“It has a gut-level appeal to it. It sounds fair, and it is fair.”
-GOP Consultant Kevin Eckery on the Republican ballot initiative to allot California’s electoral votes by congressional districts. Under such a system, President Bush would have received 22 of California’s electoral votes in the 2004 election.
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Check out how Fox News covered this story. They don't identify Eckery as a GOP consultant, merely "pro-reform". See? So anyone that doesn't agree with him is thus "anti-reform". And being against reform must be a baaaaaad thing.
According to a (I believe) Washington Post article today (I read too many papers ugh...), the initative started in Nevada where Dems were trying to do the same thing. Furthermore, most California Democrats agree with it at first mention and it is only after they are told of the ramifactions for the Democratic party that they have a problem with it. Thus, maybe it IS fair?
Regardless of whether it's Democrats or Republicans, any initiative like this one is unfair and deceiving. Many people have a quarrel with the electoral college, which is certainly understandable. However, this initiative will do absolutely nothing to cure the ills of the electoral system as we know it today. If you allot electoral votes by congressional district, then it will merely be the electoral map--as we know it--on a larger scale. Instead of campaigning in swing states, candidates will campaign in swing districts.
On its face, it would be fair if it were done nation-wide in a country that wasn't gerrymandered to hell. However, since CA Dems are insistent upon being against redistricting in our lone state (which incidentally WOULD take power away from the Dems...and make the state more democratic), any efforts at getting fair districts nationally (or even in CA) isn't going to happen anytime soon.
In any event, I digress. It pains me to say this, but I'm afraid I agree with Curtis. This measure definitely isn't fair...it's not about taking away power from Dems, it's about being democratic (small d). This is not.
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