GOP concocts imaginative scheme to steal elections
A Republican presidential candidate hasn’t carried Michigan since the first George Bush did it back in 1988, seven election cycles ago. And for the GOP, the future doesn’t look much brighter than the past. In the most recent election, Barack Obama carried the state and its 16 electoral votes by a comfortable margin of 9.5 percentage points.
So what’s a losing party to do? Field a better candidate? Develop a message that voters will find more compelling? Nah. Why do things the hard way when you can “fix” the system to your advantage legislatively?
As Reid Wilson explains in National Journal, Michigan Republicans are preparing to use their control of the state Legislature to change the way in which electoral votes are awarded in their state. Rather than use the traditional winner-take-all system, they propose to award electoral votes by congressional district.
What would that mean in practice? It would mean that in 2012, Obama would have won just seven of Michigan’s 16 electoral votes, even though he carried the state very easily. Mitt Romney would have won nine electoral votes even though he lost his native state convincingly.
How could that be? Because unlike state boundaries, boundaries of congressional districts can be gerrymandered to favor one party over another. In Michigan’s case, its congressional districts have been heavily gerrymandered to maximize GOP power and minimize Democratic power, and if you use those same boundaries to award electoral votes in a presidential race, you get that same distorted outcome.
And as Wilson points out, Michigan is far from the only state where Republicans have control of the legislative process and hope to implement such changes:
Pennsylvania: Obama won the Keystone State by 5 percentage points in 2012. Again, no GOP presidential candidate has carried the state since 1988. But under the altered rules, Pennsylvania would have produced 12 electoral votes for Romney in 2012, leaving only eight for Obama, even though the Democrat carried the state by almost 300,000 votes.
Wisconsin: Republicans haven’t carried Paul Ryan’s home state since 1984, and in 2012 Obama won its 10 electoral votes by a margin of 6.7 percentage points. But under the altered system, Obama would have had to split those 10 electoral votes evenly with the loser.
Florida: Obama has now carried the state twice in a row by narrow margins. But if presidential votes tracked congressional votes, Romney would have won 17 of Florida’s 29 electoral votes under the altered system, leaving only 12 for the candidate who actually won a majority of the state’s votes.
Ohio: Obama carried the state in both 2008 and 2012. But if the rules had been changed and presidential votes tracked congressional votes, he would have won only a third of Ohio’s 18 electoral votes, giving two-thirds to the candidate who lost the state.
Virginia: Obama won the state for the second time in a row in 2012, this time by four percentage points. But under the GOP plan, his likely reward for that victory would have been just five of the state’s 13 electoral college votes.
Under the Constitution, each state has the right to determine how its electoral votes are distributed, which would make it difficult to challenge such changes legally. In fact, Maine and Nebraska already use such a system, although neither state adopted it for partisan purposes.
In addition, the congressional maps in Maine and Nebraska are not heavily gerrymandered, which makes a big difference. In states with gerrymandered maps, such a system might be vulnerable to legal challenge on the grounds that politicians were consciously trying to discount the value of votes cast by certain U.S. citizens while enhancing the value of others.
Because as Wilson reports, the GOP is pretty clear about its intent:
“If you did the calculation, you’d see a massive shift of electoral votes in states that are blue and fully [in] red control,” said one senior Republican taking an active role in pushing the proposal. “There’s no kind of autopsy and outreach that can grab us those electoral votes that quickly.”
The proposals, the senior GOP official said, are likely to come up in each state’s legislative session in 2013. Bills have been drafted, and legislators are talking to party bosses to craft strategy. Saul Anuzis, the former chairman of the Michigan Republican Party, has briefed Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus and Chief of Staff Jeff Larson on his state’s proposal. The proposal “is not being met with the ‘We can’t do that’ answer. It’s being met with ‘I’ve already got a bill started,’ ” the official said.
I particularly admire the cynicism behind the admission that “there’s no kind of autopsy and outreach that can grab us those electoral votes that quickly.” In other words, why try to appeal to more voters or reassess your platform when, by legislative fiat, you can in effect all but steal electoral votes and perhaps the election itself?
The potential implications of such a change would be profound. For example, it would add another layer of incentive for politicians to gerrymander congressional districts. In addition, Ohio and other states would no longer be battleground states; instead, you’d have battleground districts, where political war would be waged intensely while surrounding congressional districts were ignored.
Overall, if the changes in question had been in place in all six states listed above, Romney probably would have won an additional 63 electoral votes. Add that to the 206 votes that he did win, and Romney has 269 votes, creating an electoral college tie with Obama.
That tie in turn would have thrown the race into the House of Representatives, where Republicans hold a narrow majority thanks in part to their success at gerrymandering.
Which means that Romney, having lost the popular vote by almost four percentage points and 4.7 million votes, would today be President-elect Romney.
– Jay Bookman
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675 comments Add your comment
Aquagirl
December 18th, 2012
1:09 pm
What was Biden’s excuse?
What did he plagiarize? I’d really like to hear your cut ‘n paste account. Go ahead and baa for me.
Who knew?
December 18th, 2012
1:09 pm
“These GOP Johnny Rebs are not going to stop until they start another Civil War.”
