By doing nothing, Maine Gov. Janet Mills helped strengthen the tyranny of the majority.
The two-term Democrat this week took the coward’s way out, letting a controversial bill that brings Maine into the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact become law by not signing it. The bill earlier this month passed the state House of Representatives by just one vote — 73 to 72 — and Mills, critics say, is hedging her bets.
“…[R]ecognizing that there is merit to both sides of the argument, and recognizing that this measure has been the subject of public discussion several times before in Maine, I would like this important nationwide debate to continue and so I will allow this bill to become law without my signature,” the Democrat said in a statement.
Electoral College haters rejoiced, insisting that Maine brings proponents of the national popularity contest “one step closer” to ending the Founder’s ingenious system of electing presidents. But the constitutionally suspect compact will need much more than Maine to turn a long-time leftist dream into a reality.
Battle for Big Blue States
Mills’ political inertia made Maine the 17th state to join the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact (NPVIC). Washington, D.C. also is a member. Under the agreement, member states would give all of their electoral votes to the candidate who wins the most votes nationally — even if a compact state overwhelmingly voted for another candidate.
The winner doesn’t have to win a majority of votes, he just has to win the
