The Republicans have lost the popular vote in four of the last five presidential campaigns. Only some of them are drawing the appropriate conclusion -- that to survive, they most broaden their appeal to an America that is increasingly less white and more tolerant. The rebirth of immigration reform reflects that line of thought.
Some others are simply scheming to win without the popular vote, as they did in 2000, by manipulating the undemocratic essence of the Electoral College, an archaic institution that was established in part to protect slavery.
The plot calls for awarding most electoral votes by the congressional districts the candidates carry, with the statewide winner netting two more. Applied to Florida in the recent election, it would have meant only 12 instead of 29 electoral votes for President Obama. Mitt Romney would have taken the other 17, well over half, even though he had slightly less than half the popular vote.
Martin Dyckman: Can GOP regain power by 'adjusting' Electoral College?
via sun-sentinel.com
