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Pundits and politicians on the political left have been pressuring to overturn the Electoral College, the way America chooses its president, by enacting interstate agreements through referendums.Currently, 15 definitely blue states and the District of Columbia have reached an agreement, with Florida texasa referendum became a reality.
What is a referendum and what are its supporters saying in support of it?
The referendum was launched in 2006 by Electoral College critics. Proponents of interstate agreements want states to determine elections by the total popular vote for the president, rather than being the building blocks for electing the president based on the number of U.S. senators and representatives. I hope
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It seems simple enough. Robert B. Reich, who served as Secretary of Labor under President Bill Clinton, writes “…the whole process of choosing our president…is threatening the foundations of our democracy.” …” he said in three states, and Trump won the same three states in 2016 with 77,744 votes.
Instead of a presidential campaign focused on a few battleground states (as is the case with the Electoral College), referendum supporters say the referendum would force candidates to campaign nationwide. increase.
There are two reasons the Constitution features an electoral college, both of which are relevant today.
The nationwide popular vote concept takes the form of an interstate agreement. If states with a majority of the electoral college (270 electoral votes) agree to the compact, those states will pass all electoral votes to the people regardless of how the people of that state voted. Assign to the winner of the vote.
Voting booth (iStock) (iStock)
Therefore, pending law in Texas HB237 and SB95Even if Texas voters chose a different candidate, they could still give Texas’ 40 Electoral College votes to the same candidate who won California in the 2024 presidential election.
There are two big problems with referendums.
First, the referendum interstate agreement is just a roundabout way to amend the Constitution without going through the trouble of actually amending it. The Constitution has been amended 27 times since its ratification in 1788, and two-thirds of the House and Senate (two-thirds of the states is enough) to propose amendments, followed by three-quarters of the states. came into effect. Agree.
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By contrast, the referendum takes effect only with the approval of 18 state legislatures, excluding the other 32 states from the presidential election process.
Second, there are two reasons why the Constitution features an electoral college, both of which are relevant today.
(Joe Radle/Getty Images)
In contrast to referendum supporters, the United States is a constitutional republic, not a democracy. This means electing representatives who are bound by the rules of the Constitution. This form of government is designed to ensure freedom and protect the rights of citizens, including minorities.
America has two constitutional safeguards against tyrannical governments. The first is her system of checks and balances between her three equal branches of government at the national level: legislative, executive and judicial.
The second (and lesser remembered) check is the balance of power between the central government and the many states. The Electoral College is a direct acknowledgment that the states are in the form of a federal government rather than a central government that is merely an executive branch of the central government.
Finally, in the early days of the Republic, as now, states had different standards for exercising voting powers and counting ballots.
In California, a voter’s signature on a voter registration form is sufficient proof of the right to vote. And now, as California moves to a nearly 100% mail-in voting process, unions and paid ballot traffickers are covering precincts and collecting as many ballots as possible. Voters only need to show their ID at the time of their first ballot. Your ID is as flimsy as your utility bill.
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in contrast, 22 statesStates such as Florida and Texas require photo ID or proof of citizenship to vote to prevent election fraud.
Of the 15 states and the District of Columbia that have so far approved referendums, all but Rhode Island have weak voter identification laws. Enactment of a nationwide popular ballot therefore unleashes a voting arms race to expand voting rights between states by reducing electoral protection against voting by unqualified residents.
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