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
Soothsayer
December 18th, 2012
8:18 pm
Hooray! New page!
josef
December 18th, 2012
8:24 pm
SOOTH
http://www.cartoonstock.com/lowres/jkn0388l.jpg
Keep Up the Good Fight!
December 18th, 2012
8:25 pm
I suspect that Senior Digits boa is camo color…. Del has the pink boa with matching glitter.
Soothsayer
December 18th, 2012
8:30 pm
josef: that was a “pay per download” image. Try to right click and “copy image location.” Then post that — if you can.
Josef
December 18th, 2012
8:37 pm
Sooth
Sorry about that…but Im on iPad now…can’t get it to come up here properly…no biggie, was a deer sitting in a den with human heads mounted on the wall…
JamVet
December 18th, 2012
8:44 pm
http://blogs.ajc.com/mike-luckovich/2012/12/18/121912-luckovich-cartoon-the-four-freedoms/?cxntfid=blogs_mike_luckovich
Jackie
December 18th, 2012
8:48 pm
The so-called conservatives believe when they operate within the strict letter of the law, they have nothing to answer for.
It appears that they care nothing about the spirit of the law, as long as they can win and maintain control.
Recon 0311 2533
December 18th, 2012
8:51 pm
We need to focus a well structured and maintained database with strict guidelines for firearm sales. I do agree with closing off gun show sales and private unregistered transfer sales. I don’t agree with banning firearms, ammunition or magazine capacity other then 100 round drums which are a joke anyway.
guy
December 18th, 2012
8:54 pm
cons need acorn so they can “steal” the elections.if that doesn’t work,send in the “panthers”.
Recon 0311 2533
December 18th, 2012
9:04 pm
I suspect that Senior Digits boa is camo color…. Del has the pink boa with matching glitter.
I’ll bet that keep up the good freight giggles beyond control when he/she fantasizes about stroking anything long like a boa constrictor.
JamVet
December 18th, 2012
9:07 pm
WASHINGTON — After four days of self-imposed silence on the shooting that killed 26 people inside a Newtown, Conn., elementary school, the nation’s largest gun rights lobby emerged Tuesday and promised “to offer meaningful contributions to help make sure this never happens again.”
The National Rifle Association explained its unusual absence “out of respect for the families and as a matter of common decency” after Friday’s shooting that left dead 20 children, all ages 6 or 7.
The group — typically outspoken about its positions even after shooting deaths — went all but silent since the rampage. As it faced public scrutiny online and in person, the group left many wondering how — if at all — it would respond to one of the most shocking slayings in the nation’s history.
“The National Rifle Association of America is made up of 4 million moms and dads, sons and daughters, and we were shocked, saddened and heartbroken by the news of the horrific and senseless murders in Newtown,” the organization said in a statement. “The NRA is prepared to offer meaningful contributions to help make sure this never happens again.”
Keep Up the Good Fight!
December 18th, 2012
9:08 pm
I’ll bet that keep up the good freight giggles beyond control when he/she fantasizes about stroking anything long like a boa constrictor.
Says a lot more about you Del, you poor whittle freighted closet creature.
bman.
December 18th, 2012
9:08 pm
i own a slingshot….
Keep Up the Good Fight!
December 18th, 2012
9:09 pm
frightened not freighted.
Keep Up the Good Fight!
December 18th, 2012
9:10 pm
Jam, you mean the NRA may concede its not wise to allow guns to be sold to those on the terror watch list.
bman.
December 18th, 2012
9:11 pm
Keep Up .. .. do you own a gun?
Chris Sanchez
December 18th, 2012
9:17 pm
Just so I understand, using the legislative process and making legal, constitutional changes in the laws of individual states is an “imaginative scheme to steal elections”? Sorry Jay but that is out of wack even for you.
Recon 0311 2533
December 18th, 2012
9:20 pm
The NRA showed class by not getting into the discourse about guns in the aftermath of this horrific act at Sandy Hook Elementary. The left showed its typical lack of class by immediately jumping on to their typical anti-gun rhetoric as though gun control can stop these tragedies. The NRA will participate in objective discussions and hopefully the left will put aside their subjective non-solutions.
