Popular Vote Compact Circles Electors: Experts Clash Over Legal Teeth and Systemic Fixes
The National Popular Vote Interstate Compact seeks to mandate that the national popular vote winner becomes president, directly challenging the Electoral College structure.
Opinions sharply split on feasibility. Some users, citing figures like 'GalacticSushi' (24 points), note the compact needs 270 of 538 electoral votes. Conversely, others argue the system is flawed at its core; 'UnderpantsWeevil' states the Electoral College inherently disadvantages large populations. The practical concerns are intense: 'Rivalarrival' points out any single state can refuse to publish its vote count, voiding the effort. On the legal front, 'kryptonianCodeMonkey' suggests the Constitution grants states too much latitude to challenge it.
Ultimately, the weight of conversation shows two factions. One camp dismisses the compact's enforceability as legally dubious. The opposing side views it as a necessary democratic correction. The fault line remains the practical implementation: whether sheer political will can overcome documented legal vulnerability.
Key Points
#1The compact requires a significant coalition of states to function.
Legislation needs to pass through enough states to secure a majority of electoral votes, with 'GalacticSushi' stating 270 are needed.
#2The existing election structure is inherently biased against large states.
'UnderpantsWeevil' claims the Electoral College structure disadvantages larger populations relative to smaller ones.
#3The compact's mechanism is vulnerable to state non-compliance.
'Rivalarrival' warns that any state can unilaterally refuse to publish its official popular vote count, undermining the agreement.
#4The root problem may be the entire two-party system, not the electors.
'Armok_the_bunny' shifts focus, arguing the First Past the Post system is the real cause, not the Electoral College.
#5The legality of the compact is highly questionable.
'kryptonianCodeMonkey' argues the Constitution grants states wide latitude, making legal challenges difficult to overcome.
Source Discussions (3)
This report was synthesized from the following Lemmy discussions, ranked by community score.