Voter initiatives

Current Events » in reply to See merits of both arguments

Voter initiatives

Larry J — 9/28/2004 1:26:14 PM (archived)

Not every state allows voters to put constitutional amendments on the ballot. I don't know the number offhand, but I think less than half of the states have this provision.

Due to the cynical manipulation attempt underway right now in Colorado (where a wealthy California Democrat is sponsoring a ballot initiative to split how our EC votes are allocated), I think the only way to dissolve the EC would be a federal constitutional amendment. This would require a 2/3rds vote in both houses of Congress and ratification by 3/4ths of the states.

I still am not sold on the idea that dissolving the Electoral College is a good idea. If they put it up to a federal constitutional amendment, both sides will have ample opportunity to debate the topic.

The whole thread (29 posts)

Something we could all work on together - Art Martin - 9/27/2004 6:02:27 PM
- Thanks Art, for extending the discussion, - jms - 9/27/2004 11:29:49 PM
  - Yes, agreed - ebnelson - 9/28/2004 7:06:58 PM
- A democratic website in Colorado is discussing this at length. - ebnelson - 9/27/2004 7:23:28 PM
- Good idea, but method of emergency replacement of Congress is higher priority - E.P. Grondine - 9/27/2004 6:59:33 PM
  - Tom Clancy says we'd survive and end up with Harrison Ford as President. Works for me. lol (n/t) - Art Martin - 9/27/2004 9:16:09 PM
  - re: We could survive 6 months without a congress. - Scott Evil - 9/27/2004 7:25:58 PM
    - We get hit that hard, and we will be worried more - ebnelson - 9/27/2004 8:52:25 PM
- Perhaps we should discuss the merits of the EC first? (n/t) - ebnelson - 9/27/2004 6:43:04 PM
  - Merits? - Tony - 9/27/2004 7:36:18 PM
    - The Electoral College was created for a reason - Larry J - 9/27/2004 8:45:21 PM
      - for a lot of reasons, many of which no longer exist - Art Martin - 9/27/2004 9:33:06 PM
        
        A representative republic is better at protecting the rights of a minority than a pure democracy - Larry J - 9/27/2004 9:48:14 PM
        
        It still would not be a pure democracy - Art Martin - 9/27/2004 10:34:06 PM
        
        It's hard to get over 50% of the vote if there's a strong 3rd party - Larry J - 9/27/2004 11:44:03 PM
        
        See merits of both arguments - Art Martin - 9/27/2004 11:52:29 PM
        
        Voter initiatives - Larry J - 9/28/2004 1:26:14 PM
        
        that may be so - ebnelson - 9/27/2004 9:46:39 PM
      - No amendment to constitution required - Tony - 9/27/2004 9:27:35 PM
        
        Ok, let's start with the biggest states... - Larry J - 9/27/2004 9:45:29 PM
        
        I was not aware taht it was being carpet bagged. - ebnelson - 9/27/2004 9:49:08 PM
        
        All votes do count today, and if you are a democrat, they often count twice. - ebnelson - 9/27/2004 9:45:18 PM
        
        Well the discussion was civil - Art Martin - 9/27/2004 10:04:49 PM
        
        Good point. - ebnelson - 9/27/2004 10:28:01 PM
        
        Jokes work for me. (n/t) - Art Martin - 9/27/2004 10:43:12 PM
    - re: Merits? - ebnelson - 9/27/2004 7:49:09 PM
      - re: Merits? - Marcia - 9/27/2004 8:15:20 PM
        
        A very good overview, thanks Marcia. (n/t) - jms - 9/27/2004 9:50:45 PM
        
        Very interesting. Thanks for posting the link. (n/t) - ebnelson - 9/27/2004 8:33:14 PM

Recent posts

On this day in Current Events

The whole thread (29 posts)