The democrats started the first one dont we get equal opportunity?
ZING!
DebbieDoRight - Conned And Confused
December 18th, 2012
1:10 pm
But she rants like she is knows something.
I is knows that you is on your way!
You is gonna make is something out of your is self!
You go is boy!
Nunna Yobinnes
December 18th, 2012
1:11 pm
Aquagirl – His plagiarism scandals are well known, but if you don’t want to read about it yourself, I’ll find it for you.
willie lynch
December 18th, 2012
1:13 pm
williebkind
December 18th, 2012
12:52 pm
Ronald Reagan’s Budget Director David Stockman said: “Watching Ronald Reagan in a cabinet meeting was like watching grandpa go down the driveway to the mailbox and half way down forget what he went out there for”. The guy you cons have sainted was well… a doofuss.
pete
December 18th, 2012
1:14 pm
I hope Jay and all his little cheerleaders here on his blog remember who was in charge as we went over the cliff.
DebbieDoRight - Conned And Confused
December 18th, 2012
1:16 pm
Heck Aqgirl, every republican knows that Joe the plugs Biden said darn near the exact same thing in a speech that someone else said! that’s considered PLAGIARISM in Connedville.
Now our studly Rep who ran for VP, people said that he LIED about certain things, but he didn’t lie. I repeat he did NOT lie.
He forgot what he had said a few times before; that’s all.
Keep Up the Good Fight!
December 18th, 2012
1:16 pm
The
democratsconservatives started the first one dont we get equal opportunity? ZingBazinga
Joe Hussein Mama
December 18th, 2012
1:16 pm
pete — “I hope Jay and all his little cheerleaders here on his blog remember who was in charge as we went over the cliff.”
Of course we do.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Financial_crisis_of_2007%E2%80%932008
Brosephus™
December 18th, 2012
1:19 pm
DDR @ 1:07
DebbieDoRight - Conned And Confused
December 18th, 2012
1:20 pm
Ronnie Reagan was a SAINT!
On my walls at home there is a picture of Jesus.
Nathan B. Bedford.
A Couple of dogs playing poker.
A Smith & Wesson
And Ronald Reagan.
He’s right next to the dogs and in between the Smith & Wesson.
A place of HONOR in my house.
pete
December 18th, 2012
1:20 pm
Joe,
Keep on shakin’ your little pom-poms. You go girl.
Nunna Yobinnes
December 18th, 2012
1:22 pm
Here ya go Aquagirl:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Biden
By his own description he found law school to be “the biggest bore in the world” and pulled many all-nighters to get by.[15][22] During his first year there, he was accused of having plagiarized 5 of 15 pages of a law review article. Biden said it was inadvertent due to his not knowing the proper rules of citation, and he was permitted to retake the course after receiving an ‘F’ grade, which was subsequently dropped from his record.[22] He received his Juris Doctor in 1968,[23] graduating 76th of 85 in his class.[21] He was admitted to the Delaware Bar in 1969.[23]
By August 1987, Biden’s campaign, whose messaging was confused due to staff rivalries,[131] had begun to lag behind those of Michael Dukakis and Dick Gephardt,[128] although he had still raised more funds than all candidates but Dukakis, and was seeing an upturn in Iowa polls.[129][132] In September 1987, the campaign ran into trouble when he was accused of plagiarizing a speech that had been made earlier that year by Neil Kinnock, leader of the British Labour Party.[133] Kinnock’s speech included the lines:
“Why am I the first Kinnock in a thousand generations to be able to get to university? [Then pointing to his wife in the audience] Why is Glenys the first woman in her family in a thousand generations to be able to get to university? Was it because all our predecessors were thick?”
While Biden’s speech included the lines:
“I started thinking as I was coming over here, why is it that Joe Biden is the first in his family ever to go to a university? [Then pointing to his wife in the audience] Why is it that my wife who is sitting out there in the audience is the first in her family to ever go to college? Is it because our fathers and mothers were not bright? Is it because I’m the first Biden in a thousand generations to get a college and a graduate degree that I was smarter than the rest?”
Though Biden had cited Kinnock as the source for the formulation many times before, he made no reference to the original source at the August 23 Iowa State Fair debate in question or in another appearance.[134][135] While political speeches often appropriate ideas and language from each other, Biden’s use came under more scrutiny because he somewhat distorted his own family’s background to match Kinnock’s.[12][135] Biden was soon found to have earlier that year lifted passages from a 1967 speech by Robert F. Kennedy (for which Biden aides took the blame) and a short phrase from the 1961 inaugural address of John F. Kennedy, and in two prior years to have done the same with a 1976 passage from Hubert H. Humphrey.[136]
A few days later, Biden’s plagiarism incident in law school came to public light.[22] Video was also released showing that when earlier questioned by a New Hampshire resident about his grades in law school, Biden had stated that he had graduated in the “top half” of his class, that he had attended law school on a full scholarship, and that he had received three degrees in college,[137][21] each of which were untrue or exaggerations of his actual record.[21]
The Kinnock and school revelations were magnified by the limited amount of other news about the nomination race at the time,[138] when most of the public were not yet paying attention to any of the campaigns; Biden thus fell into what The Washington Post writer Paul Taylor described as that year’s trend, a “trial by media ordeal”.[139] Biden lacked a strong demographic or political group of support to help him survive the crisis.[132][140] He withdrew from the nomination race on September 23, 1987, saying his candidacy had been overrun by “the exaggerated shadow” of his past mistakes.[141] After Biden withdrew from the race, it was revealed that the Dukakis campaign had secretly made a video highlighting the Biden–Kinnock comparison and distributed it to news outlets.[142]
Tundra Dude
December 18th, 2012
1:22 pm
http://www.plagiarismtoday.com/2008/08/26/the-biden-plagiarism-scandal/
professional skeptic
December 18th, 2012
1:22 pm
Republican logic: We must allocate electoral votes in blue states, in the interest of fairness– but in red states winner-take-all is the way Gawd intended it.
