Rep. Steve Cohen Introduces Bills to Eliminate Electoral College, Limit Presidential Powers to Issue Pardons

U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN-09), who wishes U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) would jump off a bridge, wasted no time trying to monkey with the U.S. Constitution as the Democrats took control of the House Thursday – he introduced a bill to eliminate the Electoral College.

Cohen is a senior member of the House Judiciary Committee. He actually introduced two Constitutional amendments, one to abolish the Electoral College and one to prohibit presidents from pardoning themselves, members of their families, members of their administrations and their campaign staff, according to a press release from his office.

Cohen said, “In two presidential elections since 2000, including the most recent one in which Hillary Clinton won 2.8 million more votes than her opponent, the winner of the popular vote did not win the election because of the distorting effect of the outdated Electoral College. Americans expect and deserve the winner of the popular vote to win office. More than a century ago, we amended our Constitution to provide for the direct election of U.S. Senators. It is past time to directly elect our President and Vice President.”

Cohen has previously tried to impeach President Donald Trump.

Also on Thursday, U.S. Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA-30) introduced articles of impeachment against President Trump, The Daily Wire reported.

Meanwhile, Cohen was mocked on Twitter for his attack on America’s Constitutional foundations, with users pointing out the importance of the Electoral College, especially for states like Tennessee that have smaller populations than other states.

The Tennessee Star ran a story in April 2017 as part of the “Constitution Series” explaining the reasons and process of the Electoral College:

Yes, Every Kid

Critics of the Electoral College system argue it is “unfair,” and that a simple majority of all the votes cast should determine the election outcome. But to do so would be a direct violation of the foundational constitutional concept of Federalism, which specifically recognizes the sovereignty of each state.

Direct election of the President by nationwide popular vote is a concept suitable with a pure democracy, but is entirely unfit for a constitutional republic like the United States of America.

The Founding Fathers’ wisdom was shown in the 2016 presidential elections:

Hillary Clinton won the state of California resoundingly, beating Donald Trump there by more than 4.2 million votes – a 61 percent to 31 percent thumping.

Had the Founders selected direct popular vote as the means for electing a President, the residents of California would have dictated to the other 49 states who would have served as our President.

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Jason M. Reynolds has more than 20 years’ experience as a journalist at outlets of all sizes.
Photo “Steve Cohen” by Steve Cohen

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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34 Thoughts to “Rep. Steve Cohen Introduces Bills to Eliminate Electoral College, Limit Presidential Powers to Issue Pardons”

  1. Jan

    Democrats & #RINOS unfortunately have moved to Socialism, Globalism & New World Order. They are destroying America asap w/open borders, lies, hatred, violence, destruction of our Constitution and our Bill of Rights. We must vote them out & prosecute all criminals.

  2. John Best

    I would imagine Hillary would have also lost the popular vote had it not been for the crooked absentee ballots and dishonest Democrats controlling polling places in areas like Philadelphia.

    1. Virginia Frohlick

      Correct.

      1. Rosella McClure

        I guess that New York and California would decide who is president . The rest wouldn’t need to vote .

  3. Cynthia Durant

    So sick of these fascist totalitarian ding-a-lings! Move to China or Russia if you don’t like how things are done here!

  4. Sonya

    This is the same jerk who wanted to give Balsey Ford some kind of metal for “testifying” against Kavanaugh.

    1. Sean Johnston

      I think his koolaid may be laced.

      1. Lynn Ziglar

        No doubt!

  5. RonH

    All these Democrat morons in Washington want to do is rig the government so only they can do as they want, and if they lose power, the other party can’t. Stop the childish nonsense, Trump won fair and square, it was exactly according to our laws in place since our founding. Trump is President, Hillary lost and Trump is doing a great job even with these Democrat and Never trumper morons trying to obstruct all he does, and that is why they are so mad, and going completely out of their minds like this moron, Steve Cohen. Lying corrupted Hillary lost and it’s way past time to get over it and move on, Trump isn’t going anywhere, he never colluded with any Russians, we already know that he was set up by Obama, Hillary and corrupted morons that were heads of the CIA, the FBI and DOJ, we already know that too.

  6. Brenda

    So you, Mr. Cohen would sacrifice your state’s input to allow California and NY to decide what is best for Tennessee? Proof that fraud is rampant in our election system. Otherwise, you wouldnt be there. I am certain Tennessee likes deciding what is best for Tennessee!!

