[EL] The Electoral College & NPV

[Rob Richie]

Congratulations on your updated book, Tara -- I look forward to chances to
discuss the issue with you this fall.

To clarify on one point, you write: "Even for those who wish to do away
with the Electoral College, a constitutional amendment is a far better
route toward change."

A constitutional amendment of course is required "to do away with the
Electoral College" in any form. But to do away with states using the
winner-take-all rule (a rule that founders like James Madison lamented as
getting away from their vision), it simply takes a state law. State laws
historically have been the means to change much involving selection of the
president, including the very fact of having elections at all - -a change
that back in 1812, perhaps, someone might have argued should best be done
by constitutional amendment.

I should note that while backers of a national popular vote for president
seem able to unify behind the national popular vote for president, I
suspect they right now would not unify in backing a constitutional
amendment. Some backers of NPV want to keep power over presidential
selection with the states, and would oppose any amendment mandating direct
election. Some backers of a direct election amendment would like to see a
plurality vote rule for president, while others would prefer a runoff or
instant runoff system. Some backers of direct election would like to have a
strong unitary election administration, others would like to see
continuation of the decentralized approach to election administration that
was part of the amendment drives a generation ago.

Given that you clearly prefer the current rules to a national popular vote
president, I'm surprised you would rather see a national popular vote
enshrined in the Constitution rather than the product of state laws that
much more easily  could be changed in the future.

Rob


On Wed, Aug 29, 2012 at 12:30 PM, Tara Ross <tara at taraross.com> wrote:

> In a little bit of shameless self-promotion, I thought this listserv might
> be interested to know that the 2nd edition of my book, *Enlightened
> Democracy: The Case for the Electoral College *will be released on
> September 3.  Yes, I am sorry to say that, back in January when the release
> date was being set, none of us clued in that September 3 is Labor Day.  :)
> The Amazon link is here: www.EnlightenedDemocracy.com ****
>
>  ****
>
> I am sure that Rob Richie, John Koza and others are very excited to
> receive this email and will have rave reviews of the book coming soon……Ha!
> Yes, I am kidding! ****
>
>  ****
>
> On a serious note, I hope the three new chapters in the book do a fair job
> of articulating the philosophical, logistical, and legal concerns that some
> of us have with NPV’s legislation.  Even for those who wish to do away with
> the Electoral College, a constitutional amendment is a far better route
> toward change.****
>
>  ****
>
> I am sorry to miss several of you at the NPV panel in New Orleans this
> weekend.   It would have been a good discussion, I don’t doubt.****
>
>  ****
>
> Happy Labor Day!****
>
>  ****
>
> Tara****
>
> ** **
>
> ============ ****
>
> *Tara Ross* ****
>
> 8409 Pickwick Ln, #280****
>
> Dallas, Texas 75225****
>
> (214) 750-4737****
>
> (214) 750-4633 (fax) ****
>
> tara at taraross.com****
>
> web <http://www.taraross.com/> / Facebook<http://facebook.com/TaraRoss.1787>/
> Twitter <http://www.twitter.com/TaraRoss>****
>
>  ****
>
> ** **
>
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