TaxPayer
December 18th, 2012
1:22 pm
I’m not surprised. This is just the sort of thing that Republicans do.
Thulsa Doom
December 18th, 2012
1:23 pm
“The guy you cons have sainted was well… a doofuss.”
williestench,
Facts is facts willie. That doofus presided over 21 million new jobs from the bottoming out of the 81-82 recession, 16.1 million net, and 7% economic growth shortly after the recession ended. In one month there were approximately 1 million new jobs created. I’ll not post Obama’s abysmal economic numbers compared to Reagans. No point in making you look any dumber.
Brosephus™
December 18th, 2012
1:23 pm
Keep @ 1:16
You forgot your gaming sound effect for that one.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVJLp6Y6yjA
Joe Hussein Mama
December 18th, 2012
1:24 pm
pete — “Joe, Keep on shakin’ your little pom-poms. You go girl.”
What a pity your memory is so short, buckaroo. (laughing)
barking frog
December 18th, 2012
1:25 pm
the recent Presidential election proved at least one thing,
GW Bush was the brains behind Karl Rove…..
Thulsa Doom
December 18th, 2012
1:29 pm
Nunna Yobinnes,
And here I thought Biden was merely an idiot. I had forgotten about the plagiarizig. The blatant lying we all kinda knew about.
MiltonMan
December 18th, 2012
1:30 pm
Yet, Jay had no problem when Colorado Democrats tried doing the same thing back in 2004???
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6106804/ns/politics-tom_curry/t/split-colorados-electoral-votes/
Keep Up the Good Fight!
December 18th, 2012
1:30 pm
Thanks Bro!
Beware our “french model” is present with new truthiness. Its never a pretty sight.
stands for decibels
December 18th, 2012
1:31 pm
Yea verily, it is a “scandal” worthy of mention today when a guy lifts another guy’s stump speech phraseology… 25 years ago.
RB from Gwinnett
December 18th, 2012
1:31 pm
And in today’s 442,346th edition of Bookman’s “Democrats good, Republicans bad” publication of the DNC disguised as an opinion column….
We get it Jay, when D’s mess with district borders, etc. it’s good for the people, but when R’s do it it’s bad. Geez…
Thomas Heyward Jr
December 18th, 2012
1:31 pm
For the intelligent producers of the world………..it matters NOT what district some washington parasite places us in.(republican OR democrat).
We don’t care and our numbers grow.
At this point, Washington will never be able to gerrymander its way to relevency………..ever.
.
Let the good times roll.
.
.
.
.
.
Nunna Yobinnes
December 18th, 2012
1:32 pm
Aw come on dB. If this had been a conservative, you guys would still be beating the dead horse.
stands for decibels
December 18th, 2012
1:33 pm
MiltonMan @ 1.30, did you miss this bit in the story you cited?
Colorado’s nine electoral votes would be allocated in proportion to the popular vote in the state
I’m thinking you did.
Brosephus™
December 18th, 2012
1:33 pm
Keep
Wait a minute
December 18th, 2012
1:33 pm
Nebraska already has this type of system. I believe in 2008 that Obama won the one electoral vote for the area around Omaha, first time a Dem had won any electoral votes in NE forever (if ever). The world didn’t end.
Many, who don’t like the electoral college, would love it.
And gerrymandering is as old as politics.
Obama Administration tried to take control of all that by moving the control of the census in 2010 to their control (census used to determine how many people where, how many electoral votes each state gets, etc.). Welcome to politics, people play hardball there.
At least people wouldn’t be claiming they are disenfranchised as they are now with all or nothing system. Oh, they’d still be whining?
Brosephus™
December 18th, 2012
1:34 pm
I’m thinking you did.
Thinking??? Damn, you’re being quite generous….
Nunna Yobinnes
December 18th, 2012
1:35 pm
Oh, and dB, it was serious enough that he had to withdraw from presidential run in ‘88. Musta been some substance to it doncha think?
Jay
December 18th, 2012
1:36 pm
Milton, if you would read your own links, you would see that it was not backed by the Democratic establishment. In fact:
“Were it to be approved by the voters and upheld by the courts, the ballot measure could boost Kerry, currently trailing in the latest Colorado poll at 39 percent.