JamVet
December 18th, 2012
9:21 pm
Keep, I was thinking more of the NRA that has in numerous cases, been bitterly opposed by dozens of police chiefs across this country.
Could just be empty words from them. Or more likely, just symbolic gestures. But to actually start compromising on some issues?
We will see, won’t we?
td
December 18th, 2012
9:22 pm
One wonders if CA and NY are thinking about going to this type of system?
td
December 18th, 2012
9:29 pm
This conservative is willing to compromise and give in on one of the most important parts of our philosophy. I am willing to tax violent movies, violent video games, violent web sites and TV shows to pay for armed guards at each and every school in the country. Only provision is that the states would have to hire the guards. We already have a trained force with all the vets that have returned from more then 10 years of combat and can not find a job now.
Keep Up the Good Fight!
December 18th, 2012
9:30 pm
JamVet, I expect they will publicly offer a few concessions but resist real change for sensible gun laws and safety. Fixing things like Stand Your Ground will be avoided, and there will be a lot of behind the door wink, wink, nudge, nudge as they offer great names for bills that have nothing to do with what they really address. And there will be a few new “grassroots” astroturf orgs to front for the real resistance.
Recon 0311 2533
December 18th, 2012
9:32 pm
Td,
Amen
Keep Up the Good Fight!
December 18th, 2012
9:34 pm
Oooohhh goody, I am for taxing significantly bullets, guns, targets and raising all hunting license fees. Use the proceeds to fund bulletproof vests for law enforcement, enhanced security and judges/prosecutor salaries to go after the gun trade.
td
December 18th, 2012
9:35 pm
Keep Up the Good Fight!
December 18th, 2012
9:30 pm
JamVet, I expect they will publicly offer a few concessions but resist real change for sensible gun laws and safety.
What does the Friday incident have to do with Stand my ground?
Keep Up the Good Fight!
December 18th, 2012
9:37 pm
And since the GOP has paved the way on how to regulate certain businesses out of existence even if they are constitutional, I am sure we can use the same techniques to impose some real regulations on gun shows (in addition to background checks and central database, with 5-7 day waiting period).
td
December 18th, 2012
9:38 pm
Keep Up the Good Fight!
December 18th, 2012
9:34 pm
I have actually attempted to come up with a legitimate compromise that has a chance of passing and will significantly reduce the risk of the Friday incident from ever happening again and you counter with a progressive wish list that has no chance if passing. I guess we know nothing is actually going to get done on this issue.
Recon 0311 2533
December 18th, 2012
9:39 pm
Ooooohhh, look at keep up the good freight…Nah y’all look, I’ve been convinced for a long time that this one is well within the top ten of the most ignorant posters on Jay’s blog.
Keep Up the Good Fight!
December 18th, 2012
9:39 pm
td, you just keep trying to argue they are all isolated incidents. Sorry, squirt…. the gun violence issue is not a single incident. Boys should not die for walking home from the 7-11 or playing music too loud.
td
December 18th, 2012
9:40 pm
Keep Up the Good Fight!
December 18th, 2012
9:37 pm
Again all you are doing is attempting to use this incident to go after all guns. Not going to happen my friend.
Fred ™
December 18th, 2012
9:42 pm
td
December 18th, 2012
9:29 pm
This conservative is willing to compromise and give in on one of the most important parts of our philosophy. I am willing to tax violent movies, violent video games, violent web sites and TV shows to pay for armed guards at each and every school in the country. Only provision is that the states would have to hire the guards. We already have a trained force with all the vets that have returned from more then 10 years of combat and can not find a job now.
++++++++++++++++++
I’m just curious. Is THIS what you told Keep in your 9:38 was a “legitimate compromise that has a chance of passing and will significantly reduce the risk of the Friday incident from ever happening again?”
Really?
Keep Up the Good Fight!
December 18th, 2012
9:44 pm
I’ve been convinced for a long time that this one is well within the top ten of the most ignorant posters on Jay’s blog.
