Maine Passes Bill to Abandon Electoral College
Since Maine has turned blue on the political map of the country, it is following in the footsteps of many other Democrat states that want to get rid of the Electoral College in favor of the so-called popular vote.
The Epoch Times reported over the weekend that Maine’s state legislature approved the Democrat-backed bill by a thin majority, voting mostly along party lines – Democrats voting for and Republicans against the bill – that would award the state’s four electoral college votes to the winner of national popular vote. With both the State’s House and Senate having passed the bill, it is now on the desk of Maine’s Democrat Governor Janet Mills to sign into law. The paper notes that the Governor has 10 days to “sign, veto, or allow the bill to become law without her signature.”
Currently, 15 Democrat states and D.C. have already adopted the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact; thus Maine will become the 17th member of this anti-electoral college coalition.
Democrats, for years, have advocated for dumping the Electoral College system of voting in favor of popular national vote. Their advocacy against the Electoral College was rekindled in the wake of Hillary Clinton’s loss in 2016 to Donald Trump as Clinton was declared the winner of the popular vote, which the constitution does not recognize as the legitimate course to presidency.
In 2019, Democrat Senator from MA Elizabeth Warren called for abolishing the Electoral College and argued that it would make sure that every vote counts. Leftist media has also been trying to influence public opinion against the Electoral College and as recently as January of this year, The Independent called it a “bad, undemocratic, 235-year-old”system.
With Maine moving toward the popular vote system for presidential victory, Robert Reich, liberal Professor at Berkley and former Secretary of Labor during Bill Clinton’s first presidential term, was seen in a Twitter/X video advocating presidency by popular vote and urging Maine to “Do it!”
What Reich did not mention is voter fraud that conservatives have long complained about in presidential as well as midterm elections, particularly in blue states and blue counties in red states. In Democrat-run states, like California, Washington, Oregon, Minnesota and others, voters are not required to present an ID and literally anyone including illegal aliens and visitors can easily cast a ballot and get away with it. The claims of voter fraud are either ignored or a probe controlled by state authorities rushes to dismiss them.
Maine’s State Senator Eric Brakey, a Republican, appeared on Fox News to comment on the state’s move to abandon electoral vote and said that it would be terrible for Maine.
It seems the NEW Democrat party wants nothing to do with the U.S. Constitution. Without this bedrock of our Republic, we, as a nation, will slip uncontrollably into the abyss of socialism, communism, or any other ‘ism that will surely mark the end of FREEDOM. Allowing state to just scrub clean any aspect of this document will allow all states to do the same. I live in Texas, and we will want to secede again…WHATS TO STOP US. This has got to stop! The lawless Biden administration has started this, and we can’t get rid of this cancer any too soon. GOD SAVE THE REPUBLIC!
Actually, getting rid of the Electoral College will slip us more into authoritarianism which Trump likes. The real battle is over democracy versus authoritarianism. We have lost the balance point and need to get it back.
Hal et al….
Look to history for your answer. The Electoral College was always a punt by two sides compromising to a third choice. According to WIKI, the Electoral College has more resolutions for change than any other part of the Constitution.
On top of all was a serious distrust of the chief executive —- any chief executive. They had been betrayed by their King and felt all heads were crooks. Even their own colonial governors mimicked the audacities of the King.
On one side was the choice of Congress selecting thought of as a corruption disaster waiting to happen.
On the other side was letting the people choose, thought of as ill-informed, unwitting or led by a fanatic or fad, a disaster waiting to happen.
They debated long and hard, got tired, and came up with electoral college compromise. Part of the reason for passage was it gave small states more voting power and southern states could capitalize of the 3/5th’s slavery rule.
I have long expressed support for the EC due to the fact that once it is gone, no Presidential candidate will turn up in places like Maine. Why bother with 1 million Mainers when you can get 8 million plus in NYC plus getting NYS points too. Rural America may cease to be visited. Also, I had felt that the EC can put a break on fanaticism and fads by voting against such trendy moments in time for stability instead. Not sure that’s true today or ever has been true.
As far as it being a Democratic thing, that’s true in terms of activists and the pact. However, 65% of America wants it, including 48% of Republicans, according to PEW. And given the reach of media, the internet, etc. today —– not sure the rural visitation or lack of knowledge base in the hinterlands is a valid concern anymore. And for fads —– we just need to tackle that shit as it comes. Given our communications today, I think in many cases, the need for State lines is disappearing. Still want them, but more and more —- operating as a nation is as efficient and effective as operating as 50 entities.
So I have changed my minds, as of today, and say —- damn, popular vote is cool, let’s do it. I am still for almost anything that slows the gears of making and changing law, bring back the real filibuster, nuke the nuclear option, and more. But I think it’s time for the EC to go.
And you have to admit —– the compact-sters are cool to say that they only will implement the change IF they get enough States to reach 270 votes in the compact to end the EC. I think the Founders would like that approach. Hats off to ingenuity.
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Frank, I agree with your history lesson but not your new direction. The proof of the need for the EC is that if it does not exist, then 13 most populous states will control the destiny of the other 37 states – Mainelanders, and many less populous states should be very wary of this. The proof that it works is that Hillary did not win. Hillary won most of the populous states but still lost because the little less populous states had a say in the matter. IF we get rid of the EC, Frank’s state of NJ as well as the remaining East coast states could pretty much decide the election for the West coast states and interior.
