In Senator Betsy Johnson’s scripted speech before she voted against SB870 I can’t decide what’s worse; Johnson’s shocking defense of Donald Trump or her assault against the National Popular Vote (NPV).
The senator’s failed call for ballot reference was a deliberate lose, lose, strategy. One where a backwards worded: yes means no, language during a low turn out election might make it easy for opponents with millions in PAC money to manufacture a failure they could exploit as a pretext to block any future reconsideration. Her sudden concern for the opinions of voters is worthy of a blazing saddles style satire. Where were her tender sentiments for voter preferences in 2016 when 3 million votes were tossed in the garbage?
Even if it passed, recall that a state does not have authority above the US constitution. It would be a triviality to overturn because Article 2 section 1 explicitly says that the state legislature has exclusive authority in how it assigns its electors, not the voters. That is why no proponent has espoused that cynically authored political dumpster fire attempt to derail and kill it.
NPV is about one word; “Democracy.” Johnson neither represents her party who resolved to support it, nor the majority of voters who support it. Complaining that renewed interest in passage of the NPV is because of two words; “Donald Trump,” is like opposing the declaration of war against fascist Japan because of the two words; “Pearl Harbor!”
Whose side is she on?!
Ted Thomas
Astoria Oregon