Why thanks Del, but truth is no one can exceed the ignorance of you FTroopers. Not sure which of you is the leader of the pack but you each work so hard to exceed the others. You are outstanding for your ignorance and your little boy internet testosterone chest thumping meaning bluster. There is just no way I can keep up with your ignorance. Congrats!
td
December 18th, 2012
9:46 pm
Fred ™
December 18th, 2012
9:42 pm
And you think this is not a viable option. why? We already have armed security on all of our High School campuses in Georgia and a great many of our middle schools. Do you not agree that this has a better chance at passing and preventing similar incidents then trying to take all the guns away from criminals?
Keep Up the Good Fight!
December 18th, 2012
9:46 pm
Again all you are doing is attempting to use this incident to go after all guns.
Nope. Clearly you don’t know what you are talking about.
Not going to happen my friend
There will be some changes made my fake friend.
JamVet
December 18th, 2012
9:47 pm
Keep, the tax angle is not a bad one.
Again, I am willing to accept “sin taxes”.
Booze, tobacco, guns, pollution, gambling, derivatives/speculation – the things we don’t want much of in society could be even more heavily taxed. And I smoke the occasional cigar and have a couple of drinks. So, I’ll gladly pay my part.
As for a violence in media tax? Sure, why not? Let the addicts pay even more to see Bruce Willis wantonly slaughter thousands.
I’d just be happy if the free loaders on TV and radio started paying us rent for using our assets. (But alas, Uncle Sam is one lousy landlord…)
Recon 0311 2533
December 18th, 2012
9:50 pm
Td,
The stupids think that firearm restrictions are okay on law abiding citizens but under no circumstances restrict their free speech regardless of what may be said or displayed that could be contrary to a healthy society so long as it’s for their selfish pleasure.
Thulsa Doom
December 18th, 2012
9:51 pm
td,
The taxes collected would just end up being wasted money just like everything else. I would be for doing what they do in Israel and Thailand. Let teachers or teachers aides or principals at schools arm themselves after taking the necessary licensing and permitting. Lets see how many lunatics choose to attack a school knowing full well that there is a good chance several of the employees are armed.
Regarding the Colorado mass killer here’s an interesting tidbit.
“So why did the killer pick the Cinemark theater? You might think that it was the one closest to the killer’s apartment. Or, that it was the one with the largest audience.
Yet, neither explanation is right. Instead, out of all the movie theaters within 20 minutes of his apartment showing the new Batman movie that night, **it was the only one where guns were banned.** In Colorado, individuals with permits can carry concealed handgun in most malls, stores, movie theaters, and restaurants. But private businesses can determine whether permit holders can carry guns on their private property.
Most movie theaters allow permit holders carrying guns. But the Cinemark movie theater was the only one with a sign posted at the theater’s entrance.
Jm
December 18th, 2012
9:54 pm
Oh bloody he’ll
My tax return is going to go from 200 pages to 250 pages
• “The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has expanded the security types that have covered status and require cost basis reporting. In addition to equity holdings, Xxx is now required by the IRS to report cost basis information for mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), exchange-traded notes (ETNs), dividend reinvestment plans (DRIPs), and registered investment companies (RICs) acquired on or after January 1, 2012.”
Thulsa Doom
December 18th, 2012
9:55 pm
Recon,
Its mind boggling isn’t it. The libs think that banning guns in a particular place will make it safer. But of course all it does is affect law abiding citizens. The criminals just ignore it. They’ll never figure it out. Their ideology won’t let them think it through.
td
December 18th, 2012
9:56 pm
Thulsa Doom
December 18th, 2012
9:51 pm
td,
“The taxes collected would just end up being wasted money just like everything else. I would be for doing what they do in Israel and Thailand. Let teachers or teachers aides or principals at schools arm themselves after taking the necessary licensing and permitting. ”
I like your plan better then mine but I was actually trying to come up with a compromise that could be implemented because your plan will never pass the Dems.
