[Vision2020] polarizing and the two-party system

[Tom Hansen]

I disagree totally.

Each and every congress person (whether US senator or HR rep) was elected by
popular vote by their respective states.

I realize that from the "overall" national view that the minor parties,
Constitution Party and Green Party (among many others), may have carried a
negligible percentage of the overall vote, each state is entitled to two
elected US senators and a number of elected HR Reps.

Using your example, Andreas:  Suppose we were to modify the system as to
allow party representation based upon their respective percentages and that
"our Congress would have 18 members from the Green party, 3 Libertarians,
and 3 Constitution party members", how would you suggest:

1)  Just who (by name) these representatives would be.

2)  Which states these congress persons would represent.

Ultimately, your concept would eliminate true representation.  These
representatives would speak for their parties and not the people that
elected (or as suggested by you "did not elect") them.

In my opinion, the ONLY route to take is the "popular vote" route.  No party
representation based on some subsequent percentile result of a grand
national "snapshot" of a recent election.  No Electoral College.  One
person, one vote.

Tom Hansen
Vandalville, Idaho

"Politicians are like diapers.  They should be changed frequently and for
the same reason."

- Robin Williams

-----Original Message-----

From: vision2020-bounces at moscow.com [mailto:vision2020-bounces at moscow.com]
On Behalf Of Andreas Schou
Sent: Saturday, October 14, 2006 10:42 PM
To: Paul Rumelhart
Cc: Vision2020
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] polarizing and the two-party system

Paul --

I think the money issue is a red herring. I think that the main issue
is the "winner-take-all" structure of our system. If our system
apportioned seats in Congress according to the number of actual votes
for a party, rather than allowing voters (essentially) an up-or-down
vote on a regional incumbent. For instance, taking votes in the 2000
election as a barometer of the way people might actually vote if this
were a case, our Congress would have 18 members from the Green party,
3 Libertarians, and 3 Constitution party members. Now, while the
Libertarians and Constitution Party members would probably caucus with
the Republicans and the Greens with the Democrats, we would certainly
have a more diverse legislature.

-- ACS

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