I have a confession to make. Ann Dunsmore once raised money for me, and no, the Giuliani campaign was not behind my run for state senate. Nor is my state senate campaign responsible for the Electoral College reform initiative. To hear the wacko Democrats and their shills in the press talk about it, however, the mere fact that Dunsmore is raising money for the initiative ties that initiative inextricably to the Giuliani campaign. These, of course, are the same Democrats who believe in the single bullet theory, and who found Area 51 just last month.
I don’t know. Maybe when I wrote, and introduced in the Senate in 2001, the Constitutional Amendment that would have distributed the Electoral College votes by Congressional District, I was a Giuliani operative, secretly plotting to make him President then. Or maybe, back in 1993, when Dunsmore was raising money for me, we were secretly plotting to make Giuliani President in 2008.
Or maybe, the distribution of Electoral College votes by Congressional District is good for California, and those of us who are working to bring the idea to fruition in California are doing the what we are doing because we believe in the idea, even if we have differing ideas on who ought to be the next President of the United States.
Of course, if we listen to the Chris LeHanes and Bob Mulhullands of the world, this initiative would bring an end to life as we know it on this earth. This initiative will cause global warming to turn the earth into a second sun in our solar system. Acid rain (you remember acid rain, don’t you), will destroy the world’s forests. Terrorists will run rampant, loaded with car bombs, and complete with 72 virgins, down the streets of Los Angeles. Polluters will destroy our air and water, and evil corporate criminals will be set free from our prisons to rape and pillage your neighborhood. All of this because Electoral College votes are distributed by Congressional Districts.
Or maybe, presidential candidates will start visiting California again, and treat it like it’s an important state in this union, and not just a campaign ATM. Or maybe, we will see Hillary Clinton, or Barack Obama, or Rudy Giuliani, or Fred Thompson, or Mitt Romney in San Diego, and Fresno, and Santa Barbara, and Sacramento next October. Illegal immigration will become an important issue because Californians care about the issue, and presidential candidates will have to care about California. Presidential candidates won’t just be worried about ethanol to cater to the Iowan voters, or dairy quotas to get votes out of Wisconsin, they will also worry about transportation, and port security, and immigration, and fire protection because all of those issues impact Californians, and they are going to have to worry about some California votes.
And perhaps they will worry about redistricting as well, because the redistricting plan will affect the number of Electoral College votes they will get, and a fair redistricting plan will give both parties a fair chance at maximizing the number of Electoral College votes they get out of California.
If nothing else, putting the Electoral College reform on the ballot will give the Democrats nightmares, and invigorate the Republican activists in this state. At the very least, we will be treated to some of the most humorous Democrat rantings if the initiative gets on the ballot. We’ll all have a great chuckle, get re-engaged in politics, and change the country’s history in one fell swoop. Not bad for a bunch of nerds and nutballs.
October 29th, 2007 at 12:00 am
Ray such a good proposal, how come you Republicans are not doing it in Texas! Giuliani doesn’t want it done there. This is a GOP Trojan Horse and its wheels will be taken off by Ca Democrats! Bob Mulholland
October 29th, 2007 at 12:00 am
Last time I checked, Ray Haynes doesn’t live in Texas. If the dems want to try, go for it!
October 29th, 2007 at 12:00 am
That’s a credible excuse- Ray doesn’t live in Texas. Politically this measure will be a disaster for all Republicans in California. Go ahead Make our Day! Bob Mulholland
October 30th, 2007 at 12:00 am
Do you mean like homosexual marriage and partial birth abortion is for Democrats?
October 30th, 2007 at 12:00 am
No, no, no! We don’t want politicians comming here to California. This state is already over populated. I like it here in California. If politicians (or civilians) come here often especially during the winter, they might think “Hmmm this is a nice place to live, I shall move here and tell my other friends to come here to.” I don’t like sitting in traffic on the 405 at 3am on a wednesday. So to all the people in washington, stay away, far away. We have horrible traffic, its expensive to live here. We have earthquakes and wildfires.
Y tambien for los mexicanos. Auséntese, muy lejos. Tenemos el tráfico horrible, su costoso para vivir aquí. Tenemos terremotos e incendios descontrolados.
October 31st, 2007 at 12:00 am
Bob Mulholland and I were laughing together in 2003 when we discussed the Recall
of Gray Davis. He laughed at our futile attemp to Recall Gray Davis.
He said what a stuipid idea, we were wasting our time, and it would fail.
I have been laughing at Bob and his comrades ever since the recall.
We have the same laughing issue today with Electoral Reform.
If this legislation passes California’s votes will no
longer ALL be controlled by the big city political
machines (LA/SF) and the major market liberal media.
California will become competitive again.
Presidential candidates will have to campaign
for votes – in suburbs, small towns and rural
areas – and your vote WILL matter.
If it passes, the reform will help stamp out corruption
by making vote fraud ineffective – those schemes
would only affect one electoral vote in one
district – and not all 58 votes for the whole state.
It will virtually eliminate the chance of a repeat
of the Florida debacle in California in the event
of a close vote – preventing both the uncertainty
and the anger and long-lasting animosity created
by that dispute.
Of course, there is the chance minor parties may
be able to win an electoral vote or two – the
Greens along the coast, the Libertarians in a
foothill or suburban district.
What is important is EVERYONE’S vote will
matter and everyone will know it.
The social impact will mean less bitterness –
resulting in more social and political stability.
Visit:ElectoralReformCalifornia.com