But it could also conceivably cost Kerry the election, if he were locked in a close race and got only five of the state’s electoral votes.
Advertise | AdChoices
Sue Casey, the state director for the Kerry campaign in Colorado, voiced exasperation with the measure: “I think it’s an esoteric, insider thing.”
She added, “I’m hoping that we win in Colorado and get nine electoral votes. There is no way you want to go all out and win a state — and then find out that you didn’t win the state.”
stands for decibels
December 18th, 2012
1:38 pm
If this had been a conservative, you guys would still be beating the dead horse.
meh. You’re talking to the guy who thought Dan Quayle got a raw deal on the “potatoe” thing, who thought GHW Bush’s comments on grocery store scanners were mis-reported, and who was surprised to learn that anyone might’ve changed their vote due to the last-minute story breaking about GW Bush’s drunk driving violation.
I’m pretty tolerant of stump-speech / campaign frivolity, actually. But I can’t speak for others.
stands for decibels
December 18th, 2012
1:39 pm
he had to withdraw from presidential run in ‘88.
I’m sure the fact that he was losing to Dukakis and running out of money had nothing to do with it.
Nunna Yobinnes
December 18th, 2012
1:40 pm
dB – that’s why people should say “taters” when they can’t spell potato.
Thulsa Doom
December 18th, 2012
1:40 pm
“25 years ago.”
Hmmm. Reminds me of how outraged libs were over Romney’s supposed high school bullying incident 47 years ago.
Brosephus™
December 18th, 2012
1:40 pm
dB @ 1:33
Jay @ 1:36
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBh895KdXAU
Redneck Convert (R--and proud of it)
December 18th, 2012
1:40 pm
Well, Elections Have Consequences! If we can just elect enough godly Republicans to run every state then every 10 years we can pack all the librul Democrats in one of two Congressional districts in every state and run the whole danged country. Now I never thought it was fair for a person to get elected President just because he got the most electoral votes—except when the guy had a R after his name. So we can change state laws and do the electoral votes by Congressional district. I can see it now: “You librul Democrats took 2 Congressional districts and we took 18, so looks like you’re going to be outnumbered in electoral votes.
We ain’t changin’ just to get the most votes—no sirree! If people turn against us in the states, we’ll go by God’s Law and change the way the votes are counted. It might could be that just 30% of the state voters voted for us, but we still won! And fair and square, I might add.
Have a good p.m. everybody.
Regnad Kcin
December 18th, 2012
1:45 pm
“We used to use railroad ties, but they kill the grass and leave an ugly bare strip right by the fence line.”
Yeah, the advantage of rebar is a narrow trench, and it doesn’t have to be real deep. Out of sight, out of mind.
Aquagirl
December 18th, 2012
1:45 pm
Here ya go Aquagirl:
Followed by…a long cut ‘n paste.
Complaining about someone’s plagiarism by copying someone else’s wiki text…wow, that’s impressive. You’re not even able to produce your own baa. Is your one brain cell on vacation?
First, if you’d actually read and processed the text through your own brain cell, you’d discover Joe Biden had cited Kinnock on previous occasions. That supports the idea he forgot instead of intentionally pretending it was his work.
He also manned up and dropped out of the race. Let me know when your copying con buddies–or you—reach Joe Biden’s level of honesty.
I’m sure you got so tired of cutting and pasting your unintentionally left out this part:
“Also later in 1987, the Delaware Supreme Court’s Board of Professional Responsibility cleared Biden of the law school plagiarism charges regarding his standing as a lawyer, saying Biden had “not violated any rules”.[143]”
——————————————————————————————————————————–
Now, what’s YOUR excuse for this dishonest representation Nunna? Why’d you lie? What wiki entry you can cut and paste for YOUR excuse?
Folks, this is why you never trust a con. They can’t even be as honest as the people they claim are such horrid liars.
willie lynch
December 18th, 2012
1:50 pm
Thulsa DUMB
December 18th, 2012
1:23 pm
We’re also living under his newly created worlds leading debtor status he left us.
Thomas Heyward Jr
December 18th, 2012
1:51 pm
For every Karl Rove and greasy Axelrod apparachik that are gerrymandering.
And for every Mike Huckabee and Jay Bookman that is whining about it…………………………….
.
there’s thousands of this type of man.
(that’s why Decency will win).
.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAB4QuSfVGg
.
À votre santé Dear Gérard Depardieu!
.
And Ron Paul.
td
December 18th, 2012
1:52 pm
The funny thing is that most of you (Conservative and Liberals) actually believe that this country was founding on a principle that every vote for President should be counted and counted the same.
“Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors, equal to the whole Number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress: but no Senator or Representative, or Person holding an Office of Trust or Profit under the United States, shall be appointed an Elector”.
Under the Constitution the state does not even have to look at the election results for President in a state. They can appoint any elector that they chose to appoint to vote for the President.
It is only our legislators that are directly elected by the people.
RF
December 18th, 2012
1:53 pm
Thulsa: it’s all about perspective. Spending during Reagan’s two terms (FY 1981–88) averaged 22.4% GDP, well above the 20.6% GDP average from 1971 to 2009.
