The EC makes our elections nail biting, stomach churning, exciting events.

[groundloop]

12. I wouldn't exactly call 2016 "exciting"

[Kaleva]

14. It was in the beginning for us. In 2020, it's the opposite.

2020 started exciting for Trump supporters but that went south when Arizona was declared for Biden by Fox and AP. It's been exciting for us the rest of the way.

[Kaleva]

13. With Texas trending blue, the EC will prevent any Repub in the near future from winning.

[groundloop]

15. ehhhh..... not really. EC has a rightward tilt of 2 - 3 percentage points.

[Kaleva]

16. There is almost no path to victory for a Repub w/o Texas.

[kacekwl]

17. I agree, totally ridiculous.