“[D]emocracies have ever been spectacles of turbulence and
contention; have ever been found incompatible with personal
security, or the rights of property; and have, in general, been
as short in their lives as they have been violent in their deaths.”

– James Madison (Federalist No. 10, 23 November 1787)

Do you have anything other than your opinion to back up this claim?

We had this fight at the turn of the century. We won. Moving on.

What’s this “we” stuff? Were you a proud member of the turn of the century labor movement, O-Dub? Or are did John Edwards teach you how to channel dead labor leaders?

Maryland’s influence would increase, not decrease. Right now, presidential candidates ignore it because it votes Democratic almost all the time. But combined with other choosing states AND splitting the electoral votes according to the proportion of votes, Maryland is more in play

That won’t be the way it works most of time. Neither side could afford a fifty-state battle without putting themselves even further into the pockets of corporate and billionaire donors.

Republicans will end up concentrating their resources in the big states where they enjoy an advantage, and the same for democrats. Currently that calculus favors the democrats, but someday some issue will come along, like maybe immigration, and the Republicans will ride it hard to get 70% majorities in CA, AZ, TX and FL and the rest of the country can go hang. It will mean an increase in polarization and regionalism. So stop farting around and put your energy in a real solution: constitutional reform of the electoral system. The founding fathers weren’t idiots.

First they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win. That will be the trajectory for National Popular Vote.

It also makes turnout matter more. A high turnout state will enjoy disproportinate weight over a low turnout state in the pool. This will probably help Maryland with its high income, political junkies in the suburbs voting more often than some.

As far as its constitutionality, states are almost completely sovereign under the constitution over how they pick electors. I don’t think they can choose them by throwing dice, but they don’t need an amendment, I don’t think. If I am wrong, cite the Article, section and subsection if you would be so kind.

Is it fair to pay a guy working the counter at McDonalds’ $11.30 an hour? I’m sure he thinks so. What about the manager who has to insure his business turns a profit? Do you think he believes that $11.30 an hour is fair?

If it’s so simple, OW, maybe you can define for us evil conservatives just what a “fair” wage is. Realistically, it should be something that would be considered fair by both the employer and employee.

I’d love for Democratics to make that the party motto.

First of all, National Popular Vote bill will not withstand constitutional muster (hell, supporters of this thing even admit that its an attempt to do an end-around the Constitution) so that is nothing but a stunt.

The Living Wage Bill is perfect - if you want to drive up costs for state projects, which in turn will force the state to raise taxes which in turn will drive business from the state, prevent more from coming in and basically making things worse. Doesn’t any liberal these days believe in the values of a free market?

The solution is not for states like Maryland to give up their own votes to a possibly-skewed national majority. The solution is a constitutional convention - something we may be able to get in the not-too-distant future when Dems control both the legislature and the executive and a 2/3 majority of the state houses.

Surely, there is nothing “progressive” about handing over control of the nation to states with populous urban areas, and ignoring the smaller, less populated states.

The [”Living Wage”] legislation would require that at least $11.30 an hour be paid for work on state contracts in Montgomery, Prince George’s, Howard, Anne Arundel and Baltimore counties and in Baltimore…”

Has anyone in the Maryland Legislature given a moment’s thought to the effect that would have on Maryland’s economy?

See Bastiat for details