This past Tuesday, Barbara Boxer - the Senator from California and a 33-year veteran of the United States Congress - filed a bill to amend the Constitution to dissolve the Electoral College. Senator Boxer introduced the bill in order to make Hillary Clinton president. After all, Hillary Clinton lost the electoral vote but won the popular vote.
Amending the Constitution requires a two-thirds majority of the U.S. Congress or two-thirds of states legislatures to propose an amendment. Three-quarters of the states through their legislatures or ratifying conventions then have to approve the Amendment. As of November 8, 2016, the Republican Party has a majority in the United States House of Representatives and the Senate. As of November 8, 2016, Republicans control thirty-two state legislatures. Considering the relative import of the Presidency, it seems unlikely that these Republican Majorities will support Senator Boxer's bill. I say this because I just do not want fans of the amendment to be disappointed when it definitely doesn't happen.
Senator Boxer's proposed bill is a publicity vehicle and nothing more. It's actually a somewhat insulting publicity vehicle to anyone with a vague understanding of how the government works.
If you wanted Secretary Clinton to be President you should write a strongly worded letter to Senator Boxer tomorrow and condemn this act of political theater. If you wanted Donald Trump to win the Presidency you should write a thank-you note to Senator Boxer and every other establishment Politician on both sides of the aisle for making his upset victory possible. Such politicians have thrived in Washington D.C. for the past several decades. Rather than wielding their immense legislative power to help everyday Americans, they cheapened their mantle by mounting publicity stunts like this categorically impossible Constitutional amendment. Moreover, it worked. Heck, there is a reason Senator Boxer has been in Congress for over three decades.
A far more mature and viable piece of legislation is a limit on Presidential War Power. Given, the expressed uneasiness of many Congressional Republicans toward a Trump Presidency and our Democratic President, such a measure could actually pass and not be vetoed. Moreover, the law would not require amending the Constitution of the United States of America.
This is not a partisan issue. Such establishment tactics run rife on both sides of the aisle. Our representatives pull publicity stunts to swindle everyday Americans into thinking they are on their side and then bend over backwards to donors, special interests and lobbyists. Everybody wins except the everyday Americans.
Voters, do you want to win elections? Grow up and show up. Show up to committee hearings, show up to canvass for your candidate and show up to vote. Don't be swindled by snake oil remedies into supporting establishment candidates. Before the time this article is published, Senator Boxer will have appeared on several news outlets claiming to be fighting for democracy, fairness and her constituents. Stop falling for this nonsense. This is not fighting. This is pure and simple politickin'. Senator Boxer knows this amendment cannot pass and it's time we call establishment politicians to the carpet for these half-baked publicity stunts.
We all have to do our part to make this democracy work. Voters have to vote and elected leaders have to actually lead with purpose. I don't have an eloquent conclusion this time: that's just the way it is.