The real kicker: the public debt rose from 26% GDP in 1980 to 41% GDP by 1988. In dollar terms, the public debt rose from $712 billion in 1980 to $2,052 billion in 1988, a roughly three-fold increase.
So all he did to lower unemployment, etc., which was great for the country and for the party politically also came with a hefty price tag that the national debt shouldered. He essentially borrowed us our of a recession. Great idea, if it’s the right party doing it.
Keep Up the Good Fight!
December 18th, 2012
1:59 pm
We are deep in the land of false equivalents and false claims about what liberals/progressives believe…..be very very quiet. Over there you’ll see the Biden being compared to bullying. On your right, you can see that we have the “you believe we vote for a President” claim.
The party that believes ACORN stole the 2012 election, that vaginas have self-defense weaponry, that voter IDs are to protect the sanctity of voting, that they build “That” all by thems little selves, can be sure to straighten us out if something is false or wrong….they are fabulous as spotting them things.
Soothsayer
December 18th, 2012
2:00 pm
CONCOCTS! Jay, can you say that on television?
Doggone/GA
December 18th, 2012
2:01 pm
“The funny thing is that most of you (Conservative and Liberals) actually believe that this country was founding on a principle that every vote for President should be counted and counted the same”
You might be surprised at how FEW of us think that
DebbieDoRight - Conned And Confused
December 18th, 2012
2:02 pm
Milton, if you would read your own links….
READ his own LINKS? WTF?!? Next you’re gonna be asking him to UNDERSTAND what he posted!
You commies are something else…………..
Krystal'sBalls
December 18th, 2012
2:04 pm
Come on, bring it on! KEEP STRIIRING IT UP GOP!!! Keep on pissing people of conscience off so that the tidal wave can come sweep those state Republican Governors and state legislators straight out of office. I keep saying Georgia is ALREADY blue, other states are as well that are curently in the ‘Red’ column. It’s going to happen. Mark my words.
Thomas Heyward Jr
December 18th, 2012
2:04 pm
Gérard Depardieu!
.
Even his name is cool.
For a frog.
The Truth Indeed
December 18th, 2012
2:05 pm
They have to do something go fight the Democrats use of absentee ballots and early voting to steal elections…
Tom Middleton
December 18th, 2012
2:06 pm
So as far as the GOP is concerned, Jay, it’s all about minority rule, not the majority rule of our Founders, and they’re going to achieve it any way they can, right? Apparently.
Here’s a tweet back on December 11 by Alec McGillis, senior editor at the New Republic and former Washington Post and Baltimore Sun reporter:
“Were gerrymanderers anywhere more successful than in NC?
Doubtful. Dem House candidates won 51 pct of vote–and 27 pct of
the seats.”
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
December 18th, 2012
2:07 pm
Even his name is cool.
For a frog.
There’s your sign.
DebbieDoRight - Conned And Confused
December 18th, 2012
2:08 pm
Keep: The party that believes ACORN stole the 2012 election, that vaginas have self-defense weaponry, that voter IDs are to protect the sanctity of voting, that they build “That” all by thems little selves, can be sure to straighten us out if something is false or wrong….they are fabulous as spotting them things.
And don’t you fergit it! Duh!
=================
Waterlady: Folks, this is why you never trust a con. They can’t even be as honest as the people they claim are such horrid liars.</i.
Well no one expected you to actually READ what he posted! What kinda mess is that? Do we ever read anything that you people post?
No!
We just ignore it, and post a link to Beetle Bailey Cartoons or something! Double Duh!
Tundra Dude
December 18th, 2012
2:08 pm
GOP concocts imaginative scheme to steal elections
Give ‘em credit for thinking………
My x-landlord in Chicago sez the Dem methods are still quite primitive in comparison.
(looks like the first snow has arrived…about time)
Brosephus™
December 18th, 2012
2:11 pm
The funny thing is that most of you (Conservative and Liberals) actually believe that this country was founding on a principle that every vote for President should be counted and counted the same.
This, posted on a thread talking about the Electoral College vote allotment??? Does anybody actually read what Jay writes before they comment?
Under the Constitution the state does not even have to look at the election results for President in a state. They can appoint any elector that they chose to appoint to vote for the President.
Isn’t that how it’s always been done? If the electors had wanted Romney to be president, they would have done so yesterday, right?
http://www.boston.com/news/education/2012/12/17/electoral-college-vote-affirms-obama-election/aiIdyqnKDj09WoM540bTUL/story.html
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Tradition trumped suspense Monday as members of the Electoral College cast the official, final votes in the 2012 presidential election, a constitutional formality on President Barack Obama’s march to a second term.
The rite playing in state capitols involved party luminaries and tireless activists carrying out the will of each state’s voters. The popular vote from state-to-state dictates whether Democratic or Republican electors get the honor, but the outcome wasn’t in doubt. Obama had well more than the 270 votes required to win the White House.
Obama was on course to get 332 votes to Republican Mitt Romney’s 206, barring defectors known as ‘‘faithless electors.’’ California’s 55 electoral votes — the largest cache in any state — helped put the Democratic president over the top by late Monday afternoon. Electors also were affirming Joe Biden for another term as vice president.
