Outgoing State Senate Majority Leader Ken Gordon has vocally supported an attempt to repeal the Electoral College by circumventing the amendment process. In this morning's Wall Street Journal, former Delaware governor Pete DuPont explains why this is a terrible idea:
Might not "one person, one vote" allow a national vote to amend the Constitution instead of requiring approval by three-quarters of the states? To restrict freedom of speech, or expand searches and seizures, or modify any of the Bill of Rights?One wonders if the direct election of presidents is really the beginning of an effort to bring national government under the control of large and liberal states. Common Cause, a Washington-based lobbying group that describes itself as "promoting open, honest and accountable government," argues "how neatly it fits with American tradition." But it doesn't. It contradicts our constitutional republic's state and federal government sharing of powers. Choosing presidents is one of our states' powers, and we should not remove it to begin a centralized national American government.
Ken Gordon appreciates neither the traditions of the country, nor the proper role of the office he seeks. Help Mike Coffman keep this critical office in Republican hands.
Comments
When the National Popular Vote proposal passed here in Colorado in April, it had strong bipartisan support, so this isn't as much a "Dems vs. Reps" issue as you'd like to make it.
It's dishonest to call this a "repeal" of the Electoral College. That system stays intact, but Colorado would be choosing its own method of allocating those electors, as the Constitution explicitly allows us to. Maine and Nebraska are two states which today use alternative formulas for allocating their electors.
Finally, while I do appreciate Mr. Coffman's criticism of Gigi Dennis' recent decisions, I think it's well past time to elect a Democrat as Secretary of State. Ken Gordon will do his level best for Coloradans regardless of Party affiliation.
Posted by: lalo | August 28, 2006 3:12 PM
In fact, it had minimal bipartisan support, and the two Republicans who voted with the Democrats later withdrew their support of the measure. Two members from the other side isn't "strong" bipartisan support by any rational measure.
Secondly, Maine & Nebraska allocate their votes based on how voters in their states vote. This proposal would allocate Colorado's electoral votes based on how the rest of the country voted. When as few as 13 states agreed, the Electoral College would function solely to ratify the national popular vote. That's a functional repeal, without the bother of going through the amendment process.
I'm sure you do want a Democrat elected. Mr. Gordon's support for this proposal, along with his evident lack of passion for preventing voter fraud, I believe disqualify him for the job.
Once again, it would be only fair of you to say who you are. Your claim on a previous comment that anonymous commenting was my idea is mystifying.
Posted by: Joshua Sharf | August 28, 2006 3:40 PM
Oh to be so easily mystified.
It's a blog. You allow anonymous comments. End of story. If you find anonymous comments frustrating, you can disallow them.
It's creepy enough that you pounced on my first comment to say "I know where you work." I see no reason to volunteer more personal data, especially since your knives are sharpened for such details about the messenger.
As to the issue...the Constitution simply says each State may decide how to apportion its electors. It says nothing about those criteria, so this is perfectly legitimate. I don't disagree that if it were implemented, it amounts to devaluing the Electoral College system for those participating states, but it's also important to recognize the EC arose from travel considerations of the late 1700s and is also an impediment to direct democracy.
One thing Ken Gordon does not lack is passion for making our elections open and trustworthy. You must be thinking of someone else. Republicans have built a very sorry record in holding the SoS' office for 40 years.
Posted by: lalo | September 1, 2006 10:49 AM