2012 Republican Platform: Opposing National Popular Vote
By Kymberly Bays on 08/28/2012 in elections 2012, electoral college, national popular vote, national popular vote compact, Republican National Convention, Republican platform, Republicans, RNC with 27 CommentsRead Time: 1 - 2 minutes
The 2012 Republican Party platform was formalized today at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, FL. In it, the GOP takes a firm stance against instituting a national popular vote scheme.
From the official platform document:
We oppose the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact or any other scheme to abolish or distort the procedures of the Electoral College. We recognize that an unconstitutional effort to impose “national popular vote” would be a mortal threat to our federal system and a guarantee of corruption as every ballot box in every state would become a chance to steal the presidency.
The National Popular Vote Interstate Compact includes 8 states and the District of Columbia, as of April 2012. It is an agreement among states to award their electoral votes to the winner of the national popular vote. Until the compact is joined by states with a majority of electoral votes, all states continue awarding electoral votes according to standing rules.
States that have passed legislation joining the compact are Vermont, Maryland, Washington, Illinois, New Jersey, District of Columbia, Massachusetts, California and Hawaii.
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27 Comments
Bonnie Burke
08.29.2012
We need to adhere to the constitution, and our votes should not be counted by an outside source with special interests.
Mo Dennis
08.29.2012
after today, the GOP can go to bloody hell. I will not be voting for Romney.
Parker Barnett
08.29.2012
We are a democratically elected Representative Constitutional republic….not a democracy led by mob rule. The founders knew what they were doing and knew the dangers of democracy when they framed our Constitution.
Frank J. Cota
08.29.2012
Lead it alone…..
Steven Cooper
08.29.2012
If we don’t have the electorial college dems will only campaign in New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Chicago…get the point?
Steven Souza
08.29.2012
What? They don’t have to campaign there now.
The ONLY place candidates campaign now is in the 7 or 8 “swing states” that could go any way and they pretty much IGNORE the rest of the country.
Get rid of the Electoral College and EVERY vote would count the same and you would see the candidates campaigning everywhere!
Kevin Driscoll
08.29.2012
How about getting the money out and returning to actual debates Abraham Lincoln style, that’s when we’ll really get to know a candidate and what he’s/she’s about.
Cathy Gitschlag
08.29.2012
tired of having the bigger states like Ca. and such having such a huge electoral count and essentialy silencing the “fly over” states.
Josh Coleman
08.29.2012
Putin has America’s best interest at heart moreso than these RepubloCrat fuctards!
Jose Ortiz
08.29.2012
if its not broken then dont fix it
Clay Dalton
08.29.2012
Done with lying gop. Independents move on to libertarian party, don’t talk to me about a group that changes rules after the game starts, I’m 51, vow never to vote republican again.
Dale A. Schoening
08.29.2012
The electoral college is a joke. It is broken. Time to switch to direct popular vote.
Ricky Gandhi
08.29.2012
popular vote. there’s no reason for a president to be elected if a majority of the people choose someone else
Lana Gail Osborne Dearing
08.29.2012
Dump the electoral college. It’s corrupt. Let the people vote and decide. That’s the way it used to be. They can change boundaries to affect the electoral votes in a particular area.
Alan Gur Arye
08.29.2012
the electoral college, end this archaic institution. It outlived it’s usefulness over 120 years ago.
Fred Gollatz
08.29.2012
Popular is the best reflection of what the people want.
Dino Sanfilippo
08.29.2012
The electoral college was put in place because of insufficient means of communication. We now can communicate with one another from across the globe within seconds. Popular vote is the only way we can get a true winner of the people.
Robert Schmid
08.29.2012
It’s broke. Needs fixing
Ray Smith
08.29.2012
This is a Republic, the electoral college is an integral part of that republic.
Randy Speeg
08.29.2012
The biggest problem with the electoral college is that isn’t actually been used the way the founders intended it in over a hundred years. The Duopoly has completely perverted the election process.
Art Reinertson
08.29.2012
Dale, I presume you’re in favor of popular vote on same-sex marriage?
Marc Johnson
08.29.2012
With the electoral college in place, our vote really doesn’t count. If this is true, why all the big money being funneled toward campaigns? We could dispense with the whole mess if we went to popular vote, let the government fund a series of simple televised debates and let the people vote. Think of how much money could be saved. Too bad that this will never happen! The few that REALLY RUN THIS PLACE have too much to lose. Things are the way they are because we spent decades allowing ourselves to be distracted and bickering over party lines instead of asking what’s really going on.
Timothy Francis
08.29.2012
The electoral college is a way to keep the duoloply. The interests of the 2 big parties are mainly supporting the corporations and the military complex. Neither supports the needs of the people. A popular vote serves the people better. Eliminating the 2 party system will give the people the change and hope they want. Not that wild about Romney, I am sure I don’t want Obama back, and Ryan may be the only candidate in the system that can run the nation. Biden can’t tie his own shoes or fight his way out of a paper bag. Ron Paul was the only logical choice. What has become of this nation
Vickie Pruitt
08.29.2012
Of course they oppose it, because if every state enacted it, they would loose
Thane Jennings
08.29.2012
The American public can’t be trusted with the vote. I prefer a benign dictator, or a monarchy. I would be a great king, as Mel Brooks said “It’s good to be the king”.
Marc Johnson
08.29.2012
You know, Thane is an ancient word for Scottish Feudal Lord. You’re halfway there! Yep, time to switch it up with a new potentate. The Ramones can play your inauguration.
Pham Binh
08.29.2012
@phambihn
Great catch!