Seems as people know how the system works. It also seems that somebody needs to quit trying to figure out what other people are thinking and use that energy to think for himself.
Keep Up the Good Fight!
December 18th, 2012
2:12 pm
See the simple solution in action:
A sixth-grader in Kearns, Utah brought an unloaded handgun to his elementary school on Monday, reportedly at the urging of his parents. According to the local Fox affiliate, the 11 year-old told his fellow students he was encouraged by his parents to bring the gun to school “for protection” following the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut on Friday. Police are currently determining what role the parents had in the student’s actions, but the school acted quickly to disarm the boy after learning he had the firearm on school grounds:
What they disarmed him? He shoud ‘ave stood his ground. This solves everything, right? Oh wait:
The boy reportedly pulled the gun, a .22-caliber pistol, out of his backpack during recess Monday morning. “At recess, he pointed a gun to my head and said he was going to kill me,” said Isabel Rios, one of the boy’s fellow 6th grade students.
Well why didn’t one of the other Rambo kids pull out their weapons and stop him!
Krystal'sBalls
December 18th, 2012
2:12 pm
…and once again the “Black guy” has thrown everything into such a frenzy, people are having SUCH a hard time accepting the “Black guy” won (twice), they are trying to do ALL they can to alter the system so as to ever prevent such a thing from happenening again. I tell you, no I ASK…is power THAT intoxicating?????????????????????
williebkind
December 18th, 2012
2:13 pm
“Do you honestly believe that we want to LEARN something or gain KNOWLEDGE? All the knowledge we need is coming out of CNN/MSNBC and Sorros.”
There, fixed your rant.
williebkind
December 18th, 2012
2:15 pm
Krystal’sBalls :
Your crystal ball has turned dark, it is not the color of his skin but the content of his liberal/communist character.
Aquagirl
December 18th, 2012
2:16 pm
Does anybody actually read what Jay writes before they comment?
If they did that they’d forget their snappy pre-packaged rebuttal they heard from Hannity/Boortz/random e-mail.
A Simple Man
December 18th, 2012
2:17 pm
It is my understanding of history that the founding fathers never really intended the popular vote to decide the presidential election. They wanted state elected officials to decide who would represent them in the electoral college, and those chosen few would vote. Let’s go back to that system.
Too many idiots who can’t even name their representatives, much less the actual leaders of their party or country, vote for idiotic reasons. Who is taller? Who is better looking? Who has more hair (this one hits close to home)? Forget all this. Let’s let the states appoint the electors and have them decide.
Save me from taking off on a Tuesday.
Thulsa Doom
December 18th, 2012
2:21 pm
“We’re also living under his newly created worlds leading debtor status he left us.”- willielynch
willie stench,
You gotta be kidding. Look at the debt uder obama son. It was over 10 trillion when he came in. And now its about to hit 17 trillion. You are wayyyy too funny.
Soothsayer
December 18th, 2012
2:22 pm
Dick’s stores suspend sales of certain rifles
PITTSBURGH —
A sporting goods chain says it’s suspending sales of modern rifles nationwide because of the school shooting in Connecticut.
Dick’s Sporting Goods also says it’s removing all guns from display at its store closest to Newtown, where the massacre took place.
RCH
December 18th, 2012
2:22 pm
Stealing elections, that my friends is a Democratic tactic. In fact they can not win without fraud. Take a look at Minnesota (Al Fraken), Boston, Chicago, New York, New Jersey, New Orleans for a few examples. Add in motor voter and other registration gimmicks and what do have? PREZ BO, the most unqualified person to be placed in this office.Not to mention he has never run a hotdog stand but is an authority on economics, This country is done!!!
Oh by the way, what the Republicans are suggesting in Michigan is totally constitutional. Article II Clause 2. If the state legislator wanted the Papa John pizza drivers to chose the electors and voted to authorize them, so be it. In Michigan, that would probably be better than the low information voters and union goons that vote for a living.
Keep Up the Good Fight!
December 18th, 2012
2:22 pm
It is my understanding of history that the founding fathers never really intended the popular vote to decide the presidential election. … Too many idiots who can’t even name their representatives, much less the actual leaders of their party or country, vote for idiotic reasons….Forget all this. Let’s let the states appoint the electors and have them decide. Save me from taking off on a Tuesday.
Some apparently don’t vote for idiotic reasons too.
You do realize that 200+ years ago, voting for a representative federal government and creating a democracy was a new developing concept right?
JohnnyReb
December 18th, 2012
2:23 pm
It’s only gerrymandering when it’s not to Progressives favor.
It’s a brilliant reply to Dems buying votes with free stuff paid for from other peoples pocket.
I say YAA! Do it soon. That mid-term election keeps coming back to bite you, doesn’t it?
Keep Up the Good Fight!
December 18th, 2012
2:23 pm
Dang messed up the italic on that first paragraph
williebkind
December 18th, 2012
2:24 pm
The liberals like Piers Morgan devotes an entire session to blame an inanimate object for the evil deed done in CT and not one paragraph about the evil or crazed individual.