USA Patriot
December 18th, 2012
9:58 pm
Uhmm, until someone can identify & contain someone w/ a deranged mind (legally), we can’t do jack shyte about these types of atrocities. Laws be dam*ed, if they have a mission, they have a mission. Sad, but true.
Recon 0311 2533
December 18th, 2012
10:02 pm
Sociopaths are typically far left liberals who can’t succeed in our society and therefore in some extreme cases resort to acting out their frustrations by resorting to mass murder. The solution to this problem is to ban liberals.
Thulsa Doom
December 18th, 2012
10:04 pm
“I was actually trying to come up with a compromise that could be implemented because your plan will never pass the Dems.”
You’re certainly right. Mine would never pass. Normally I would have no problem with your tax on ultra violent movies, dvds, etc. similar to a sin tax that JamVet talked about. Its just that the gubment would end up wasting the money like they do already.
Recon 0311 2533
December 18th, 2012
10:07 pm
Doom,
This blog is helpful because you can get a good glimpse into the twisted minds of left wingers.
Fred ™
December 18th, 2012
10:07 pm
td
December 18th, 2012
9:46 pm
Fred ™
December 18th, 2012
9:42 pm
And you think this is not a viable option. why? We already have armed security on all of our High School campuses in Georgia and a great many of our middle schools. Do you not agree that this has a better chance at passing and preventing similar incidents then trying to take all the guns away from criminals?
++++++++++++++++++++
That is so insipidly stupid it does not deserve a response. I just wanted to know how low the bar of intelligence had sunk tonight before I decided whether or not to join. Since there is no way in hell I can match the stupidity, I guess I better bow out. Have a great evening.
td
December 18th, 2012
10:08 pm
Thulsa Doom
December 18th, 2012
10:04 pm
“Its just that the gubment would end up wasting the money like they do already.”
Agree, I am just hoping the legislation would be written in such a way that all revenues were earmarked explicitly for the guards.
Thulsa Doom
December 18th, 2012
10:08 pm
“The solution to this problem is to ban liberals.”
I would be against that for at least 3 reasons 1- I would lose some of my toys that I play with 2- they’re good for my ego and my sanity. When I read some of their kooky thoughts I feel good about myself and realize I still have my sanity 3- laughter is the best medicine. Is there really anything better for a good laugh than their posts?
Recon 0311 2533
December 18th, 2012
10:10 pm
Doom, I suppose you make some points there.
td
December 18th, 2012
10:11 pm
Fred ™
December 18th, 2012
10:07 pm
Again how? You are good with the platitudes but when something is actually laid on the table that you disagree with then you poo poo on it instead of explaining yourself.
Thulsa Doom
December 18th, 2012
10:11 pm
“I am just hoping the legislation would be written in such a way that all revenues were earmarked explicitly for the guards.”
I hear ya. But it would never be earmarked. And even if they did earmark it sooner or later they would unearmark it. SS revenues were at one time kept separate to keep the greedy pols from spending it all. LBJ ruined all that and they’ve been spending it ever since.
Keep Up the Good Fight!
December 18th, 2012
10:12 pm
JamVet, I think the taxing method is tried and true. I don’t think we’ll be able to pull off an Israeli method any time soon. Its not a gun toting utopia as the NRA nuts love to claim (so many lies)
For instance, in Israel, they’re very limited in who is able to own a gun. There are only a few tens of thousands of legal guns in Israel, and the only people allowed to own them legally live in the settlements, do business in the settlements, or are in professions at risk of violence.
Both countries require you to have a reason to have a gun. There isn’t this idea that you have a right to a gun. You need a reason. And then you need to go back to the permitting authority every six months or so to assure them the reason is still valid.
The second thing is that there’s this widespread misunderstanding that Israel and Switzerland promote gun ownership. They don’t. Ten years ago, when Israel had the outbreak of violence, there was an expansion of gun ownership, but only to people above a certain rank in the military. There was no sense that having ordinary citizens [carry guns] would make anything safer.
td
December 18th, 2012
10:12 pm
Thulsa Doom
December 18th, 2012
10:08 pm
LOL I will have to remember it and use it in the future.
