Submitted by Stephanie Paulmeno, Feb 9, 2017
The National Popular Vote Compact, H.B. 5434 is coming up shortly before Connecticut’s Government Administration and Elections Committee. What it achieves is that when States holding enough popular votes sign onto this compact it becomes effective nation-wide; henceforth the winner of the National Popular Vote in a presidential election becomes the winner of the Electoral vote AND THE PRESIDENCY. A presidential candidate will be voted in (or out) by ALL the people. Equally important, this action is within the four corners of the Constitution, and would not necessitate an amendment.
It has bi-partisan support on the committee and the committee has already recommended it for approval four times. Why bipartisan support? Because this could impact a Democratic candidate with equal negating impact as it would a Republican candidate. The compact has already been adopted by 10 states and the District of Columbia. Governor Malloy has aligned with leaders from both the Democratic and Republican Parties in support of the National Popular Vote Bill. The people of Connecticut deserve an equal vote in deciding who assumes the presidency in a national election. Under the status quo today, a small handful of battleground states get to elect the country’s president and we in Connecticut are no more than mere spectators in the national process. Even post-election, it is those same battleground states that receive the higher proportion, about 7 %, of presidentially controlled or influenced grants. Candidates know where their bread is buttered and which states are not worth their time or their “ear.” Connecticut needs to get into play!
Currently, using the state-by- state winner-takes- all philosophy, the people of Connecticut and the rest of the predictably “red” AND “blue” states are, in essence, disenfranchised. In Connecticut, which is a traditionally blue state, the votes and views of our Republican voters have been basically unheard. Why should all the bi-partisan voices of the people of Connecticut be of lesser value than those of a mere handful of states that can be swayed by political pandering of one Party or the other to obtain their votes in a Presidential election? It is not right! I would not be surprised if this is a factor in why many in Connecticut do not come out to vote! Their popular vote means nothing.
If we were to use the National Popular Vote results in elections, this would better represent the views of our Connecticut voters across the political spectrum. Connecticut legislators on both sides of the aisle need to “Put Connecticut First” and support the National Popular Vote Compact, HB 5434.
Stephanie R. Paulmeno, MS, RN, NHA, CPH, CCM, CDP
CEO, Global Health Systems Consultants, LLC