Every Vote For President Counts The Same — Bring It On!

Posted: April 10th, 2007 | Filed under: Politics, Ruminations | No Comments »

I guess we can trace this new movement — the first seed of which has been planted in Maryland — on that darned cigar.

If . . . Bill Clinton keeps the stogie in his mouth instead of using it for sexual titillation, Al Gore blasts George W. Bush out of the water in the presidential election before last. But Gore wins anyway . . .

If . . . the candidate with the most popular votes nabs the victory.

But he didn’t. Gore lost Florida. And his home state of Tennessee. So, even though more Americans wanted him to be president than his opponent, Bush won the Electoral College. Which is how things are done around here.

For the moment anyway.

Thanks to the abysmal job the current White House occupant has done, and the desultory state of mind that plagues our country’s citizenry, and the recognition that things would be different if it was President Gore instead of President Bush, there’s a movement afoot that could significantly change presidential elections. It’s based on a simple premise: The guy or gal with the most votes wins. Period.

How very novel!!!!!

Maryland has struck the first blow. A new law there dictates that the states electoral votes in a presidential election shall be cast for the candidate who gets the most votes nationally. Whether that candidate gets the most votes in Maryland or not.

There is one caveat. The law only takes effect if enough states constituting a majority of electoral votes pass similar legislation. If that does come to pass, the Electoral College would effectively be rendered a nullity without the need for a constitutional amendment.

Hip hip hooray for Maryland. California’s legislature passed a similar law, but, in one of his rare boneheaded moves, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed it. Hawaii has also passed such a bill. The governor has yet to sign it.

This is a stunning but long overdue trend. The Electoral College is way antiquated. But this movement is refreshing. Thanks to the inept, ham-handed governance of Bush the Younger, reasonable men and women are considering a substantive change of process that will give more power to the people.

Opponents say that such a change would diminish the say of minority movements, that can affect outcomes in some states, if not nationwide. Proponents say it will even the playing field. That it will force candidates to campaign everywhere, not just in the major centers of electoral votes.

One guy’s opinion is that it’s welcome. Let’s see if, as they say, it has legs.

One citizen. One vote. All of equal value whether he or she lives in New York or Montana. It’s a not so novel idea whose time has come.

And, if the change comes about, maybe Bill Clinton can pull out that cigar for one last celebratory toke.

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