Making California relevant to presidential campaigns

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California may have a gargantuan bloc of electoral votes, but they're assumed to be already in the pocket of the Democrat, who takes us for granted. The Republican considers us a hopeless cause not worth fighting for. There's no campaigning, organizing or money spent by either candidate.

But there's a solution: The Assembly Democratic and Republican caucus chairmen — Jerry Hill (D-San Mateo) and Brian Nestande (R-Palm Desert) — have teamed up with bipartisan legislation that would make California relevant again in presidential politics. The measure cleared its first committee Tuesday.

Under the bill, California would sign an interstate compact obligating each signatory state to cast all its electoral votes for the presidential candidate who wins the national popular vote. The compact wouldn't go into effect unless signed by enough states to comprise a majority of the electoral college vote.

So the concept of electoral votes would be retained; no constitutional amendment required. But the states would ensure that the candidate preferred by most American voters would be elected president.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-cap-elections-20110414,0,6693857.column

Thanks, but no thanks.