"Horace Cooper and I see it as a nakedly partisan attempt to win elections"
Like, say, redistricting Colorado and Texas?
I for one am glad the Dems are playing hardball. The Republican do it, after all. I'm glad they are posing legal challenges to Nader, too. After all, Republicans are working to get him on (in a nakedly partisan move).
So, good for them. It is a game of inches.
Redistricting has occured in all 50 states, as well as in state and local governments to the advantage or disadvantage of BOTH parties. Its not a new phenomenom.
BTW - that's "phenomena" (I misspelled it, sorry)
Also, I meant that over the years, redistricting has happened many different times, for various stated reasons, not just in this election cycle.
Tom,
I'll wager a guess that the spin surrounding John Kerry's defeat will be "Bush cronies attacked Kerry's patriotism." Of course, anyone with a drop of political sense wouldn't nominate for President during a time of war someone who hung around with Jane Fonda and Ramsey Clark (currently one of Saddam's defense attorneys) during the Vietnam war.
Tom,
Regarding the attempt to slice up Colorado's electoral votes proportionally.....
I think that one is Amendment 36 and the Republican governor is opposed to it.
One could make a serious argument for a United States Constitutional Amendment requiring all states to allocate their electoral votes proportionally. However, I would still oppose this because it would increase the likelihood that Presidential elections would be decided by the US House of Representatives (when a third party candidate ends up winning a several electoral votes).
In any case, it makes no sense whatsoever for a state to unilaterally make this change. Under the proposed amendment, major party candidates would be nearly guaranteed to get 4 electoral votes. The winner would probably get the remaining 5 electoral votes. Thus, neither candidate would spend time in Colorado for one extra electoral vote.
Pusillanimous Wanker and Jamie
Perhaps I was not clear. The issue in Colorado is not redistricting. The issue is an attempt to split electoral votes proportionally to the popular vote. Redistricting has to do with the State House and Senate, and Federal Congressional seats (as I'm sure you know).
Mark
Thank you, I was rather hoping you'd address this issue. I agree that proportional electoral vote splitting must be done nationwide or not at all.
Pusillanimous Wanker
"Redhunter" is the handle I use for my personal blog site. I wrote the post on this site that we're all commenting on. When I write posts here I sign them just as "Tom".
thanks for your comments, although I think you misunderstood what my post was about.
"Perhaps I was not clear. The issue in Colorado is not redistricting"
Thank you for the clarification Tom, but I understood. I was just pointing out that "nakedly partisan" tactics have been and are employed on both sides, and that unilateral disarmament would be bad news for us Dems. Perhaps I should have been clearer myself.
Jamie, I know that redistricting happens. Generally it is done after a census to reflect population shifts. The recent cases in TX and CO were not done this way. Regardless of their propriety or legality, these efforts were also "nakedly partisan"
I just found a really interesting siteabout the 1876 election which involved parallels between that presidential election and the election of 2000.
Just a little bit of history about an electoral college controversy ...
Pusillanimous Wanker
You are certainly correct in that both sides play politics on these things. I did not mean to imply that only Democrats were guilty of it.
P.S. nice "handle"
You were in the same room with Horace Cooper and G. Gordon Liddy? Be still my heart! I know you had a great time!
First, let me correct one thing. President George H. W. Bush never used the ad. It was Al Gore's ad against Dukakis. The press just kept saying it was Bush' so it became so. Do you know where else this works? USSR!
Second, we are too polite. Politics is a like a football game. If we are not willing to get into the game, we will lose even if we win. Everytime they tell a lie, we must be prepared to go to the ropes.
Third, we must keep blogging on! Have a nice a day.
It was great to meet the G-Man. I've listened to him on the radio for years and read several of his books. At the conference he hosted a panel on the media, and then gave a speech at the awards banquet the final night. I'm going to post on that soon, so check back to both blogs.
I try to disagree without being disagreeable. (yes I know that Jesse Jackson used to say that but for once he was right). I disagee "hard", too, check out my personal blog and you'll see. But I try to remain polite.
You can bet I'll keep blogging!
Cool! I will. Would you like me to link your blog to mine? It's no problem, I just like to ask first. Darn, I guess I am polite! Have a nice day.
Rosemary,
Of course you can link our blog to yours. I think we should do the same.
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