“”Piers Morgan Tonight” invited in a host of experts, survivors”
Now that was a rigged discussion. His experts were there to not to explain but simply to agree with PM. The survivors were used as a roll of toilet paper. What a vile thing to do to promote an agenda that takes away constitutional rights. PM should be told he came to America and American did not come to him.
Recon 0311 2533
December 18th, 2012
2:24 pm
Ah the new vast right wing conspiracy. The Democrats will register dead people, prison inmates and illegal aliens so kudos to the Republicans for being creative. Lets see nobody thinks Biden can win in 016 and Hillary will be too old and portly to look presidential in even XXlarge pant suits. Looks like Nikki Haley and Tim Scott in 016.
Soothsayer
December 18th, 2012
2:24 pm
Cerberus to sell gun company that makes Bushmaster
The company that makes one of the weapons used to kill elementary school children in Connecticut is being put up for sale by its owner, which called Friday’s tragedy a “watershed event” in the debate over gun control.
The private-equity group Cerberus Capital Management said Tuesday it will sell its controlling stake in Freedom Group International, the maker of Bushmaster rifles. Investors also continued to bail out of other gunmakers while the retailer Dick’s Sporting Goods said it would stop selling military-style rifles.
The activity comes as the political winds appear to be shifting. Some Republicans now say they’re willing to discuss the issue of gun control — along with mental health issues and violent video games.
Fred ™
December 18th, 2012
2:25 pm
williebkind
December 18th, 2012
2:15 pm
Krystal’sBalls :
Your crystal ball has turned dark, it is not the color of his skin but the content of his liberal/communist character.
++++++++++++++++++++++
Yo wouldn’t know a real communist if he came up and kicked you in the balls anymore than you have the wit to understand the pun of Krystal’sBALLS, screen name.
OH THE STUPID, IT BURNS………….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5QGkOGZubQ&list=PL7B626D544F671E2C&index=12
I really do not see...
December 18th, 2012
2:27 pm
…a problem with this plan…carry on…
willie lynch
December 18th, 2012
2:27 pm
Thulsa Doom
December 18th, 2012
2:21 pm
This is why the good book says “With all thy getting get understanding”. When Ronald Reagan took office the U.S. was the worlds leading creditor, when he left office we were the worlds leading debtor. That was my point in a concise statement.
I have not argued spending under President Obama. I have simply stated the fact concerning Ronald Reagan.
Regnad Kcin
December 18th, 2012
2:27 pm
Comments from the right seem to have devolved into mythology…
curious
December 18th, 2012
2:27 pm
I suspect the founding fathers truly believed they knew what was best for the country and intended to exercise the power to run the country. They were probably right, however, those days along with segregation and second class status for women are long gone.
Not unlike an oligarchy.
Soothsayer
December 18th, 2012
2:27 pm
I’m sure none of this will affect the local pawn shop where you have to push and shove to get up to assault rifle counter.
Oh! BTW, I’ve purchased a 1,000 round mult-pak of ammunition for all of my buddies here on Jay’s blog! Merry Christmas! BANG!
Joe Hussein Mama
December 18th, 2012
2:27 pm
williebkind — “it is not the color of his skin but the content of his liberal/communist character.”
You could use some of that character-darkening liberalism yourself. I hear it makes you more familiar with American History and the actual content of the Constitution.
(you’re welcome)
Fred ™
December 18th, 2012
2:28 pm
I say YAA! Do it soon. That mid-term election keeps coming back to bite you, doesn’t it?
No. but the REAL election just grips your ass and won’t let go will it? You can’t stand it and you can’t lie it away no matter how much you try. America rejected your stupidity.
A Simple Man
December 18th, 2012
2:29 pm
@Keeping up the fight
I realize it. People paid more attention to why they voted for someone back then too. Nowadays many vote for the “D” or the “R” without any idea about the platform, positions, prison status or criminal history. It’s amazing.
Keep up the fight – whatever fight that might be!
Thulsa Doom
December 18th, 2012
2:30 pm
“The real kicker: the public debt rose from 26% GDP in 1980 to 41% GDP by 1988. In dollar terms, the public debt rose from $712 billion in 1980 to $2,052 billion in 1988, a roughly three-fold increase.”
Yes. And that debt included a military buildup which broke the Soviet Union and which later brought about a peace dividend enjoyed under Clinton whereby defense expenditures were roughly a third lower. And you also forget that while Reagan went along with 2 major tax increases in return for promised spending cuts from Congress that the promised spending cuts by the Dems in Congress never materialized. That one is on the Dems ma’am.
“So all he did to lower unemployment, etc., which was great for the country and for the party politically also came with a hefty price tag that the national debt shouldered.”
Nope. It wasn’t just lowered unemployment but an incredible economic boom that continued almost unabated for 30 years. Perhaps you’re more impressed with the 2% economic growth we see under Obama than 7% growth under Reagan.
“He essentially borrowed us our of a recession. Great idea, if it’s the right party doing it.”
No ma’am. That’s just a spoonfed bit of gobbledeegook bumper sticker sloganeering that several of the kooks have repeated on here over and over.
