Elections bill ill-conceived

Date: 7/26/2010

Our State Senate this week followed the lead of the House by voting in favor of electing the U.S. President by the combined popular vote of all the states.

Before everyone cheers, consider that in 2012 when we vote for president again, Mass. is very likely to vote to re-elect President Obama, right? But if the Republican candidate, say, Sarah Palin, wins the national popular vote, under this law our Massachusetts electors will be forced to cast their votes 100 percent for Sarah Palin. Massachusetts voters will effectively be disenfranchised, their 13 electoral votes counted against the will of the Massachusetts voters.

Once again our Legislature thinks it is smarter than the founding fathers, who wisely provided in the Constitution that STATES should elect the president. Under this new law, states with highest populations will run roughshod over smaller states. A half dozen states, led by Texas, California, New York and Illinois might be able to select the president by dint of pure numbers.

Kudos to Sens. Gale Candaras and Mike Knapik, who alone had the good sense to vote against this ill-conceived bill. Only the governor can stop it now.

R. Patrick Henry Jr.

East Longmeadow