General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Should California Threaten Secession To Abolish Electoral College? [View all]eniwetok
(1,629 posts)Look, I think it's a clever idea and I fully support it.
BUT... leaving out the fact that the PVIC is a long way from 270... there's Art 1, sec 10.
No State shall, without the Consent of Congress, lay any duty of Tonnage, keep Troops, or Ships of War in time of Peace, enter into any Agreement or Compact with another State, or with a foreign Power, or engage in War, unless actually invaded, or in such imminent Danger as will not admit of delay.
Some believe the compact would not need approval. I disagree the GOP would not try to block it on Art2 grounds. Here's more of a discussion on that aspect of the PVIC http://www.politifact.com/florida/article/2016/nov/17/electoral-college-vs-popular-vote-could-states-a/
And then there's the problem that as soon as a state is forced to vote against how its own voters did... there will be hell to pay.
I applaud the effort... but it's a bandaid over one small aspect of an entire system that is riddled with antidemocratic features. What the PVIC does is put off the real debate we need about finally making the entire federal system democratic so it reflects modern advances in electoral and political theory.