Thanks for pointing out the 2 trillion in debt under Reagan in 8 years. But for some reason you left out the 6 trillion in 4 years under Obama. You’re welcome. Doomy.
Ben
December 18th, 2012
2:30 pm
You know several states already do this, and in almost every case it was because liberals were trying to get more electoral votes for the Democrats.
Jay, are you really this ignorant, or are you just super partisan? It’s hard to tell sometimes. Maybe it’s just incompetence?
curious
December 18th, 2012
2:31 pm
Tim Scott will be the Alan West of the Senate. He won’t be reelected, no matter how bad the Republicans want a “token” to demonstrate their inclusiveness.
Fred ™
December 18th, 2012
2:31 pm
Yo Sooth? Did you get me some 8MM rounds for my KAR98? I could also use a few for my Enfield .303……….
td
December 18th, 2012
2:32 pm
As Jay’s article earlier today points out the technology has gotten to such a point that the politicians know exactly how we are all going to vote and exactly where we live so how are you going to stop Gerrymandering from either party? We are at a point that elections will be all about turnout your voter and suppress the vote of the other guy. The winner will at the end of each decade will be able to Gerrymander the districts in such a way that they are going to maintain power for the next 10 years.
williebkind
December 18th, 2012
2:32 pm
Soothsayer
December 18th, 2012
2:22 pm
“Dick’s stores suspend sales of certain rifles”
Yes we must be careful and not let liberal fanatic emotions push through SYMPATHY LAWS that take away our rights. Its amazing they did not have this emotional enthusiasm when AIDS was being spread all over the country killing thousands and infecting the populace from perverted sex encounters.
Soothsayer
December 18th, 2012
2:33 pm
Fred, do they even still make ammo for those old Enfields?
JohnnyReb
December 18th, 2012
2:33 pm
Fred – I can eat a can of alphabet soup and crap a better post than your 2:28.
Doggone/GA
December 18th, 2012
2:34 pm
“Cerberus to sell gun company that makes Bushmaster”
Maybe they should change the name of their company to “Pilate” instead of Cerberus
td
December 18th, 2012
2:34 pm
curious
December 18th, 2012
2:31 pm
Tim Scott will be the Alan West of the Senate. He won’t be reelected, no matter how bad the Republicans want a “token” to demonstrate their inclusiveness.
Why is it the Dems get all bothered when a minority reaches a level of power in the Republican party? What are you afraid of?
curious
December 18th, 2012
2:34 pm
Fred ™
December 18th, 2012
2:31 pm
“Yo Sooth? Did you get me some 8MM rounds for my KAR98? I could also use a few for my Enfield .303″
Love those 98Ks. G43-K45 pretty good, too.……….
Redneck Convert (R--and proud of it)
December 18th, 2012
2:35 pm
Well, I was in Dick’s Sporting Goods yesterday looking for
real cheap golf clubsa equipment upgrade and I strolled over to the gun department. From what I seen, if that’s the best stuff they have, they might as well get out of the firearms business. That was the sorriest collection of rifles and shotguns I ever seen—cheap plastic camouflage stocks, etc. I was so disappointed I told the girl at the counter to mind her own business when she asked if she could help me.Anyway, I never found anything—every club in the golf department cost at least 30 bucks. They must think people are made of money. They think I’m going to pay that much for something you dig cat graves with half the time?
Have a good p.m. everybody.
Thulsa Doom
December 18th, 2012
2:35 pm
” That was my point in a concise statement.”
And my point is that under Obama its even worse. We are now 17 trillion in debt as opposed to 2 trillion that RF mentioned under Reagan. Additionally under Obama the debt for the first time ever exceeded GNP. That is a staggering benchmark that has never been hit before.
Doggone/GA
December 18th, 2012
2:35 pm
“I suspect the founding fathers truly believed they knew what was best for the country and intended to exercise the power to run the country”
Yep, they did. And each and every one of them thought it should be something different.
Soothsayer
December 18th, 2012
2:35 pm
WOW! williebkind! As I understand it, you can AIDS from almost any kind of sexual encounter, not just the “perverted” kind.
Krystal'sBalls
December 18th, 2012
2:35 pm
Sure @willibe…
It always IS and HAS BEEN *gack*
Ironically, this whole “communist” charge was levied at Dr. MLK, who just so happened to have the same skin color as Pres. O. No truth to it whatsoever, just made it easier to make him contmeptable enough to “neutralize”.
There. A bit of historical truth for you. I know it hurts.
Regnad Kcin
December 18th, 2012
2:36 pm
I’m just curious…where did this “sympathy law” meme come from, anyway? Is it a term with a point (if so, what is the point?), or is it merely an attempt to brand any change in current laws with a derogatory term (in which case, it’s good marketing, if bad for society)?
curious
December 18th, 2012
2:36 pm
“Why is it the Dems get all bothered when a minority reaches a level of power in the Republican party? What are you afraid of?”
Didn’t realize I was bothered. I was just stating my opinion.
williebkind
December 18th, 2012
2:36 pm
“Tim Scott will be the Alan West of the Senate. He won’t be reelected, no matter how bad the Republicans want a “token” to demonstrate their inclusiveness.”
Now who is the racist! LMAO