Comments on: Updated: GOP Sen. Smith opposes bill to allocate presidential electoral votes by congressional district

By: Sandi Saunders

Sandi Saunders — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 17:20:37 +0000

For the same reason tiny states or those with few people have the same number of Senators as the huge and very populated states. I do not think truly, they ever really intended direct representation, proportional representation, fair representation or “one man, one vote” democracy.

By: brian

brian — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 08:46:05 +0000

I do not understand why we have an electoral college to begin with.

What is wrong with one person one vote? It seems to me the EC system, however it is implemented, gives some votes more weight and others less.

I do not get it.

By: Cold n P

Cold n P — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 02:38:58 +0000

You are spot on breckt. Excellent post.

By: Sandi Saunders

Sandi Saunders — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 23:55:17 +0000

Yes, states have a right to allocate electoral votes as they see fit, but the state will not get to vote on this, the GOTP controlled legislature will. It will backfire IMO, but I will live with it, like I do all the other idiotic and repulsive GOTP legislation that gets passed, when it does not. But please have the integrity not to pretend that is the State’s choice.

By: Sandi Saunders

Sandi Saunders — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 23:37:35 +0000

This is certainly in keeping with the Founders lack of faith in the electorate. What I want to know is if they are honest enough to live with the consequences when they lose by doing it? This is in response to Obama barely winning (to some) the popular vote and also to give the States more control over the process. Do you REALLY think this nation is going to be happy when a President wins the popular vote and loses the office again? I do not think so. This is in direct response to the GOTP efforts to win another way than votes, which they will not for the foreseeable future, and they know it.

By: gdad

gdad — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 19:18:31 +0000

Jeffrey, I’ve also shaken my head and spoken out about Dem gerrymandering. But the Repubs’ latest trick takes it to a whole different level of nefariousness.

I’m no Smith fan but congrats to him on this vote.

By: Bluemax

Bluemax — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 18:58:24 +0000

The liberal Democrat party is lying about these changes being “cheating” or “rigging the system”. States have a right to allocate electoral votes as they see fit.

I think this change Carrico proposes would help Virginia better reflect their citizens viewpoints than the current WINNER BY 51% TAKE ALL system.

By: belle

belle — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 11:30:54 +0000

And SB 1168, being carried by Ralph Smith, will be heard on Tuesday. That is a bill that would change the way the nomination process is controlled, from the incumbents to the party.

By: breckt

breckt — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 20:54:26 +0000

The thing that concerns me about this is how Bill Carrico has evolved over the years. When he first got elected he introduced a seat belt law. He ran passionately on the bill. The bill made it to the very end, then Morgan Griffith told him to drop it and he cowardly did. Fast forward to now, he votes with the Republicans last week on the Senate redistricting plan thats been roundly criticized nationally and has given the VA Senate a black eye. Now this bill – trying to make a “rural” vote more than a “rural” vote that even his own party disagrees with. He began as a Christian Conservative and he’s now a true Right Wing Kook. Sad to see one of the good ones in the beginning turn in to this.

By: John Bourke

John Bourke — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 00:12:43 +0000

Thank you sir for being a honorable American.

John Bourke