What might be interesting is what if every state had the same amount of votes? One vote for each state, popular winner takes it. This is how the senate is constructed and it seems to work well. Why not move the EC towards this kind of model? This would truly make the little guys equal to the big guys. And as the article says, it would make each state important to the candidate. And because it is winner takes all for each state, the popular vote decides the winner for that state, on a state by state basis, and then the aggregate due to each state having the same clout. This way, 13 mega-populous states could not determine the outcome for 37 less populous states unless several smaller states joined in to form an overall majority. This is the problem Clinton had in that she did not get enough of those less populous states to like her. Another solution might be to keep the current EC but organize the states into an odd number of voting block (like the SCOTUS) such that each block has the same voting weight and population, and all blocks have the same number of EC votes.
The fundamental problem back then IN 1787 still exists today. How to make big guys and little guys equal so that we all have a say and that we the governed feel like we are being governed by the consent and will of the governed? But the Dem party is not looking for equality on this issue despite how they seem to say they stand for equality – they are being hypocrites. This is why they push this issue – they got most of the populous states in their pocket. And for those that are not in their pocket, they send the asylum seekers to change this 10 years from now – this will be the long range effect that I spoke of in some Horist blogs. The Dem party is looking for numbers as the sole determinant and be-damned the little guys, we got the big guys on our side. And the big guys not on our side we will neutralize with asylum seekers!
What seems to be lost in this discussion article is that the Founding Fathers established the EC in the Constitution, in part, as a compromise between the election of the President by a vote in Congress and election of the President by a popular vote of qualified citizens. As an Indy, I am willing to look at tweaks to the EC system if it makes it more efficient and more equal for the little guy. I am willing to see the EC rules modified so all are working the same in each state. But the suggestion of throwing the EC away to solve a voting issue of disgruntled Dems is like throwing the baby away with the bath water just so you can say your house is clean. Google “Why we need the electoral college” and watch a few of the videos. Look at the ten minute video, its good.
we will have to have a civil war with the left, might as well be now! get your guns ready patriots
You have a very warped view of “patriot”. I say that as a military veteran. Patriots do not shoot their own citizens just because their view is different.
I hear you on small states matter Tom, but have changed my opinion to so what? They can choose not to vote at all and after the election, they will probably face the same outcome. I really doubt there’s a lot of “targeting” going on for specific states. If so, it would be pretty transparent.
But the proof is in the pudding and VT, ME, HI, DC, RI, and Del all in. All small. All blue, but some like ME can CO, have a lot of red. ME went red in 2022 Congressional. Plus, all States except Maine, I think, cede all EC votes to the presumed State winner. Is that fair?
I was against the EC removal because I thought pre-election attention would focus on major metro’s, major states, but at this point I think our communications are efficient, effective, and pretty much anyone who wants to know, can easily know without have the candidate turn up in person. As far as State “power” based on EC vote, same power with popular vote too.
Hillary lost because she failed to remember that the EC is the game, and that game can be determined by a few swing states, and those rural and blue collar states —— blue collar her bread and butter — ruled the vote. She failed to get to those folks and she was a lady who basically walked the entire State of NY to win her Senate seat. Upstate NY. That does not change if the EC goes away, at most —- more attention to urban metro’s in focus — but the vote is the vote and each man counts equally, and the States really don’t matter, the nation does.
FYI — Texas and Florida are number two and three population leaders. I think they be not blue….. NJ is 11th, and we are givers and not takers when it comes to the Federal Government. Won’t matter who we vote for to get that…..
Again, 65% of nation wants this, 48% of Republicans according to PEW.
I did agree with you but just don’t see the States getting what you think they do, I think the fear of the popular vote that the Founders have is diminished —- we are not backwoodsmen getting our news once a quarter. And the though that a madman could pull the wool over much of the country —– well, both sides think that’s true under the EC already.
Heck, I would like to see national referendums on EVERTHING done via internet voting. Let’s give Congress our thoughts —- real time.
Instead of lamenting the success of Democrats, why not ask about the failure of Republicans to attract more folks. Plus, they have the second and third largest States proving they can grab population centers. You don’t rig the game because one side is ineffectual. Not to mention the Indy’s, who have no party and have little chance in an EC system forcing them to vote one way or the other —– but not a third.
Well I agree that GOP needs to come more to center and attract people, not shove morality down our throats. But I do think discontinuing the EC will open up a pandora’s box and many many more recounts. And I think those states you mentioned will regret it. The EC has kept a lid on frivolous recounts. Anyway, interesting discussion. You do realize that Hillary thought she had two states so in the bag for her that she never visited them during her campaign? I do not think she failed to remember. I think she was arrogant and felt she had that population in the bag. Hillary spent most of her time in the populous states. TX is probably still red but FL with the abortion issue and Trump light Mr. DeSantis is now purple.
When the Populous vote is the only one that counts.
HE who gives away the most money will purchase the Presidency Office.
HIIIIM, is that not what Biden is trying to do?