| Submit your comments on this article | |
| Fifth Column | |
| Sen. Bill Nelson wants to get rid of Electoral College | |
| 2008-06-08 | |
| The U.S. would no longer use the Electoral College to choose its presidents under a proposal introduced Friday by Florida's Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson. Instead, presidents would be picked by popular vote, a method that would have given former Vice President Al Gore the White House after the contested 2000 election. "It's time for Congress to really give Americans the power of one person, one vote," Nelson said in a statement. But changing the system requires a constitutional amendment and a meat grinder of legislative tests. First, Congress must approve the idea, and then 38 state legislatures must ratify the change within seven years. Even if it succeeds, a change likely wouldn't come until the next decade. "Election reform is always a subject that gets people's attention, but it's always more difficult to do than people anticipate," said Susan MacManus, a political scientist at the University of South Florida. The problem is twofold, she said. Throughout U.S. history, the idea of eliminating the Electoral College has been opposed by whichever major party would be put at a disadvantage. Smaller states also have resisted the change because it diminishes their influence in presidential races.
| |
| Posted by:3dc |
| #16 well, if you think about it, noone who has authority via the Senate should be complaining that other institutions don't have enough direct democracy. |
| Posted by: Abdominal Snowman 2008-06-08 19:45 |
| #15 Let's ask Rhode Island what they think, hmmmm?... |
| Posted by: Chomong Bucket9599 2008-06-08 19:00 |
| #14 So Bill Nelson wants to get rid of the Electoral College. I want to get rid of Bill Nelson. Odds are neither of us are going to get what we want anytime soon. I'd bet, however, that I'll get what I want long before he does. |
| Posted by: Thaimble Scourge of the Pixies4707 2008-06-08 18:19 |
| #13 Long as it doesn't impact the peanut alotment I'm all for it. |
| Posted by: George Smiley 2008-06-08 18:17 |
| #12 given Florida's prominent place in the pantheon of stupid political moves, anything proposed by their reps should be tabled. Sorry George |
| Posted by: Frank G 2008-06-08 15:30 |
| #11 Major Tom to SpaceMan Bill, LOL. That is all. |
| Posted by: George Smiley 2008-06-08 13:46 |
| #10 There are at least thirteen states so small that they would lose any influence on the presidential election at all. They would all reject the amendment in their own self interest. Which pretty much guarantees that the amendment is DOA. What Rambler said. More posturing by idiots -- not worth getting exercised over. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2008-06-08 13:42 |
| #9 The EC is a check to the power of large states and large cities, who pass laws that tend to trample the rights of those in less population dense areas or smaller states. |
| Posted by: OldSpook 2008-06-08 13:20 |
| #8 A retarded idea put forth by a retarded man. It is set up that way for a reason. Ever heard of checks and balances? Oh wait, you don't care about the "people". You just want other retards to only vote for you so you keep power. |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2008-06-08 09:55 |
| #7 Well, hello Rome. |
| Posted by: newc 2008-06-08 08:53 |
| #6 Wouldn't it be easier for the Dems to have a shitload of dead people vote? How about yet another early call of FL for the Dems (Obama) so the Panhandle (i.e., Navy families around Pensacola) vote gets suppressed? Or am I just lacking the good Senator's imagination? |
| Posted by: Raj 2008-06-08 08:47 |
| #5 While you're at it include the dissolution of the 50 redundant state governments and consolidate into a provincial system of a dozen or so regional administrative districts for the central government in Washington. Cause you obviously don't want a United STATES of America, but a Federal |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2008-06-08 08:26 |
| #4 "It's time for Congress to really give Americans the power of one person, one vote," Nelson said in a statement. Before we rush off this cliff, I recommend we FIRST get a handle on the government definition and our understanding of the term.... "American." |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2008-06-08 07:39 |
| #3 So this means Hillary is the Democratic Party's nominee? |
| Posted by: ed 2008-06-08 07:23 |
| #2 "It's time for Congress to really give Americans the power of one person, one vote," Baker v Carr has to be one of the 5 worst SCOTUS decisions of the twentieth century. If only they would apply it to the Senate, pieholes like Nelson would shut up in a hurry. |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2008-06-08 04:42 |
| #1 Let's see. There are at least thirteen states so small that they would lose any influence on the presidential election at all. They would all reject the amendment in their own self interest. Which pretty much guarantees that the amendment is DOA. |
| Posted by: Rambler in California 2008-06-08 02:14 |