Lincoln Club President Speaks To The LC's Big $$ For CalCounts

When the Orange County Lincoln Club endorsed the CalCounts Initiative, you knew it was only a matter of days before the big shoe would drop - a major contribution towards qualification.  This is because the Lincoln Club has a long tradition of not just talking, but DOING.  If you look back over the history of the Orange County Lincoln Club, you will see that they have spent a generation being at the forefront of great things. 

It's actually worth taking a few minutes to read this great profile of the O.C. Lincoln Club penned by OC Blog Proprietor Matt Cunningham for Red County Magazine.

We reached out to Rich Wagner, the President of the Lincoln Club, and asked him if he would put pen to paper (or more likely fingers to keyboard) and share with readers why his organization, which is quite selective about which battles it chooses to wage, has weighed in to give the CalCounts Initiative a huge push towards qualification...

That column appears today on the FlashReport.  It begins thusly...

LEADING A MOVEMENT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Richard K. Wagner, President, Lincoln Club of Orange County

The Lincoln Club of Orange County Board of Directors has voted decisively to endorse and support the California Counts Electoral College Reform initiative.  Agreeing to contribute $100,000 to the cause, the Board felt that for far too long, too many voters in California have not been counted in Presidential elections.

For over 45 years the Lincoln Club has been at the forefront of most of the major issues confronting California.  It was initial support and funding of club members that helped launch Ronald Reagan's 1966 gubernatorial campaign.  In 1978 early seed money and support by the club helped allow for Proposition 13 to proceed to the ballot.  In 2003 it was a $200,000 commitment along with the club's good name that helped to launch the recall of Gray Davis.  In most instances, the club acted only after substantial, and sometimes heated, debate, and this vote was no exception.

The greatest cause for concern by some club members was the idea of reforming the Electoral College process in California.  Taking the state from a winner-take-all to one where electors are chosen by Congressional district caused great angst.  In fact only a month ago most board members were against this initiative for just this reason. However the debate established some solid arguments as to why this initiative should be considered and supported, and the reasons had nothing to do with trickery or slight of hand with regards to the election process.

Read the rest of Wagner's column here.

Comments

[Lincoln is Weeping]

Rather than burning 100 grand on this state wide issue why don't the fat cats from Newport Beach invest the money in local races where they can have an impact. When will they learn.....

[Tylerh]

Give that 22 State legislatures are currently controlled by Democrats (vs 14 for Republicans), why does the Lincoln Club think putting the Electoral College under the control of gerrymandering state legislatures is good idea?

They have noticed which party controls the most US Congressional seats currently, haven't they?

[8AF]

It must be nice to waste a 100K on cause that is already lost.