As the country goes ... so goes California!
But it actually isn't!! There's a bill on Governor Schwarzenegger's desk (passed by the California legislature) that would give all of California's Electoral College votes in a presidential election to ... the winner of the USA's vote. So instead of the old saw, "as California goes, so goes the nation" it could soon be the opposite ... "as the USA goes, so goes California!"
Yeh, it sounds weird, but it might finally put into the grave the antiquated manner by which presidents and vice presidents are elected in our country. And no one could accuse Arnold ("the Terminator") Schwarzenegger of signing the bill for selfish reasons since he is ineligible to be the President anyway. (He's not a natural-born citizen.)
The idea was hatched by the same guy who gave us the scratch-off lottery tickets and other peculiar inventions that no one thought would ever "go" anywhere. As long as I can remember (yes, ahem ... a long time), there has been talk of amending the Constitution to abolish the Electoral College. This scheme doesn't require anything that drastic and, if other states do something similar, the Electoral College will/could become obsolete within the current wording of the Constitution.
Weird, but true!
Four times in the history of our country (out of 55 Presidential elections), the winner of the popular vote was not elected, thanks to the crazy Electoral College manner of selecting the "winner." Of course, there is some electoral red tape involved like ratification by enough states to make up a majority of the Electoral College, but I've seen stranger things occur. For example, who would have thought on 9/11 that we would invade a country that wasn't even involved?
Arnold has until September 30 to sign the bill into law or not sign it. I'm holding my breath ... but not too tightly.
posted by Dr. Joe @ 6:58 PM
3 comments
3 Comments:
It took me a few minutes to figure out exactly what this meant, i.e., that CA's electoral votes would align with the country's POPULAR vote. Even if only CA passed this, it would probably be enough to rectify the problem since they have so many electoral votes. What an ingenius solution! (although I wouldn't put it past Florida to pass a law to the exact opposite. ;->)
Serenissima -
Heh, heh! GREAT thought, athough I hope that no one in Florida or Texas thinks of it. You're right ... this might be the beginning of the end of the stupid Electoral College . Hope. Hope.
Cheers
MWN (Joe)
For some odd reason I have a feeling this will bite the ass of Liberals in this country. What I mean is, I think Bush-Gore of 2000 will be on the other foot. There will be some REPUB who wins the majority of the vote, and the DEM wins the Electorial College votes, but based on this 'new idea' the DEM actually will lose since no one follows the Electorial College. Ironic, no?
Post a Comment
<< Home