Recon 0311 2533
December 18th, 2012
10:15 pm
Well with a five year old who needs a lot of encouragement to get out of bed in the mourning and get ready for school, I better sign out. Taps
Thulsa Doom
December 18th, 2012
10:18 pm
Recon,
If you ban liberals you would never have great moments like this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpAOwJvTOio
Soothsayer
December 18th, 2012
10:18 pm
“I have been in many places, but I’ve never been in Cahoots. Apparently, you can’t go alone. You have to be in Cahoots with someone.
I’ve also never been in Cognito. I hear no one recognizes you there.
I have, however, been in Sane. They don’t have an airport; you have to be driven there. I have made several trips there, thanks to my friends, family and work.
I would like to go to Conclusions, but you have to jump, and I’m not too much on physical activity anymore.
I have also been in Doubt. That is a sad place to go, and I try not to visit there too often.
I’ve been in Flexible, but only when it was very important to stand firm.
Sometimes I’m in Capable, and I go there more often as I’m getting older.
One of my favorite places to be is in Suspense! It really gets the adrenalin flowing and pumps up the old heart! At my age I need all the stimuli I can get!
And, sometimes I think I am in Vincible but life shows me I am not!”
You know, there’s a lot of logic in there, you just have to look for it!
Good night all!
bman.
December 18th, 2012
10:20 pm
a bit past 10pm…all the old-timers checking out
USA Patriot
December 18th, 2012
10:28 pm
Hey, bman, I resemble that remark! HA!
JamVet
December 18th, 2012
10:30 pm
U.S. consumer confidence index, conducted by The Conference Board, an independent business and research association, rose from 73.1 in October to 73.7 in November, which is the best index reading since February 2008.
The higher index rate could indicate a strong surge in holiday shopping in December. And as consumer spending makes up nearly 70% of economic activity, this could mean a strong economic end to 2012.
When the index is at 90, it means the country is experiencing a healthy economy. The last time the index was above the 90 mark was in December 2007, the first month of the recession. Two months later the index experienced its all-time low of 25.3 but has since recovered drastically.
The Conference Board said the higher consumer confidence is in light of a steady growth in jobs over the past several months. Bloomberg – Nov. 11, 2012
Thulsa Doom
December 18th, 2012
10:30 pm
bman, Old timers- or old farts?
bman.
December 18th, 2012
10:35 pm
Doom .. .. both
Thulsa Doom
December 18th, 2012
10:39 pm
bman,
Count me as one of em old farts. Taps for Doomy.
USA Patriot
December 18th, 2012
10:42 pm
Uhmm, Jam, might want to keep the sunglasses on, future ain’t looking as bright as you think.
12/11/2012
The first entirely post-election reading from the University of Michigan-Thomson Reuters consumer confidence survey came out on Friday. It was awful. As reported at MarketWatch, the overall index “fell to 74.5 from 82.7 in November,” far below expectations of 82.0, representing “the biggest one-month drop since March 2011.” Zero Hedge noted that it’s the “biggest miss on record” compared to expectations.
At least Reuters knew how to accurately describe its affiliated publication’s reports, telling readers in an unbylined item that the U of M reading was “far below November’s figure of 82.7 and the median forecast of 82.4 among economists polled by Reuters.” Too bad the others didn’t. That’s almost enough to make you wonder if the Obama koolaid delivery truck missed one of its appointed stops on Friday morning.
Read more: http://newsbusters.org/blogs/tom-blumer/2012/12/11/confidence-crash-mostly-concealed-ap-barely-notes-bloomberg-minimizes-it#ixzz2FSwJ6NFv
appleseed
December 18th, 2012
10:45 pm
Just tax every gun as personal property.since most of the states are red the conservatives would love paying this tax.Yeah and a numbers permit like for your boat.All registered,all permitted with renewable numbers every 4/5 years,and taxed as personal property.Now I know you conservatives will love this idea.Also no assault rifles,no magazine over 5 capacity including one in barrel.Sales tax when you sell or trade.All this needs be done immediately,while the conservatives hold office. You can look back in history and say you done this.Ain’t you proud.