  7. Melissa Starr

    Mr Cohen. Please remember that it is the people of Tennessee that allowed you to represent US. If you take away the electoral college, you effectively take away Tennessee’s voice in national presidential elections. Our founding fathers created a system that prevents “mob rule” support our constitutional republic or step down!
    https://scontent-ort2-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/49584300_10155951994616770_5192355817206054912_n.jpg?_nc_cat=107&_nc_ht=scontent-ort2-2.xx&oh=e3f363fefd62465ed667923678416905&oe=5CCCAAFA

  8. David

    Who voted for this idiot!!! You should all feel ashamed.

  9. ScrewTheDemocRATS

    We have a winner in the White House right now, Someone who stands up for the American People. Someone who doesn’t support the Illegals over the American People. Someone who cares more for the American people then anyone else. Someone who is trying to fix a Broken America. Someone who truly cares about the Vets! You said and i quote “Americans expect and deserve the winner of the popular vote to win office” Bullshit, America deserves someone who is going to keep their promises, someone who cant be bought, Someone who will stand for American and Americans. You are just mad cause Killery didn’t win. Get your heads out of your asses and do your damn jobs!

  10. Diana

    needs to be tarred and feathered …piss poor excuse for a leader of TN

  11. Ken Peterson

    and here we have living proof once again about the CORRUPT democrat party…… the electrol vote was put into our constitution to protect the people from exactly how it works perfectly in a few past elections, popular vote in the nation should not pick the president,,,, each state must have more sayso. and this protects all Americans, not just the big democrats cities like NYC and LA…. or states.. just those to power houses alone can almost dictate who will be president and they can easy appoint a liberals…….. Cohen, you are one communist bastard of many in the democrat party.

  12. Charles Hendricks

    Who voted this idiot in.

  13. Chris Tolbert

    Remember, Bill Clinton won his 2nd term with only 43% of the popular vote.

    1. Darrell

      If it benefits the Democrats you would kick out everything that’s good and shove your evil in

    2. Jewell Eyring

      What a dumb toad you are! Have you been living under a rock?.
      That’s one of the really stupid things you liberal democrats have come up with!
      Do some research and find out why this is so stupid, if you aren’t smart enough, ask someone else to do it for you,get you head out of your butt and act like you have some sense!

  14. Brian M.

    “I am a representative from Tennessee and I want to reduce my state’s influence on Presidential elections.”

    1. Bob poe

      You’re an idiot

  15. Greg H.

    The residents of California shouldn’t be dictating anything to anyone except themselves. If the electoral college is ever abolished, California and a few other high-population liberal-infested states will be the only ones that matter in a presidential election, and the votes of the rest of America will be rendered worthless and not even worth casting.

  16. Allison Payne

    Such a shame this guy was even voted in!

  17. Kohler

    In 1969, The U.S. House of Representatives voted for a national popular vote by a 338–70 margin. It was endorsed by Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, and various members of Congress who later ran for Vice President and President such as then-Congressman George H.W. Bush, and then-Senator Bob Dole.

    1. John Bumpus

      Not a Conservative Republican in the group mentioned, AND if they had gotten their way Hillary Clinton would be President today instead of Donald Trump.

    2. Bob N Frapples

      It is in the Constitution you idiot. The electoral college keeps highly populated,area…NY, Cal, the Northeast, all liberal, left with, socialist bastions, from overriding the votes of lightly populated areas, the Midwest, Deep South, and everywhere in beteeen. It is called balance you douche. Why do you liberal socialists have to fuck with everything sacred! Someone should deport every last 1 of you.

  18. Art

    Cohen and his band of misfits are determined to undermine our way of life. If he is so unhappy with the way we live in the USA maybe we should revoke his citizenship and send him to a country with a government of the type he is proposing. Personally the Dems are bound on investigations, I can’t wait until someone with authority starts to investigate the Democratic Party. That however won’t make a difference unless they follow thru with the legal prosecutions. THAT will be the cherry on pie. I can’t wait to watch those days of court proceedings.

  19. John Bumpus

    How best to deal with Mr. Cohen?

    I have a modest suggestion: Gerrymander (i.e., legally, of course) the so-and-so out of his seat when the General Assembly next redistricts Tennessee’s congressional districts in 2021.

  20. Ralph

    Can we depend on the remaining members of the Tennessee delegation to call for censure of Rep. Cohen, i.e., for not defending and upholding the U.S. Constitution, which of course he swore to do? And perhaps get the members of the TN General Assembly to likewise shut out those loyal to Rep. Cohen and his blatantly communistic agenda? Better still, identify the chief financial backers of Rep. Cohen and call for an economic boycott of those interests.

    1. Amy collins

      Mr. Cohen, please do not say that Americans do not want the electoral college. Some dont, but some do. It is what our founding fathers put into place to ensure fair voting.

    2. WILLIAM

      i FIRMLY BELIEVE THE DEMOCRATS ARE INTENT ON DESTROYING THE COUNTRY FOR THEIR SELVES

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