House Democrats introduce constitutional amendment to ban Electoral College

Started by Solar, April 15, 2021, 06:38:51 PM

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Surfguy74

I pray everyday that Joe Manchin keeps his word about not ending the Fillibuster. He's now has more power in his hands than anyone in this country.

p1tchblack

Quote from: Solar on April 15, 2021, 06:38:51 PM
How did we miss this? :sneaky:


A group of House Democrats introduced a resolution to amend the Constitution to abolish the Electoral College and institute a direct national popular vote for president and vice president.

"Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to abolish the electoral college and to provide for the direct election of the President and Vice President of the United States," reads the text of House Joint Resolution 14.

The effort, led by Rep. Steve Cohen, a Democrat from Tennessee, claims that the "development of mass media and the internet has made information about Presidential candidates easily accessible to United States citizens across the country and around the world."

In a statement explaining the move, Cohen called the Electoral College an "archaic institution" that "has twice awarded the presidency to a candidate who did not win the popular vote" in the last 20 years.

"Americans expect and deserve the winner of the popular vote to win office," Cohen's statement continued. "More than a century ago, we amended our Constitution to provide for the direct election of U.S. Senators. It is past time to directly elect our President and Vice President."

Cohen also cited the siege of the U.S. Capitol last week, arguing that "efforts can be made to manipulate the Electoral College vote using falsehoods and shenanigans by ambitious politicians."

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/house-democrats-constitutional-amendment-electoral-college

Popular vote seems like the correct way to go, especially when you consider a) the President isn't really that important and b) literally every other government position, at all levels, is done with popular vote.
I Disapprove of What You Say, But I Will Defend to the Death Your Right to Say It

dickfoster

Quote from: p1tchblack on April 16, 2021, 12:58:16 PM
Popular vote seems like the correct way to go, especially when you consider a) the President isn't really that important and b) literally every other government position, at all levels, is done with popular vote.
Oh really? Popular vote is pure democracy which is a short baby step from socalism which has never worked in all of recorded history. Not anytime it has been tried.  Greece had a demoracy but where tgd hell are tgey today?  Our founders knew what would work and wo7kd stand the test of time. As they say, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. What we have has worked for over two hundred years so maybe we should leave it the fucjk alone and concentrate on what is broke and get rid of the fucking politicians and political party bullshit.
Crazy but not stupid!

Solar

Quote from: p1tchblack on April 16, 2021, 12:58:16 PM
Popular vote seems like the correct way to go, especially when you consider a) the President isn't really that important and b) literally every other government position, at all levels, is done with popular vote.
Do you even remotely grasp what these Marxists are planning? Do you even have a clue why our Founders insisted that we have the Electoral College?

To keep large cities from stealing from the agrarian States/Counties. So everyone has a voice, it is literally the heart of our Republican form of Govt, where we elect Representatives to speak for us, and yes, that would be next.

In other words, NY and Ca would have the control over the rest of the nation.
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p1tchblack

Quote from: Solar on April 16, 2021, 01:19:53 PM
Do you even remotely grasp what these Marxists are planning? Do you even have a clue why our Founders insisted that we have the Electoral College?

To keep large cities from stealing from the agrarian States/Counties. So everyone has a voice, it is literally the heart of our Republican form of Govt, where we elect Representatives to speak for us, and yes, that would be next.

In other words, NY and Ca would have the control over the rest of the nation.

Well, the primary reason for have the electoral college was to prevent a con man-type from being elected. Of course, that was in time when it took a month or more to send mail from one coast to another.  I don't think there's any lack of information on any candidate that would allow a truly dangerous, con man, Hitler type to be elected. 

I don't know what you think the president has the power to do, but anything of true substance comes from Congress, which is why I said the President is pretty unimportant. 
I Disapprove of What You Say, But I Will Defend to the Death Your Right to Say It

Solar

Quote from: p1tchblack on April 16, 2021, 01:26:27 PM
Well, the primary reason for have the electoral college was to prevent a con man-type from being elected. Of course, that was in time when it took a month or more to send mail from one coast to another.  I don't think there's any lack of information on any candidate that would allow a truly dangerous, con man, Hitler type to be elected. 

I don't know what you think the president has the power to do, but anything of true substance comes from Congress, which is why I said the President is pretty unimportant.
Oh Jeeez, read the damn Constitution! The reason for the Electoral College is to prevent the majority from stifling the voice of smaller States.
Look it up for Christs sake!
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Hoofer

Quote from: Surfguy74 on April 16, 2021, 12:55:18 PM
I pray everyday that Joe Manchin keeps his word about not ending the Fillibuster. He's now has more power in his hands than anyone in this country.
..and Manchin *knows* it - so he, like all politicians have a *price* point for voting against his constituency. We don't need to guess what it'll be, only that Chuck Schumer already knows what it'll take to flip him.
All animals are created equal; Some just take longer to cook.   Survival is keeping an eye on those around you...

p1tchblack

Quote from: Solar on April 16, 2021, 01:29:00 PM
Oh Jeeez, read the damn Constitution! The reason for the Electoral College is to prevent the majority from stifling the voice of smaller States.
Look it up for Christs sake!

To my knowledge, the Constitution provides instructions for the electoral college, but says nothing about why it exists.  The primary reason, from what I've read, is to prevent an unsavory person from winning the presidency.

If you have an excerpt from the Constitution, the provides the "why", I'd like to read it.

But, again, the President isn't really important.  All he can do is sign/not sign bills that reach his desk from Congress, and the Senate give all states equal representation regardless of population.

