[Vision2020] Proportional Representation: What's wrong with our political system

Mon, 26 Jan 2004 04:53:12 EST

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Amy, Tim and All:

Winner take all, that's one thing wrong with our political system, as though 
politics were a football game, and if your team loses by one point everything 
you represent goes down the drain.

Sarcastic tone below, not above, aimed at Tim L.  Sorry and all that, but I 
could not resist.

Remember Lani Guinier, the first black women to become a tenured professor at 
Harvard Law School, nominated by the evil sex harasser Bill Clinton (he 
tried, really, the flawed man tried!) to lead the Civil Rights Division of the 
Department of Justice (no doubt over a guilt complex from Bill's human rights 
abuses against the whole female sex), though her nomination was killed by the 
Republican's, who loved women so much they could not stand to see such a left 
leaning black women gain such a position of power in our government?  See info on 
Lani Guinier at the bottom.

I once heard her deliver an eloquent argument for proportional representation 
in the US Federal and State governments.  The details are very complex, but 
so isn't everything at the US Federal and State level of government.  But if 
implemented, some form of proportional representation likely would have resulted 
in a more balanced US Federal government after the last few US Federal 
elections, for example, instead of the right wing neo-con nut cases (excuse me, the 
reptile brain is taking over) we now have dominating the US Federal government.

Proportional representation helps to solve many of the problems with our 
"democracy" that Tim and Amy mentioned.

There are other countries around the world that use a system like this.  Look 
here:

http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Political/What_ProportionalRep.html

Why this issue does not receive more discussion in the US I have no clue, 
except that maybe, referencing the far recesses of my paranoid brain, where the 
theory that the powerful want as much power as they can seize is a dominant 
influence, the same powerful controlling interests do not want a system where 
their control might be diluted.
Emory Report    Feb. 22, 1999    Volume 51, No. 21  
Guinier to give Women's History Month keynote address

Harvard law professor and one-time Clinton cabinet nominee Lani Guinier will 
highlight a full slate of events scheduled for Women's History Month in March, 
themed "Women Creating Freedoms."

Guinier, the first black woman to become a tenured professor at Harvard Law 
School, will deliver her keynote address, "Lift Every Voice," March 2 at 7:45 
p.m. in the law school's Tull Auditorium. The speech centers around Guinier's 
recent book of the same name, which she wrote following her short-lived 1993 
nomination to head the civil rights division of the Department of Justice. After 
coming under political fire for the nomination, President Bill Clinton 
withdrew Guinier's name from consideration before her confirmation hearing, and she 
was denied an opportunity to speak to the Senate confirmation committee.

"Democracy takes place when the silenced find a voice, and when we begin to 
listen to what they have to say," Guinier wrote in Lift Every Voice. She also 
has launched Commonplace, a national nonprofit center to connect citizens, 
communities and ideas, and Racetalks, a project to create opportunities for 
multiracial problem solving and collaboration. Guinier published The Tyranny of the 
Majority in 1994.

Ted 

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<HTML>
 Amy, Tim and All:
 
 Winner take all, that's one thing wrong with our political system, as th=
ough politics were a football game, and if your team loses by one point ever=
ything you represent goes down the drain.
 
 Sarcastic tone below, not above, aimed at Tim L. &nbsp;Sorry and all tha=
t, but I could not resist.
 
 Remember Lani Guinier, the first black women to become a tenured profess=
or at Harvard Law School, nominated by the evil sex harasser Bill Clinton (h=
e tried, really, the flawed man tried!) to lead the Civil Rights Division of=
 the Department of Justice (no doubt over a guilt complex from Bill's human=20=
rights abuses against the whole female sex), though her nomination was kille=
d by the Republican's, who loved women so much they could not stand to see s=
uch a left leaning black women gain such a position of power in our governme=
nt? &nbsp;See info on Lani Guinier at the bottom.
 
 I once heard her deliver an eloquent argument for proportional represent=
ation in the US Federal and State governments. &nbsp;The details are very co=
mplex, but so isn't everything at the US Federal and State level of governme=
nt. &nbsp;But if implemented, some form of proportional representation likel=
y would have resulted in a more balanced US Federal government after the las=
t few US Federal elections, for example, instead of the right wing neo-con n=
ut cases (excuse me, the reptile brain is taking over) we now have dominatin=
g the US Federal government.
 
 Proportional representation helps to solve many of the problems with our=
 "democracy" that Tim and Amy mentioned.
 
 There are other countries around the world that use a system like this.=20=
&nbsp;Look here:
 
 http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Political/What_ProportionalRep.html
 
 Why this issue does not receive more discussion in the US I have no clue=
, except that maybe, referencing the far recesses of my paranoid brain, wher=
e the theory that the powerful want as much power as they can seize is a dom=
inant influence, the same powerful controlling interests do not want a syste=
m where their control might be diluted.
 Emory Report Feb. 22, 1999 Volume 51, No. 21=20=
=20
 Guinier to give Women's History Month keynote address
 
 Harvard law professor and one-time Clinton cabinet nominee Lani G=
uinier will highlight a full slate of events scheduled for Women's History M=
onth in March, themed "Women Creating Freedoms."
 
 Guinier, the first black woman to become a tenured professor at Harvard=20=
Law School, will deliver her keynote address, "Lift Every Voice," March 2 at=
 7:45 p.m. in the law school's Tull Auditorium. The speech centers around Gu=
inier's recent book of the same name, which she wrote following her short-li=
ved 1993 nomination to head the civil rights division of the Department of J=
ustice. After coming under political fire for the nomination, President Bill=
 Clinton withdrew Guinier's name from consideration before her confirmation=20=
hearing, and she was denied an opportunity to speak to the Senate confirmati=
on committee.
 
 "Democracy takes place when the silenced find a voice, and when we begin=
 to listen to what they have to say," Guinier wrote in Lift Every Voice</=
I>. She also has launched Commonplace, a national nonprofit center to connec=
t citizens, communities and ideas, and Racetalks, a project to create opport=
unities for multiracial problem solving and collaboration. Guinier published=
 The Tyranny of the Majority in 1994.
 
 Ted=20
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 </HTML>

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