4 thoughts on “I Heard It On The NARN”

1. I truly admire and respect Laura Brod as a person and politician. And she makes a very compelling case for a National Popular Vote. However, I am still not convinced. and don’t know that I will be.

2. The concept of a NPV effectively eliminating the Electoral College is an intriguing thought. I support the principle, but I wonder if the editorial writers and poll respondants have considered all the possible unintended consequences.
   It goes without saying the US is a litigious country. What’s to prevent a state which has not adopted NPV and is controlled by a party whose candidate has lost the popular vote but could win under the old system from filing a lawsuit contesting the results?
   We’d be in the same sad state as we are now. Worse, maybe. Once again, the composition of the Supreme Court would have significance beyond the intent of the Founding Fathers. In effect, five individuals would have the power to elect the POTUS.
   Am I being paranoid?
   I think a constitutional amendment is the way to go.

3. There are many problems with this proposal. Lets begin with the obvious. The people who have been talked into supporting this are people who are hoping to gain some economic benefits. California is apparenly a strong base of support for this. California because it has been conceded to the Democrats hasn’t had much money infested in it compared with the millions that are drawn to it. They just want money spent. They really don’t care about the votes.

   The next problem is that a candidate will shape his proposals to get to 51% plus of the vote just like . Barrack Obama for example used the environment movement as part of his base. They say you can’t drill for oil in Alaska or off the gulf of Mexico. The electoral college college forces candidates to at least consider the needs of some states. Al Gore ignored West Virginia a state traditionally that voted Democrat. It hasn’t voted Democrat for President since 2000 when the environment movement got radical.

   I can go especially having gone to the website which was recommended. You want the best way to get candidates to pay attention to the states. Don’t cap the contributions let alone impose spending limits. John Mccain in 2008 ran the campaign he did because he had to best use the federal matching funds he took. Obama spent money like a drunk sailor and didn’t win the campaign landslide he should’ve won just on money alone.

   Walter Hanson
   Minneapolis, MN

4. I think if you want to replace the Electoral College system with the popular vote, then the proper way to do it is via a constitutional amendment. Trying to skirt the system put in place by the Constitution with an interstate compact that would in effect adopt a popular vote system for electing the president is adopting the sort of “ends justify the means” thinking that lead to the Commerce Clause being twisted into a virtually unlimited grant of power to the federal government which was supposed to a government limited to specific enumerated powers.

   Also I don’t know much about Laura Brod but I do know enough about Dave Durenberger, Sandy Pappas, John Marty and Phyllis Kahn who have all signed onto this proposal to know that if they’re for it, it’s something I probably wouldn’t like.

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