(H/T – Nick)
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel editorial board takes on a new plan to neuter the Electoral College from an outfit called the National Popular Vote by having a number of states join in a compact to have their electors cast their ballots for whoever wins the national popular vote instead of whoever wins that particular state’s popular vote. Unlike editorial boards across the country, which have unfailingly endorsed this idea, the Journal Sentinel would like to serve the roles of both the Independent Journal and The Kentucky Gazette, which, respectively, published the pro-EC Federalist #68 by Alexander Hamilton/”Publius” and the anti-EC Anti-Federalist #72 by “Republicus”.
Nick points out that the method being pushed by National Popular Vote is both not the method necessary to amend the Constitution and explicitly un-Constitutional by having those states that agree to this plan enter a compact. However, let’s look past those Constitutional deficiencies at the underlying goal; neutering the Electoral College. While I read the relevant Federalist and Anti-Federalist Papers (linked above) in order to get the arguments back when the Constitution was in the ratification process, those specific arguments have been rendered moot by the rise of nationwide instant communication, universal adoption by the states of a Presidential popular vote with the party winning that vote choosing the electors and the widespread adoption of anti-“faithless-elector” laws.
