[lbo-talk] Prop. 62 Would Squelch Third Parties in California

Nathan Newman nathanne at nathannewman.org
Tue Oct 26 12:07:42 PDT 2004


----- Original Message ----- From: "Michael Dawson" <MDawson at pdx.edu>
>Ok, but why no mention? I'm not saying they could can it today, but why
no
>mention, especially in such an age of mass cynicism? And, why not use the
>mention to point out that W. lost the popular vote last time? I think
it's
>a very telling omission by the DP.

What are you talking about? Electoral activists talk about Bush stealing the election in Florida and losing the electoral vote all the time. The disproportionate influence of conservative states in the electoral college is regularly discussed and condemned.

But belaboring the point in every paragraph doesn't get you that much. This seems to be a rhetorical fetish of some parts of the far left, to talk about the issues that you have no chance of changing, rather than concentrating on those you can. There are real electoral reforms we can fight over-- such as voting day registration, eliminating felony disenfranchisement, speeding up naturalization of immigrants seeking citizenship -- that would significantly improve voting rights in the country. Worrying about the electoral college should be far down the list of progressives, both as an issue and rhetorically.

Nathan Newman

-----Original Message----- From: lbo-talk-bounces at lbo-talk.org [mailto:lbo-talk-bounces at lbo-talk.org] On Behalf Of Doug Henwood Sent: Tuesday, October 26, 2004 8:24 AM To: lbo-talk at lbo-talk.org Subject: RE: [lbo-talk] Prop. 62 Would Squelch Third Parties in California

Michael Dawson wrote:


>Why no mention of the
>Electoral College by your party of social betterment?

It would be nearly impossible to abolish without scrapping the whole damn constitution. Not that that's a bad thing, but that would be a revolutionary change.

Doug ___________________________________ http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/mailman/listinfo/lbo-talk

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