There is a reasonable argument that our winner-take-all electoral college system is unfair. And four times in our history (including Bush v. Gore), we have seen the untenable consequence in which one candidate can win the popular vote while the other wins the electoral vote -- and the Presidency. That feels unfair -- un-democratic -- un-American -- and so it is. Changing the electoral voting system is actually a good idea -- but only if you change it in a way that will truly represent the will of the people by accurately representing the popular vote. There is clearly no correlation between the popular vote and apportionment by congressional district. If there was, Nancy Pelosi would be Speaker of the House now.
The President should be elected by a straight majority of votes nationwide, and there is a movement underway to make that change. It is a very popular proposal here in PA. A survey of
The National Popular Vote bill would guarantee the Presidency to the candidate who receives the most popular votes in all 50 states (and DC). One person, one vote would actually have some meaning, and there would no longer be a few battleground states that get all the attention and power. And it has the added virtue of upholding those universal values of fairness, sportsmanship, and guaranteeing that the peoples' idea of the better candidate wins.
When the bill is enacted by states with a majority of the electoral votes-- enough electoral votes to elect a President (270 of 538), all the electoral votes from the enacting states would be awarded to the presidential candidate who receives the most popular votes in all 50 states and DC. The bill has passed 31 state legislative chambers in 21 states with 243 electoral votes. The bill has actually been enacted by 9 jurisdictions with 132 electoral votes -- 49% of the 270 necessary to go into effect. (National Popular Vote, Inc.)
So, if our legislature wants to tinker with the electoral college, let it tinker this way -- get rid of it, in favor of a national popular vote system, and really level the playing field. For more information, check out http://www.nationalpopularvote.com/ . There is a page on activities in PA, including information about HB 1270, the National Popular Vote bill introduced in 2012. If PA passed this bill, its 20 electoral votes would put the initiative well over 50%.
DON'T SIT ON YOUR HANDS ON THIS ONE -- share this information; call your representatives and tell them to vote NO on HB 94 -- our democracy truly is at stake.
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
1
1
1
