LWVUS Convention Day 2 & 3;
One of the highlights of the Sunday plenary sessions was an address given to the convention by The Honorable John Kitzhaber, Former Governor of Oregon, "The Unfinished Business of the Baby Boom Generation; Health Care for the 21st Century". Governor Kitzhaber spoke to the two sides of the Health Care crisis Financing and Delivery. He observed that politicians are focusing the conversation about financing and the national conversation needs to be about how health care is delivered. Governor Kitzhaber soke especially to the Baby Boomer generation and the need for them to solve this problem for future generations or the costs will overwhelm everything in the National economy. His thoughtful, passionate plea to the delegates received a standing ovation and more than a few moist eyes. The address was a very thoughtful prelude to the program later adopted by the delegates for a Health Care Program to educate members and communities in order to be able to do Health Care advocacy as needed during the coming national conversations.
Sunday a panel on CLimate Change moderated by Sarah Diefendorf pressed a call to action for the delegates. Dr. V.Ramanathan, UC San Diego, spoke to what we know and what we don't know about the causes global warming; what we can change and effect to slow the damages of climate change and what we can't alter . His efforts to compress his graduate seminars to limited remarks were successful. Heather Kaplan from OXFAM America also had compelling stories about the great harm that is already being felt disproportionately by poorer developing nations and OXFAM is looking to the League to participate in efforts to educate and advocate for changes and solutions.
The LWVUS Board Proposed Programs were adopted along with a program for a Multi Level Education and Advocacy campaign about Global Climate Change and a new study of the National Popular Vote Compact.
There is always so much to absorb at the conventions; all of the caucuses about different proposals that might be considered, Workshops available about all aspects of League work and Program, networking with delegates and hearing about what they are doing in their communities. It is inspiring to participate in a convention and leaves you with a wonderful feeling about the LWV organization and all of the sensational people and the work they do in their communities States.
There were over 600 voting delegates in attendance this year and another 400 participants and observers.
posted by League of Women Voters of San Francisco at
10:28 PM
3 Comments:
The LWV should support the National Popular Vote Compact
The major shortcoming of the current system of electing the President is that presidential candidates concentrate their attention on a handful of closely divided "battleground" states. Two-thirds of the visits and money are focused in just six states; 88% on 9 states, and 99% of the money goes to just 16 states. Two-thirds of the states and people are merely spectators to the presidential election. Candidates have no reason to poll, visit, advertise, organize, campaign, or worry about the voter concerns in states where they are safely ahead or hopelessly behind. The reason for this is the winner-take-all rule under which all of a state's electoral votes are awarded to the candidate who gets the most votes in each separate state.
Another shortcoming of the current system is that a candidate can win the Presidency without winning the most popular votes nationwide.
The National Popular Vote bill would guarantee the Presidency to the candidate who receives the most popular votes in all 50 states (and DC). The bill would take effect only when enacted, in identical form, by states possessing a majority of the electoral votes—that is, enough electoral votes to elect a President (270 of 538). When the bill comes into effect, all the electoral votes from those states would be awarded to the presidential candidate who receives the most popular votes in all 50 states (and DC).
The bill would make every vote politically relevant in a presidential election. It would make every vote equal.
The National Popular Vote bill has been approved by 18 legislative chambers (one house in Colorado, Arkansas, Maine, North Carolina, Rhode Island, and Washington, and two houses in Maryland, Illinois, Hawaii, California, and Vermont). It has been enacted into law in Hawaii, Illinois, New Jersey, and Maryland. These states have 50 (19%) of the 270 electoral votes needed to bring this legislation into effect.
See http://www.NationalPopularVote.com
susan
It's great to know that the League is dealing with so many important issues. I'm wondering what happened with the Immigration Proposal that we considered during the spring. Was there a vote on that position?
The Immigration positions were adopted at the March LWVUS Board meeting as required by the bylaws. The convention does not vote again on the consensus positions.
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