Quote:The 17th Amendment was damaging enough

Oh the horror and tragedy of electing one's own Senators.

(09-15-2011 09:47 PM)joep2 Wrote:  

Quote:The 17th Amendment was damaging enough

Oh the horror and tragedy of electing one's own Senators.

The state's interests are no longer represented. The Republic lost strength the day that was passed.

I think this would force canidates not to totally abandon the state once the polls go one way in the race. Right now once a state looks to be a lock both campaigns pull their money out and into more competitive races. A canidate like Romney could still fight for his 8 or nine votes even if Obama has a solid 12. It stops a canidate from throwing in the towel to early. A state like California is taken for granted but you split those votes up and then the you could still earn 25 of 55 votes so you try to appeal more to the voters in that state. They effect of this may result in parties nominating more moderate canidates than trying to appeal to just the base. Both sides think they just need 51% in a given state to get 100% of the votes. In Washington they assume they have a mandate when they won by just 52% of the vote. They forget 48 voted against them. This stops the country from electing arrogant members of both parties who won't work together.

More election theft by the Republicans. Why not do so in Texas as well? I didn't think so. Its just the GOP admitting they can't win an even fight.

(09-16-2011 01:32 AM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  More election theft by the Republicans. Why not do so in Texas as well? I didn't think so. Its just the GOP admitting they can't win an even fight.

It's not theft. The PA Legislature could legally give the electors in any way they want. They could pass a bill right now giving the electors to the future GOP nominee right now if they had the balls to do it.

What it really does is take away any importance PA has in presidential politics and therefore hurts them in the legislative practice. No longer would current or possible presidential candidates think about PA the same way they do MI, OH, FL, IA, or NV when they create their policy positions or when they vote on legislation. States that are possible battlegrounds get consideration(rightly or wrongly) that safe states never get.

BTW, Nate Silver on why the GOP's PA plan is a bad idea.

http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com...-on-g-o-p/

I would support this on a nationwide basis, but just a few states is probably a bad idea.

Anyway, PA is pretty close to the "middle" in terms of presidential voting. In a 50/50 election, there is a slight lean in favor of Democrats, but only slight. So there's a decent chance the state could go GOP and have the Democrats get the minority of Electoral Votes. Obviously not the scenario the PA-GOP has in mind, but could happen.

(09-16-2011 01:32 AM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  More election theft by the Republicans. Why not do so in Texas as well? I didn't think so. Its just the GOP admitting they can't win an even fight.

Hilarious coming from a member of a party that nominated and elected the Acorn and Chief.

Dems have perfected the stealing of elections. Republicans are just playing catch up.

(09-15-2011 09:47 PM)joep2 Wrote:  

Quote:The 17th Amendment was damaging enough

Oh the horror and tragedy of electing one's own Senators.

You're clearly ignorant of the Constitution and the founding of the nation.

(09-15-2011 11:31 PM)Raider_ATO Wrote:  

(09-15-2011 09:47 PM)joep2 Wrote:  

Quote:The 17th Amendment was damaging enough

Oh the horror and tragedy of electing one's own Senators.

The state's interests are no longer represented. The Republic lost strength the day that was passed.

This.

(09-16-2011 01:32 AM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  More election theft by the Republicans.

More? Oh do tell Lazy Tom, what theft has occurred?

And isn't it interesting that our "millionaire many times over" is an avid critic of the GOP?

(09-16-2011 06:34 AM)Native Georgian Wrote:  I would support this on a nationwide basis, but just a few states is probably a bad idea.

Anyway, PA is pretty close to the "middle" in terms of presidential voting. In a 50/50 election, there is a slight lean in favor of Democrats, but only slight. So there's a decent chance the state could go GOP and have the Democrats get the minority of Electoral Votes. Obviously not the scenario the PA-GOP has in mind, but could happen.

Yea, I think overall this is a bad idea for the GOP. There is a reason their platform is so pro-Electoral College and it isnt because of tradition. GOP states' share of electoral college votes is proportionately higher compared to population than that of Dem states. Doing anything to weaken the EC would harm them in the long run. IN the short term, your scenario is possible plus you would give the Dems another tool to drive anger in their base and GOTV.

(09-16-2011 08:31 AM)DrTorch Wrote:  

(09-16-2011 01:32 AM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  More election theft by the Republicans.

More? Oh do tell Lazy Tom, what theft has occurred?

And isn't it interesting that our "millionaire many times over" is an avid critic of the GOP?

The GOP isn't advocating this in Texas. Its just an election stealing scheme. If the Dems tried this in a state like Texas or Georgia you guys would be howling.

As a gay man, I cannot afford to vote my pocketbook (regardless of how much money I may have) as the GOP wants to criminalize me, deny me my basic dignity, and abuses me and my people at every turn. If I'm in a jail camp for the 'crime' of being Gay or if I can't live in the same country as my foriegn boyfriend, money really doesn't matter. But I argue that the GOP policies will cause inflation and social unrest, which will hurt me in the long run much more than some minor increase in taxes.

(09-16-2011 12:07 PM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  As a gay man, I cannot afford to vote my pocketbook (regardless of how much money I may have) as the GOP wants to criminalize me, deny me my basic dignity, and abuses me and my people at every turn. If I'm in a jail camp for the 'crime' of being Gay or if I can't live in the same country as my foriegn boyfriend, money really doesn't matter. But I argue that the GOP policies will cause inflation and social unrest, which will hurt me in the long run much more than some minor increase in taxes.

Your militancy is precious. (I mean that in a non-gay way, in case you were confused.)

(09-16-2011 12:11 PM)Ninerfan1 Wrote:  

(09-16-2011 12:07 PM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  As a gay man, I cannot afford to vote my pocketbook (regardless of how much money I may have) as the GOP wants to criminalize me, deny me my basic dignity, and abuses me and my people at every turn. If I'm in a jail camp for the 'crime' of being Gay or if I can't live in the same country as my foriegn boyfriend, money really doesn't matter. But I argue that the GOP policies will cause inflation and social unrest, which will hurt me in the long run much more than some minor increase in taxes.

Your militancy is precious. (I mean that in a non-gay way, in case you were confused.)

LOL! I don't sleep with Republicans. Or Baptist Ministers.

The militancy is that of the Baptists and the Dominionists who seek to impose their sharia on everyone. Conversion by compulsion.

(09-16-2011 12:13 PM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  

(09-16-2011 12:11 PM)Ninerfan1 Wrote:  

(09-16-2011 12:07 PM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  As a gay man, I cannot afford to vote my pocketbook (regardless of how much money I may have) as the GOP wants to criminalize me, deny me my basic dignity, and abuses me and my people at every turn. If I'm in a jail camp for the 'crime' of being Gay or if I can't live in the same country as my foriegn boyfriend, money really doesn't matter. But I argue that the GOP policies will cause inflation and social unrest, which will hurt me in the long run much more than some minor increase in taxes.

Your militancy is precious. (I mean that in a non-gay way, in case you were confused.)

LOL! I don't sleep with Republicans. Or Baptist Ministers.

Never has there been so much reason to envy Republicans and Baptist Ministers