Chucking the electoral college

Michael Hoover hoov at freenet.tlh.fl.us
Tue Nov 14 09:40:32 PST 2000



> kelley wrote:
> >next: get rid of the Senate! (where, by the way, all e.c. reform
> >usually dies)

Doug H:
> How? Got a plan to get every state to consent to it? From the sacred
> text itself:
> >Article V
> >The Congress, whenever two thirds of both houses shall deem it
> >necessary, shall propose amendments to this Constitution, or, on the
> >application of the legislatures of two thirds of the several states,
> >shall call a convention for proposing amendments, which, in either
> >case, shall be valid to all intents and purposes, as part of this
> >Constitution, when ratified by the legislatures of three fourths of
> >the several states, or by conventions in three fourths thereof, as
> >the one or the other mode of ratification may be proposed by the
> >Congress; provided that no amendment which may be made prior to the
> >year one thousand eight hundred and eight shall in any manner affect
> >the first and fourth clauses in the ninth section of the first
> >article; and that no state, without its consent, shall be deprived
> >of its equal suffrage in the Senate.

I generally don't mind being lbo potted plant but I've posted variation of below about three times to list in response to above...

As with bunch of other stuff about constitution, there's this 'interpretation' thing. May well be that most constitutional scholars (who tend to be conservative about & protective of document) consider above provision unamendable. There are some, however, who contend there are ways in which it can be changed, for example: repeal by amendment, then another amendment adopted permitting 'unequal' representation in Senate. Of course, I wouldn't hold my breath (nor would I re. abolishing electoral college but that's for another time). Michael Hoover



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