VA Gov. Bob McDonnell will oppose the electoral college change

[oragator1]

Just saw it on local news.
My guess is that this is about a future national run, but whatever it is, thank heavens someone has some common sense.

[fredsanford]

Rick Scott won't try it either, apparently.

He is attempting to move left with a re-election coming up.

[GatorAvatar]

Some Republicans sometimes make me sick.

http://tv.msnbc.com/2013/01/25/virgi...toral-college/

[fairfaxgator]

If you cant win, cheat and then claim how we need to take this country back to what our founding fathers believed in...

Yes, this is what they believed in...NOT!!

[channingcrowderhungry]

I often wonder if anyone in DC understands the history of the electoral college and why it is in place.

[rivergator]

MIssissippi governor has also spoken against this kind of election rigging. It's nice that they're seeing how obviously sleazy it is.

[neisgator]

Funny to see the party of cheating(dems) rail against cheating. Good stuff

[gatorman_07732]

The moral of the story is those in power are out for their own interests

[GatorAvatar]

Originally Posted by fairfaxgator

If you cant win, cheat and then claim how we need to take this country back to what our founding fathers believed in...

Yes, this is what they believed in...NOT!!

Idiots indeed.

[altalias]

I remember when the dems were FOR this. If it had been in place in Virginia and Florida in 2000 it would have given the election to Gore.

[neisgator]

Originally Posted by altalias

I remember when the dems were FOR this. If it had been in place in Virginia and Florida in 2000 it would have given the election to Gore.

Did you say hypocrites?

[altalias]

Originally Posted by neisgator

Did you say hypocrites?

I imply you infer. ; -)

[DaveFla]

Originally Posted by altalias

I remember when the dems were FOR this. If it had been in place in Virginia and Florida in 2000 it would have given the election to Gore.

Yup...

FTR, I am, and ALWAYS have been against changing the electoral process. The only true calls to change it came from the left after the 2000 election.

[oragator1]

2 republican VA senators came out against today so it is truly dead.

And yes the dems tried this same crap a decade or so ago when they were losing elections, they tried it in several states but it never got out of committee.
If people want a practical reason to oppose it, it dilutes the power of your state in an election. Take here in VA for example, there might only be a handful of competitive districts, so instead of 15 EVs being up for grabs it would be half that or less. Means less time and attention on a national level. It also means that what little attention a state would get would all be in those small pockets, with the rest of the state being more or less ignored.

[GatorAvatar]

Get rid of the EC and adopt the national popular vote. One man, one vote: winner takes all.

[MichiGator2002]

Originally Posted by GatorAvatar

Get rid of the EC and adopt the national popular vote. One man, one vote: winner takes all.

Pretty much contrary to every principle of federalism and the entire operant philosophy behind the founding of this country to go to a pure majoritarian national election of the executive. You can't simultaneously like this idea and like the Constitution. Which, hey, I just wish more people would own that.

[oragator1]

One last point on this, basic human nature says that's once it's in it isn't ever going away. The reason is that whoever is in charge can gerrymander the districts to make this work to their advantage regardless of party. It will never be in the controlling party's interest to get rid of it once it's there. You are basically ceding half your electoral votes to the whims of your legislators in perpetuity.

[fredsanford]

How about proposing policies voters like instead of gaming the system?

[Swampmaster]

why not just abolish this pesky and expensive voting / electoral college system and let "select" members of congress and the supreme court pick the president every 4 years?? I'm sure they will pick someone good.

[VAg8r1]

Originally Posted by MichiGator2002

Pretty much contrary to every principle of federalism and the entire operant philosophy behind the founding of this country to go to a pure majoritarian national election of the executive. You can't simultaneously like this idea and like the Constitution. Which, hey, I just wish more people would own that.

Do you think we should return to the Electoral College as originally envisioned by the founders? Under Federalist No. 68, which contains the rationale for the EC, Hamilton clearly envisioned a system under which the Electors would exercise their independent judgement in determining the best candidate for the office of the presidency, not a system under which all of the electors in a given state or even a congressional district would be pre-pledged to specific candidate. In fact, in most states the electors are expressly prohibited from deviating from their pledge and actually exercising their independent judgement. The EC was created because the founders thought that the average voters lacked sufficient knowledge to elect the president and could be easily manipulated. I seriously doubt that the founding fathers would approve of a system under which essentially a small number of swing states actually determine who occupies the office of president. It's time to amend the Constitution to do away with the anachronism that is the Electoral College. Who knows, without the EC the votes of Democrats in Texas and Republicans in New York and California could actually mean something is presidential elections.