Well, it looks like Colorado has joined the anti-Electoral College club, which seeks to turn the United States from a republic into a direct democracy when it comes to presidential elections. Recently, Colorado’s Senate passed a bill that would have the state join the Popular Vote Pact. If enough states follow suit, it would render the Electoral College meaningless.
…the pact is essentially impotent for the time being.
The Popular Vote Pact is an agreement among participating members to give their electoral votes to the presidential candidate who wins the popular vote. In this way, the left seeks to destroy the Electoral College, which would ensure that only a handful of states would have a voice in determining who occupies the Oval Office.
Colorado Joins the Popular Vote Pact
Colorado’s Senate recently passed SB-19, which mandates that its delegates would award its electoral votes to the candidate who wins the national popular vote. So far, 11 other states, along with the District of Columbia, have joined the Popular Vote Pact.
Sen. Mike Foote (D-CO), who introduced the bill, celebrated its passage. “This really is a victory for those who believe that every vote should be counted equally,” he said. The proposed legislation must be approved by Colorado’s predominantly Democratic House and the governor before taking effect.
Colorado’s GOP lawmakers objected to the bill, arguing that such a move is unconstitutional. But with Democrats in control of the legislature, it is likely the legislation will pass.
The Popular Vote Pact
The Electoral College was instituted to ensure that each state gets fair representation when it comes to electing presidents and determining the number of seats it has in the House of Representatives. In this way, government decisions that impact each state would not be decided by only a few areas of the country. The west and east coasts have the highest concentration of the U.S. population, and so far, most of the members of the compact are located on the coasts.
The Popular Vote Pact has elicited much criticism from both Democrats and Republicans, but it is clear that the agreement’s supporters seek to ensure Democratic victories in future elections. But the pact is essentially impotent for the time being. Why? Because it requires more states to adopt the agreement in order for it to succeed.
In order to win a presidential election, a candidate must receive 270 electoral votes. For the pact to become relevant, the combined number of electoral votes that each member possesses must be 270 or higher. Currently, members of the agreement have 172 votes, which means that a candidate can still earn enough votes from non-members to be elected.
Nevertheless, this pact remains a threat to the republic as it only needs 98 more votes to influence presidential elections. But the agreement will most likely face aggressive opposition in the form of nationwide lawsuits, and it is not clear that this type of legislation does not violate the Constitution. Opponents of the pact argue that the compact is nothing more than a sneaky way to subvert the Electoral College.
Why the Left Is Attacking the Electoral College
The reason progressives are pushing to determine the winner of presidential elections by the popular vote is because of Trump’s victory in 2016. Hillary Clinton received more popular votes than Trump, but he won more electoral votes. President George W. Bush also won in a similar fashion against Al Gore.
The Democrats believe that if they create a scenario in which the popular vote decides who wins elections, they will ensure that more left-leaning presidents are elected. The notion that smaller states should not be subject to the whims of more populous areas does not seem to matter, as long as it ensures Democratic victories.
Members of the pact do not yet have the power to determine the results of presidential elections, but it is clear that the left is vigorously pursuing this initiative. If more states join this club, it is likely that the nation will see a fierce debate over this issue. It is not clear which side will win.
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