The Washington Independent - Latest Comments in With Election Nearing, McCain Clings to Fantasy

Re: With Election Nearing, McCain Clings to Fantasy

Kwaayesnama — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 16:02:08 -0000

John McCain showed where he is coming from when the debate ended. He wandered around the stage not knowing where to go. He came across as confused old man. I know where I will be going, into the voting booth and voting Obama/Biden. I have had enough of Bush/McCain - Chaney/Palin.

Re: With Election Nearing, McCain Clings to Fantasy

susan — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 14:03:00 -0000

The real issue is not how well Obama or McCain might do state-by-state, but that we shouldn't have battleground states and spectator states in the first place. Every vote in every state should be politically relevant in a presidential election. And, every vote should be equal. We should have a national popular vote for President in which the White House goes to the candidate who gets the most popular votes in all 50 states.

The National Popular Vote bill would guarantee the Presidency to the candidate who receives the most popular votes in all 50 states (and DC). The bill would take effect only when enacted, in identical form, by states possessing a majority of the electoral vote -- that is, enough electoral votes to elect a President (270 of 538). When the bill comes into effect, all the electoral votes from those states would be awarded to the presidential candidate who receives the most popular votes in all 50 states (and DC).

Because of state-by-state enacted rules for winner-take-all awarding of their electoral votes, recent candidates with limited funds have concentrated their attention on a handful of closely divided "battleground" states. In 2004 two-thirds of the visits and money were focused in just six states; 88% on 9 states, and 99% of the money went to just 16 states. Two-thirds of the states and people have been merely spectators to the presidential election.

Another shortcoming of the current system is that a candidate can win the Presidency without winning the most popular votes nationwide.

The National Popular Vote bill has passed 21 state legislative chambers, including one house in Arkansas, Colorado, Maine, North Carolina, and Washington, and both houses in California, Hawaii, Illinois, New Jersey, Maryland, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Vermont. The bill has been enacted by Hawaii, Illinois, New Jersey, and Maryland. These four states possess 50 electoral votes-- 19% of the 270 necessary to bring the law into effect.

See http://www.NationalPopularVote.com

Re: With Election Nearing, McCain Clings to Fantasy

NinaK — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 11:43:25 -0000

McCain is not going to win this election. Watching the debate last night, I saw McCain taking deep breaths, smirking, being condescending, and a smart@ss. He was argumentative and, I felt, quite uncomfortable. He kept squirming in his chair and appeared downright dumbfounded at some of Senator Obama's responses. McCain has difficulty reining in his emotions and his anger often surfaces. John McCain is an old washed-out politician who really is far removed from today's younger generations and from the middleclass and the underprivileged. I am especially appalled at Mitt Romney who vigoriously supports McCain as the "best" candidate. People like Mitt Romney put their party above our country and what is best for it. That these people think Sarah Palin is ready to lead is outrageous. She is a total incompetent whose only "talent" is stirring up the crowds into a mob yelling out such things as, "terrorist", "kill him", and "off with his head" and smiles broadly while these horrific calls are being yelled. Shame on Sarah Palin, and shame on John McCain for inciting, encouraging, and promoting such behavior with their own hateful and false rhetoric!!