In what could easily be described as a sore loser whining about the election results, MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell started the final segment of Tuesday’s The Last Word by declaring, “Tonight, the presidential election is getting crazier and crazier. Hillary Clinton's lead in the vote has now passed the 1 million vote mark, as absentee ballots continue to be counted.” He noted that Clinton had 1.1 million votes over Trump, with more to come as votes in liberal California and Washington were still being counted. As a result, he dedicated the end of his show to scheming about how to overcome the Electoral College.
The MSNBC host praised retiring California Senator Barbara Boxer for her futile effort of introducing a Constitutional amendment to abolish the Electoral College. Quoting Boxer, O’Donnell stated:
“This is the only office in the land where you can get more votes and still lose the presidency. The Electoral College is an outdated, undemocratic system that does not reflect our modern society, and it needs to change immediately. Every American should be guaranteed that their vote counts.”
O’Donnell then introduced John Koza, the Chairman for an organization call National Popular Vote. Koza’s organization is trying to get states to change their laws so, “that the president is the candidate who received the most popular votes of the people in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.” Effectively, states would commit their electoral votes the winner of the popular vote nationally.
According to Koza, 11 states have already passed such legislation with a total of 165 electoral votes between them. “And these laws will go into effect when states with 105 more electoral votes pass the same law. And we naturally hope that will happen in time for the 2020 election,” he explained.
“So, one of the beauties is you do not need all 50 states or even necessarily a majority of states to approve this. You just need enough states to get to 270 electoral votes,” praised the radical liberal host.
It is clear that the whining liberal is rushing to try and get liberals an edge for the next presidential election in 2020. He has no respect for the balance of power the Electoral College creates. The point of the institution is to balance the influence and passions of those living in larger states (by population) and keep them from running rough shot over the smaller states. The result of the 2016 clearly demonstrates the principle as rural America bucked the urban elite.
O’Donnell’s passion for abolishing the Electoral College broadcasts his disdain for rural America, and his eagerness to bend them to the will of a liberal elite.
Transcript below:
<<< Please support MRC's NewsBusters team with a tax-deductible contribution today. >>>
MSNBC
The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell
November 15, 2016
10:56:04 PM EasternLAWRENCE O’DONNELL: Tonight, the presidential election is getting crazier and crazier. Hillary Clinton's lead in the vote has now passed the 1 million vote mark, as absentee ballots continue to be counted. Dave Wasserman of the Cook Political Report tweeted today that Hillary Clinton's lead surpassed 1,150,000 votes. Hillary Clinton currently has 62.3 million votes. Donald Trump has 61.1 million votes. Hillary Clinton's lead is likely to continue growing as there are millions more ballots to be counted, many in democratic leaning states like Washington and California.
Today, Donald Trump praised the Electoral College tweeting, “If it was based on total popular vote I would have campaigned in New York, Florida and California and won even bigger and more easily.” Of course, He did campaign in Florida. He campaigned there more than any other state.
Today, retiring California Senator Barbara Boxer introduce add constitutional amendment in the Senate to abolish the Electoral College. Senator Boxer said, “This is the only office in the land where you can get more votes and still lose the presidency. The Electoral College is an outdated, undemocratic system that does not reflect our modern society, and it needs to change immediately. Every American should be guaranteed that their vote counts.”
Joining us now John Koza creator and Chair of National Popular Vote. John, please explain, what is National Popular Vote?
JOHN KOZA: Well, National Popular Vote is state legislation that would guarantee that the president is the candidate who received the most popular votes of the people in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The states has the power to award Electoral Votes in the manner that they see fit. And the National Popular Vote bill uses this exclusive state power to award the electoral votes in a manner that would parallel the national popular vote.
O’DONNELL: So it simply says that a state that participates in this would, in effect, order its electors to vote according to-- vote for the person who got to most votes in the United States of America.
KOZA: Oh, that's correct Lawrence.
O’DONNELL: How many states adopted this so far?
KOZA: 11 States with 165 electoral votes. And these laws will go into effect when states with 105 more electoral votes pass the same law. And we naturally hope that will happen in time for the 2020 election.
O’DONNELL: So, one of the beauties is you do not need all 50 states or even necessarily a majority of states to approve this. You just need enough states to get to 270 electoral votes.
KOZA: That's correct. It would be a combination of states that would get -- have 270 electoral votes which in practice would be a majority of the states.
…
O’DONNELL: That’s what always has to be remembered in every discussion of this election. Hillary Clinton got more votes. John, the world looks at us and cannot fathom, what is this Electoral College and how does the person who came in second win the presidency?
KOZA: Well, it comes about because of existing state laws called “winner take all laws” which award all of a state’s electoral votes to the candidate who gets the most votes inside the state.
…