The EC results in a person's vote in Wyoming counting twice that of a person in California. I'd prefer to see one vote count as one vote, regardless of where you live.
I Disapprove of What You Say, But I Will Defend to the Death Your Right to Say It

dickfoster

Quote from: p1tchblack on April 16, 2021, 01:26:27 PM
Well, the primary reason for have the electoral college was to prevent a con man-type from being elected. Of course, that was in time when it took a month or more to send mail from one coast to another.  I don't think there's any lack of information on any candidate that would allow a truly dangerous, con man, Hitler type to be elected. 

I don't know what you think the president has the power to do, but anything of true substance comes from Congress, which is why I said the President is pretty unimportant.

You have absolutely NO fucking idea of the whys and wherefors of the constitution nor of what it says apparently. Did you come up with that crap on your own or did some other ignoramus feed it to you?
Crazy but not stupid!

p1tchblack

Quote from: dickfoster on April 16, 2021, 03:02:12 PM
You have absolutely NO fucking idea of the whys and wherefors of the constitution nor of what it says apparently. Did you come up with that crap on your own or did some other ignoramus feed it to you?


The Electoral College was created for two reasons. The first purpose was to create a buffer between the population and the selection of a President. The second as part of the structure of the government that gave extra power to the smaller states.

The first reason that the founders created the Electoral College is hard to understand today. The founding fathers were afraid of direct election to the Presidency. They feared a tyrant could manipulate public opinion and come to power. Hamilton wrote in the Federalist Papers:

It was equally desirable, that the immediate election should be made by men most capable of analyzing the qualities adapted to the station, and acting under circumstances favorable to deliberation, and to a judicious combination of all the reasons and inducements which were proper to govern their choice. A small number of persons, selected by their fellow-citizens from the general mass, will be most likely to possess the information and discernment requisite to such complicated investigations. It was also peculiarly desirable to afford as little opportunity as possible to tumult and disorder. This evil was not least to be dreaded in the election of a magistrate, who was to have so important an agency in the administration of the government as the President of the United States. But the precautions which have been so happily concerted in the system under consideration, promise an effectual security against this mischief.

Hamilton and the other founders believed that the electors would be able to ensure that only a qualified person becomes President. They thought that with the Electoral College no one would be able to manipulate the citizenry. It would act as a check on an electorate that might be duped. Hamilton and the other founders did not trust the population to make the right choice. The founders also believed that the Electoral College had the advantage of being a group that met only once and thus could not be manipulated over time by foreign governments or others.

https://www.historycentral.com/elections/Electoralcollgewhy.html
I Disapprove of What You Say, But I Will Defend to the Death Your Right to Say It

RV

Quote from: Solar on April 16, 2021, 01:19:53 PM
Do you even remotely grasp what these Marxists are planning? Do you even have a clue why our Founders insisted that we have the Electoral College?

To keep large cities from stealing from the agrarian States/Counties. So everyone has a voice, it is literally the heart of our Republican form of Govt, where we elect Representatives to speak for us, and yes, that would be next.

In other words, NY and Ca would have the control over the rest of the nation.

New York and Commiefornia being Democrat ran, lead and controlled. This is what the Democrats want and it's the reason that they were willing to exploit the corona virus, defraud the election and thumb their nose at America.
RV

"Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy path."

TD

there is no way any conservative could support abolishing the Electoral College. It is one of the most important pieces of the Constitution. It ensures that every area of our nation is duly represented and has some importance, otherwise the most densely populated areas of the country such as NYC and the Bay Area would be all one would need to win the Presidency. Think about the ramifications of that.
2020=1860
2021=1861

T Hunt

Quote from: p1tchblack on April 16, 2021, 01:26:27 PM
Well, the primary reason for have the electoral college was to prevent a con man-type from being elected. Of course, that was in time when it took a month or more to send mail from one coast to another.  I don't think there's any lack of information on any candidate that would allow a truly dangerous, con man, Hitler type to be elected. 

I don't know what you think the president has the power to do, but anything of true substance comes from Congress, which is why I said the President is pretty unimportant.

The EC does 4 things,

1)Defends states rights against the federal government
2)Defends smalls states against big states
3)Defends the minority from the majority
4)Defends country-folk from the city-folk

All three of these are still very real legitimate concerns today, especially the last one. Thats why it is absolutely still needed and always will be.
"Let's Go Brandon, I agree!"  -Biden

Solar

Quote from: p1tchblack on April 16, 2021, 01:41:29 PM
To my knowledge, the Constitution provides instructions for the electoral college, but says nothing about why it exists.  The primary reason, from what I've read, is to prevent an unsavory person from winning the presidency.

If you have an excerpt from the Constitution, the provides the "why", I'd like to read it.

But, again, the President isn't really important.  All he can do is sign/not sign bills that reach his desk from Congress, and the Senate give all states equal representation regardless of population.

The EC results in a person's vote in Wyoming counting twice that of a person in California. I'd prefer to see one vote count as one vote, regardless of where you live.
My bad, you're Right, I'm having a nasty allergy season, and today is going to be even worse I can tell already.
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supsalemgr

Quote from: T Hunt on April 17, 2021, 04:12:03 AM
The EC does 4 things,

1)Defends states rights against the federal government
2)Defends smalls states against big states
3)Defends the minority from the majority
4)Defends country-folk from the city-folk

All three of these are still very real legitimate concerns today, especially the last one. Thats why it is absolutely still needed and always will be.

The simple reason it is in the Constitution is the founders desired for every state to be relevant in presidential elections. I would like to know where Pitch resides.
"If you can't run with the big dawgs, stay on the porch!"