E-mail sent to Minnesota State Representative Jeff Backer (R-12A):
The National Popular Vote bill seems to have stalled in the Minnesota legislature. Also, www.revisor.mn.gov lists the "Agreement Among the States to Elect the President by National Popular Vote" bill twice, HF44 and HF845.
The Electoral College dates back to a time when there was no popular vote for President in more than half of the states. Four elections have resulted in the presidential candidate who lost the popular vote becoming President, including the elections of 2000 and 2016. The race for electoral votes means that the majority of campaigning occurs in only a small number of states. And in states that are not competitive, issues of concern to voters are ignored. Voters in non-competitive states that have a winner-take-all system are disinclined to vote since the votes of the minority party in that state literally do not count. That is disenfranchisement on a massive scale, and it also means that those people do not vote on all of the other down-ballot races and issues.
"There is a certain dark irony to the fact that a system designed to prevent the people from choosing an unqualified demagogue has resulted in the election of an unqualified demagogue not chosen by the people." It is long past time for the Electoral College to be relegated to the dustbin of history. Voters today are incensed that their choice was not respected and that the system relegates too many of them to the sidelines. It is time for Minnesota to move beyond the 1700's and into the 21st century.
No comments:
Post a Comment