What if Obama loses the electoral vote but wins the popular vote?
Grover Cleveland quietly vacated the White House without protest, confirming his reputation as a leader of unassailable integrity and profound humility. Would this happen in 2012? Would President Obama attempt to calm angry spirits of his partisans on Nov. 7 were the results to show a “split decision?”
It’s easy to imagine the national levels of rage, and impossible not to envision the president of the United States lending his voice to the angry chorus. In the five weeks before Dec. 17, the day when electors formally assemble in their respective state capitals, the president could push electors to shift support to him—even if they defied state legislation requiring winner-take-all distribution of electoral votes to the victor in that state and ignored laws of 24 states threatening punishment to “faithless electors.” The arguments would be fiery and, most likely, somewhat effective: insisting that basic fairness and democratic principle should trump any concern over the creaky, 19th-century relic known as the Electoral College.
Obama might even consider the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact. Between 2007 and 2011, eight deeply partisan Democratic states (Maryland, New Jersey, Illinois, Hawaii, Washington, Massachusetts, Vermont, and California) and the District of Columbia enacted legislation demanding that their electors cast their votes for the winner of the national popular vote, regardless of which candidate won the state. This provision would only take effect if enough states agreed to this compact to represent a majority of all electoral votes; in an emergency, Democrats might attempt to coerce the five wavering states they need to take action in time to make a difference.
Blowback
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If parasites, such as, but not limited to, welfare broodmares were kept from the ballot boxes like our founders intended, Gore would not have ever come close to ‘trouncing’ W.
In fact, remove the parasites from the equation and no ‘rat would ever be nationally electable.
Lanceman on May 21, 2012 at 9:04 PM
Largest Margins of Victory, Pop. Vote, Pres. Election:
Out: Harding
In: Romney
and that’s coming from a pessimist…and Moochelle will weigh in at 300 lbs. in a year…
hillsoftx on May 21, 2012 at 9:05 PM
So, what if he does, who cares as the rules are written already!
bluemarlin on May 21, 2012 at 9:08 PM
You know, I’d gladly get rid of the electoral college for some other democracy, transparency and accountability reforms. Here are a couple of examples.
The political class cannot be trusted to investigate its own corruption. So let’s have an independently elected “office of federal government ethics” branch of government. Basically they’d be independently elected investigative officers kind of like IGs except that can’t be dismissed when making inconvenient inquiries. Maybe every state could elect two of them and all 100 would be independent although they could do joint investigations. The trick would be to keep them from being absorbed into the political class.
I also think the people should have a direct role in government. For example, they might have a veto power to kill legislation like Obamacare. Perhaps the people could propose constitutional amendments to the states and bypass the Senate whose members interests diverge wildly from the national interest. I also think the people should be able to directly vote on popular initiatives and referendums.
edshepp on May 21, 2012 at 9:17 PM
Why you no like your masters?
OldEnglish on May 21, 2012 at 9:21 PM
Honestly, I feel the opposite is much more likely. The red states *really* hate Obama this time, especially in the south. The margin in those states may be overwhelming. But I can see him barely winning OH, PA, NV, NM, IA, CO, and posting mid level wins in WI, MI, and the other usual Dem territories for the win. In which case the conservative meltdown will be HILARIOUS to behold.
libfreeordie on May 21, 2012 at 9:21 PM
This is dear leader of course he would defy what the voters wanted
cmsinaz on May 21, 2012 at 9:22 PM
Just please do not get banned before election night, that is all I ask!
bluemarlin on May 21, 2012 at 9:25 PM
Then he won’t be President for the next four years.
Lawdawg86 on May 21, 2012 at 9:26 PM
I heard it! Did ya’ll hear it?
Dog whistle!!!!!!!!!!
/
Flora Duh on May 21, 2012 at 9:30 PM
Beyotch please! You think libdieorfree will show itself in the event of loss? crr6 was the only troll to have the balls to face the music.
Lanceman on May 21, 2012 at 9:30 PM
False.
Gore got 1/2 of 1% more popular votes nationwide than Bush in 2000. To be exact, Gore got 48.5%, Bush got 47.9%
Which means that if the national popular vote instead of the Electoral College had been the decider, an automatic recount would have been triggered.
After all, the Bush margin of victory in Florida was 1/2 of 1%, and that is what triggered that State’s automatic recount. We all know what happened next, namely a Democrat Activist Florida Supreme Court trying to steal an election for their Client.
Del Dolemonte on May 21, 2012 at 9:38 PM
Fixed.
Del Dolemonte on May 21, 2012 at 9:40 PM
Ah yes, the true test of ones integrity and courage. Whether they post on a political blog. Still unless I am banned (and really, why would I be, I’m perfectly delightful and charming) I will post on some HotAir thread on election night this year. No doubt that one Hot Air scribe who follows me around will copy and paste this post into his/her little database, making it official.
libfreeordie on May 21, 2012 at 9:41 PM
Obama is going to lose by Carter-esque margins, but there will still be riots.
bitsy on May 21, 2012 at 9:46 PM
Of all the people in my fan club around here, you’re my favorite. A few more totally random and weird posts and you’ll get your very own signed postcard from yours truly. Keep up the good work!
A++++++
libfreeordie on May 21, 2012 at 9:47 PM
And I never tire of saying that because of me and 536 other jokers, George W. Bush was installed into the WH. W. was not the conservative Reagan was, but W. will always be my all-time fave on a personal level.
We shall see, libdieorfree, we shall see.
Lanceman on May 21, 2012 at 9:48 PM
Once again, for those who don’t understand the purpose of the electoral college: it’s about individual representation. If all states awarded their delegates to the popular vote, then we would not be a republic anymore. In a republic, individuals are the most important voters. When you rob them of their ability to be represented individually, then you have tyranny. National Popular Vote is just a poll, but should not be the decider in any election.
nobar on May 21, 2012 at 9:56 PM
Obama LOSES, that’s what happens!
We are a REPUBLIC not a democracy. And the popular vote would let the top 20 cities basically control the Presidency.
Not that they are top. The top 20 cities are the worst rotting cesspools in the country. Welfare distribution centers.
wildcat72 on May 21, 2012 at 9:57 PM
There is no Constitutional right to vote in any federal election. Should the legislature of any state choose the Harlem Globetrotters as their electors, it would be perfectly valid.
Our founders did not want parasites voting. They knew that when you give parasites an equal voice as the producers, the country logically cannot succeed.
Lanceman on May 21, 2012 at 10:03 PM
He wishes it was 50/50 right now!
bluemarlin on May 22, 2012 at 10:03 PM
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