Directly dropping it would take a constitutional rewrite. Since the radical right controls a majority of state legislatures, you would not like the results of any constitutional convention.
Besides the Compact described by Annette, there is another option: Remove the limit on the size of the House of Representatives. It was capped in 1929, by law, to limit the power of the growing cities and the immigrants in them. Dump that cap. Once the House is truly proportional to population, the electoral college will be also, with a slight modifying effect due to the Senate. Also, grant statehood to D.C.
A constitutional amendment is needed, not a convention, though that could do it. But a constitutional conventional could also cause serious damage, so no thanks.
Merely dumping the cap could be done by repealing the law that set it. In practice, what might be needed is a new law that spells out some of the details. The basic idea could be that the population of the smallest state equals one representative, and all the others are proportional. Since that math will not work out as whole numbers, how are the partials handled. Given current realities, some forbidding of gerrymandering would be an appropriate add-on.
There is. The National Popular Vote Interstate Compact www.national popular vote.com is working for that. Please take a look and see what you can do. There are also Facebook groups you can join. I belong to the group in Florida.
Amen, Liz. Why isn't there a serious push to eliminate the Electoral College? I don't get it.
Directly dropping it would take a constitutional rewrite. Since the radical right controls a majority of state legislatures, you would not like the results of any constitutional convention.
Besides the Compact described by Annette, there is another option: Remove the limit on the size of the House of Representatives. It was capped in 1929, by law, to limit the power of the growing cities and the immigrants in them. Dump that cap. Once the House is truly proportional to population, the electoral college will be also, with a slight modifying effect due to the Senate. Also, grant statehood to D.C.
A constitutional amendment is needed, not a convention, though that could do it. But a constitutional conventional could also cause serious damage, so no thanks.
Hi Joan, how would dumping that cap be achieved? Through legislation? Anything we the people can do to enliven this issue?
Merely dumping the cap could be done by repealing the law that set it. In practice, what might be needed is a new law that spells out some of the details. The basic idea could be that the population of the smallest state equals one representative, and all the others are proportional. Since that math will not work out as whole numbers, how are the partials handled. Given current realities, some forbidding of gerrymandering would be an appropriate add-on.
https://democracyjournal.org/magazine/55/why-435/
Thank you, Joan!
I do want DC to be a state. So many causes and so little time
It boils down to getting rid of the minority-rule filibuster.
Thanks JoanтАФ I had no idea.
There is. The National Popular Vote Interstate Compact www.national popular vote.com is working for that. Please take a look and see what you can do. There are also Facebook groups you can join. I belong to the group in Florida.
Sorry the link didnтАЩt post as a hyperlink but go ahead and type in the address. Sorry.
I have no ideaтАФ IтАЩd love to get rid of the electoral collegeтАФhow do we even start?
For The People Act