USA Patriot
December 18th, 2012
10:50 pm
Taps for Patriot.
bman.
December 18th, 2012
10:51 pm
Tap-dancing for Kamchak
beam me up
December 18th, 2012
11:06 pm
If the Constitution allows states to allocate as they choose, I don’t see the problem. It is true that the Republicans are currently in the position to set state policy in sates that went Democratic in the last election. However it seems a leap to assume that the election would have turned out differently though it undoubtedly would have been closer to the popular vote. If there is a Democratic wave election, a lot of these state houses will probably flip and the shoe will be on the other foot. If Hillary runs in 2016, no amount of gerrymandering will help. It will be a landslide and she’ll have long coattails as well.
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
December 19th, 2012
1:18 am
In a sign of upbeat demand for technology products during the holidays, a key index that measures consumer expectations about technology spending recently reached its all-time high.
The Consumer Electronics Association’s Index of Consumer Technology Expectations jumped 9.3 points in December to 97.3. The Arlington, Va.-based trade group said this is the highest level the index has reached since tracking began in January 2007.
stands for decibels
December 19th, 2012
5:57 am
mornin’.
Sooth’s toon-linkee from 6.21pm bears rerunning, for any here who’ve endured any of Jay’s comments threads about Teh Ghey Marriage Menace.
Redcoat
December 19th, 2012
5:58 am
Jay and company …..stepping away from a representative republic one comment at a time….but don’t blame them, they’re smarter than everybody, it must be better.
stands for decibels
December 19th, 2012
6:02 am
If the Constitution allows states to allocate as they choose, I don’t see the problem.
…unless you happen to live in one of those anti-democratic (small “d”) states that cynically decided to do such a thing.
i’ll say it again–if we have aspirations to becoming a civilized nation, we need to (among many other things) amend the Constitution to provide for a popular vote direct election of our President. The EC is an embarrassment.
(and I don’t buy the idea that small states couldn’t be persuaded to amend. People in small states, big states, ALL states save the “swing” states, are screwed by the EC. It needs to be taken out back and shot.)
Wait a minute
December 19th, 2012
6:24 am
Back to the purely political CYA front, panel reports yesterday that high ups in State Department bungled Benghazi (no news there) and report there was no sign of any “protests” before the terrorist attack. Administration officials (somewhere) started making up the cover of ‘anti film protests’ to stop from calling it what it was, what anyone with a brain knew it was all along, a terrorist attack. Just call a spade a spade.
Hillary is resigning at just the right time. Susan Rice, with a career of kissing up to higher ups to advance her career (including lots of nice dictators), and lots of money to be made from the Keystone Pipeline, has been passed on (thank goodness). Time for some new blood.
Don Partee
December 19th, 2012
6:45 am
In 2000 and 2004 the Democrats were making the same kind of noises. If you win you win and if you lose you lose. Keep the sustem as it is. If you lose you change your game plan or your quarterback ,and I’m a conservative.
Georgia
December 19th, 2012
6:45 am
So Bookman is saying that all the liberals problems would be solved if we could just get rid of this Jerry Mander guy? Which state is he from? Is he in the house or senate? or is he like a Dick Morris? Karl Rove? Tell me Jerry Mander is not the nom de plume of Newt Gingrich, because if it is, then we’re finished. Nobody can stop Newt now that he’s been accepted into the talk show circuit’s Amazonian elite circle of the View, the Chew, the Chat, the Shop, and the Shave. What a sellout, guys. He’s pitching (and catching) for the other team, the dirty rat.
Luckovich. Today. ?
weetamoe
December 19th, 2012
6:51 am
Maine and Nebraska adopted the system, but *not for partisan purposes.* It’s partisan only when Big Bro’s Ministry of Information says it’s partisan.
Z
December 20th, 2012
1:21 am
Republican’s can’t win on their failed policies, so they lie,cheat, suppress the vote, commit voter fraud, and Gerrymander the states districts. Who needs enemies when we have Republican politicians in this country!