NPV efforts in Michigan will not bear fruit this year, but ..

Yesterday, some good people gathered in Lansing to let legislators know that NPV was maybe not such a good idea.

They were apparently well received. And though there were no absolutes on future efforts, it was made clear that nothing will happen this year to give the progressive left it’s holy grail, a full blown democracy, when electing the president.  Norm Hughes who in large part organized the day long effort writes afterward:

Thank you to all the Patriots that went to Lansing today to talk with legislators. Several dozen were involved and they were truly great. We got firm commitments in both houses that National Popular Vote (NPV) will not be voted on this year. We also picked up at least 12 more NO votes on Convention Of States, meaning we have the votes to defeat it if they bring it up in the lame duck session.

This NPV snafu came at a terrible time, taking volunteers from campaigns to Lansing to educate the very candidates who want their help. I can tell you some top officials think it was one cluster ***. Those who took the Hawaii junket might have fulfilled their obligation to push it but it backfired, How are they going to explain that to their benefactors?

A “terrible time” indeed.

I can tell you that there are certain legislators who signed on that will still feel the pain.  When looking for the door knockers, local offices have found that certain representative candidates are not inspiring a ground swell of optimism.  They may well win their respective contests, but rightfully, they will have to work harder to do so.

Mr Hughes mentioned in a separate post on Facebook that some of the legislators responded positively to the Proportional Electors idea.  This is something which the electoral college was designed to accommodate.  There are two states, Maine, and Nebraska, which do not follow the winner take all formula.

Prior to the gathering in Lansing, MCU Chair Hughes let them know he was coming.

Dear Republican Legislator;

As you consider if a few large states should dictate Michigan’s vote for president I ask you to consider a few facts.

• Under NPV Hillary Clinton would be president, as would have been Al Gore.
• Under proportional voting Michigan’s nine Republican congressional districts would be more votes than any among more than half the other states. Twenty six states have less than nine votes, South Carolina and Missippi have nine. Michigan would matter! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electoral_College_(United_States)#/media/File:ElectoralCollege2016.svg
  Under winner take all Michigan cast no Republican electoral votes for seven straight election cycles – 28 years.
• By proportional voting every congressional district matters. The candidates will come to Michigan because we are so evenly split among the Parties. Republican candidates would more likely come. I remember so well when John McCain asked me to go to Indiana because he pulled the plug on Michigan in 2008.
• The so-called NPV “Compact” Violates the Compact Clause of the U.S. Constitution in Article I Section 10 Clause 3, “No State shall, without the Consent of Congress…enter into any Agreement or Compact with another State…” because Congress has never agreed to a National Popular Vote Compact, NPV Circumvents Congress’ Constitutional role. Please see this link from a constitutional collar on a Nevada NPV bill https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#trash/FMfcgxvzKbMflwWcLwxDLsVnvrFXGkDt?projector=1&messagePartId=0.1
• The NPV Compact states, that once States with electoral votes equaling 270 enact the Compact, it will become the law without ever passing Congress and without being sent to the states for ratification as required to amend the U.S. Constitution. The National Popular Vote Compact is an end run around the Constitution.
• Under NPV 50 Secretaries of State, not the Congress verifies the Electoral College votes and will be determining who the President of the United States will be. Who can tell what kind of chaos might come from this proposal?
• The Electoral College protects us from Vote Fraud providing 51 individual elections in the states and District of Columbia not just one election which can more easily be stolen. The Electoral College protects us against the instability of nationwide recounts and endless lawsuits. The Electoral College has worked well for over 200 years providing a peaceful transfer of power.
• NPV would make Michigan and other smaller population states meaningless fly over states for presidential elections. Only the big population states and National media centers would matter…California, New York, etc. You wouldn’t see Donald Trump in Grand Rapids on election eve.

I and some of our Board members and other Citizens will visit the Capitol on Tuesday. Our members and supporters are opposing the mythical “Convention Of States” and National Popular Vote. We look forward to talking with you. If there is a specific time when it might be more convenient to see you, please advise when and where.

Godspeed,
—
Norm Hughes, Chair
Michigan Conservative Union
52 E. Burdick # 240
Oxford, Mi. 48371

And I had forgotten about the compact clause.

Of course. this does not mean that the rest of us can sit on our hands. The forces that hope to gain permanent power through a national popular vote are no friends to either political ‘side’ on this issue.  They are well funded, and patient enough to wait until we let our guard down.

Eternal vigilance is unfortunately not just a catch phrase.

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