The GOP scheme to rig the electoral vote loses momentum

People who want to suppress the progressive vote keep saying their is no difference between the parties. Balderdash! Eg., Democrats and Republicans have both engaged in gerrymandering, but the Democrats didn't try to change the way their state allocates electoral votes for president.
If there is a change, it should be to make the electoral votes more representative of the popular vote, not less. These actions by the Republicans are giving strength to the argument that we should do away with the electoral college and go to a direct vote for president.
A problem with the direct vote was shown in the last election, where super storm Sandy devastated a large area, interfering with voting. Because of the electoral system, these areas still got their fair number of electoral votes.

http://theweek.com/article/index/239284/the-gop-scheme-to-rig-the-electoral-vote-loses-momentum

January 25, 2013
Taegan Goddard

Republican legislators in several states have begun to push changes to the way their states allocate electoral college votes.

These states -- which include Florida, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia -- have one thing in common: They all voted for President Obama in last year’s presidential election but are controlled by Republican governors and legislators.

Until now, Molly Ball reports these efforts “appear to have sprouted independently as the work of individual lawmakers” but now a Republican operative “has a plan to take the idea national.” ["appear to have sprouted independently". Like other things that turn out to be orchestrated by groups such as ALEC.]

GOP strategist Jordan Gehrke has teamed up with former Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell (R) to “raise money for an effort to propose similar electoral reforms in states across the country.”

The Washington Post notes Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus even voiced support for the effort, saying it is something that “a lot of states that have been consistently blue that are fully controlled red ought to be looking at.”

But while support for the move seems to be growing nationally, several Republican lawmakers in key states are balking at the idea.

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