Behind the TimesSelect wall no more: Bob Herbert, "GOP's Dirty Tricks Begin" (in California)

[DeepModem Mom]

NYT: G.O.P.’s Dirty Tricks Begin
By BOB HERBERT
Published: September 18, 2007

The folks who gave us the Willie Horton ads, the Swift boat campaign, the purges of black voters in Florida and endless other dirty electoral tricks are at it again. Like crack addicts confronting the irresistible vial, the evil geniuses of the G.O.P. can’t seem to help themselves. This time — with an eye toward seizing the White House again next year, even if they lose the popular vote — they’re trying to rewrite the rules for the distribution of electoral votes in California.

Under current law, all of California’s 55 electoral votes go to the presidential candidate who wins the popular vote statewide. This “winner take all” system is the norm in the U.S. It’s in place in all but two states, Maine and Nebraska, which have just four and five electoral votes, respectively. Now comes a move, from lawyers with close ties to the Republican Party, to scrap the current system in California and replace it with one that would divide up the electoral votes in a way that would likely give 20 or more of them to the candidate who loses the popular vote in the state.

Democrats fear, correctly, that this maneuver could checkmate even their best efforts to win back the White House next year.

California is widely expected to go Democratic in the presidential election. Its 55 electoral votes are a hefty chunk of the 270 needed to win, and thus crucial to Democratic hopes. Under this new proposal, the 20 or more electoral votes that would be denied the winner of the statewide vote in California, could well be enough to hand the White House to a Republican candidate who loses the popular vote nationally....

***

The effort to change the way Californians vote for president has been cloaked in the typically deceptive garb that the G.O.P. pulls out for its underhanded maneuvering. The proposal has been dubbed the “Presidential Election Reform Act.” It is being led by Thomas Hiltachk of Bell, McAndrews and Hiltachk, a law firm that has represented both the state Republican Party and G.O.P. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. According to The Associated Press, the firm was also linked to a political committee, largely funded by Bob Perry, that targeted Democratic candidates in 2006. Mr. Perry, a longtime supporter of George W. Bush, contributed millions of dollars to the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, whose intense and deceptive campaign in 2004 was so damaging to the candidacy of John Kerry.

This crowd is no more interested in genuine electoral reform than Britney Spears is....

http://select.nytimes.com/2007/09/18/opinion/18herbert.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

[spag68]

1. Isn't this old news?

[DeepModem Mom]

2. It's not the first time I've heard it, but may be news to some. And it's an op-ed piece...

not a news article.

[appalachianguy]

3. Real threat to Dems in 2008

We should all know by now the GOP machine will stop at nothing
to
keep their king of the throne. If the GOP pulls off this split
electoral,
the 20 plus votes they could get, and probably will get, is
nearly equal 
to or more than an "Ohio" or a
"Pennsylvania". Look what the Ohio debacle
cost the Dems in 2004 if you believe Bush actually won Ohio.
This could 
be potentially devastating for the Dems 2008 hopes if the
general election
is close and what reason should we have to believe it won't
be?

appalachianguy 

[DeepModem Mom]

4. Welcome to DU, appalachianguy! I agree with you...

this is a potential doomsday scenario, and I think we ignore it at our peril. DNC Chairman Dean has spoken to this threat, and has said the party would do everything in its power to stop it.

[EFerrari]

6. Welcome to DU, appalachianguy.

:)

[EFerrari]

5. Bookmarking. Who is Bob Perry? We need to find out.

Thanks, DeepModem Mom.

[DeepModem Mom]

7. Rich, nefarious Houston "homebuilder." Here's a pretty good article --

‘Swift Boat’ backer is major political financier: Texan has deep pockets for conservative causes
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5844156/