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FBaggins

(28,678 posts)

122. You understood incorrectly

Mon Feb 3, 2020, 04:09 PM

Feb 2020

The PM is selected by a majority of MPs... not individual voters. A coalition might be necessary to achieve that... or one party might have a majority of MPs on their own... neither of which requires a majority of voters to achieve.

Yes... if Labour received 51% of the vote they would almost certainly win a majority of the parliament (they received about 32%)... but there are more than two parties... sometimes controlling one area and not showing at all in another.

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It's ridiculous that each state gets two Senators, regardless of population... [View all] polichick Jan 2020 OP

Ok then, how do you change it ? OnDoutside Jan 2020 #1

Congress would have to change it - but it works for the RepubliCONs. polichick Jan 2020 #7

Don't forget, Article 1 of the constitution establishes Hortensis Jan 2020 #15

Needs to happen imo, but RepubliCONs use the flyover states... polichick Jan 2020 #16

The 2 senator representation made a lot more sense with the 13 states at that time ooky Feb 2020 #73

Perhaps. But let's back up. The 2 senators ALSO protects Hortensis Feb 2020 #90

Having state legislatures pick U.S. senators, of course, does nothing to ooky Feb 2020 #94

Yup. But any real passion for change right now WOULD be Hortensis Feb 2020 #96

Agree with that. ooky Feb 2020 #97

How about if high-population blue states are divided into small blue states royable Jan 2020 #23

Colorado tried that. 33taw Feb 2020 #26

Lessen their power. Bills must be debated rainy Feb 2020 #34

+1. Make them do away with the filibuster treestar Feb 2020 #62

Yep. A pretty shitty democracy. dem4decades Jan 2020 #2

Not a true democracy - we're a nation of smoke and mirrors. polichick Jan 2020 #8

We do not live in a true democracy. ... spin Jan 2020 #10

Well, when you figure out how to have over 300 million Hortensis Jan 2020 #18

It is amazing that the Constitution has been in effect for over 200 years. ... spin Jan 2020 #24

Millions of pages jimfields33 Feb 2020 #52

They lived in the 18th century treestar Feb 2020 #63

It turns out the British, for all their oppressing us treestar Feb 2020 #58

Yes, our form of government is old and outdated however it is unfortunately... spin Feb 2020 #91

Yes and the Founders thought they were making it changeable treestar Feb 2020 #105

Different is not the same thing as better FBaggins Feb 2020 #101

I don't know the UK system treestar Feb 2020 #106

Then probably not something you should declare to be better FBaggins Feb 2020 #108

How can you get a majority without a majority? treestar Feb 2020 #109

Easy. They have several parties FBaggins Feb 2020 #113

I always understood that the treestar Feb 2020 #117

You understood incorrectly FBaggins Feb 2020 #122

It was a compromise between big and small States edhopper Jan 2020 #3

Needs updating - but corrupt players use it to their advantage. polichick Jan 2020 #4

maybe edhopper Jan 2020 #6

+1 2naSalit Jan 2020 #13

Actually, dware Feb 2020 #76

Right! edhopper Feb 2020 #93

not if you don't even try treestar Feb 2020 #112

So tell us how you would get 2/3rds of the Congress dware Feb 2020 #74

That's why there are 2 chambers, elleng Jan 2020 #5

Made sense once but not now, considering population distribution. polichick Jan 2020 #9

Population distribution in the 18th century was exactly why we got this system. Steelrolled Feb 2020 #29

Yup, both the Senate and the Electoral College are outdated. We need a full overhaul coti Jan 2020 #11

So true - I worry about our kids with this perversion of democracy. polichick Jan 2020 #12

+1 treestar Feb 2020 #51

Yep ck4829 Feb 2020 #99

How do we keep populous states from stomping the people of small ones Hortensis Jan 2020 #14

What I think really happens is in #16 polichick Jan 2020 #17

A lot of those flyover states are Big Energy states, Hortensis Jan 2020 #19

There's also a lot of brainwashing by rightwing radio and mega-churches... polichick Jan 2020 #25

Yeah, democracy sucks, especially in stupid states Hortensis Feb 2020 #33

Wouldn't call them "stupid states" - which is why... polichick Feb 2020 #38

I have read that book, long ago though. Hortensis Feb 2020 #92

how do we manage the converse now? maxsolomon Jan 2020 #20

This message was self-deleted by its author Codeine Feb 2020 #36

I find this to be a right wing talking point with little merit. genxlib Feb 2020 #50

The way the system is now, the rural small states will rule treestar Feb 2020 #53

We are not a democracy but a representative republic Remington Jan 2020 #21

+1 crickets Jan 2020 #22

this system is giving us really shitty results Skittles Feb 2020 #27

+1 Mosby Feb 2020 #68

It has worked in the past with good results Polybius Feb 2020 #81

"The system isn't perfect but it's the best thing going" yonder Feb 2020 #28

Parliamentary system is better treestar Feb 2020 #66

Why should Wyoming and Alaska treestar Feb 2020 #65

So what if California decided it wanted to drain the Great Lakes ? MichMan Feb 2020 #84

What if some Senate a-hole representing a minority party decided the Constitution and truth coti Feb 2020 #87

How could they have enough votes for that? treestar Feb 2020 #107

Yeah but even you have your threshold moose65 Feb 2020 #69

Why are arbitrary lines on the ground represented at all, when it's people that matter? nt coti Feb 2020 #77

A Republic is not required to let some people have treestar Feb 2020 #111

The "modern" EU has similar issues Steelrolled Feb 2020 #30

Yes. This is obvious. Sometimes people try to defend it, but there's no rational defense. DanTex Feb 2020 #31

Taxation without representation. radius777 Feb 2020 #32

It's not a problem when we get 85-95% voter participation maxrandb Feb 2020 #35

Yes, increased participation is the answer. Here's how Oregon has done it- MerryBlooms Feb 2020 #42

The upper house - the Senate, was never intended to represent you; that's jmg257 Feb 2020 #37

Now these Senators represent the interests of the corporations and wealthy donors... polichick Feb 2020 #39

Yep -Likely the same for most govt reps - lots of gain to be made being in a position of power. jmg257 Feb 2020 #41

Since states are not equal in size, it's always going to be unfair treestar Feb 2020 #55

Or maybe we reduce the power of the federal govt, so the states have more power, as was originally jmg257 Feb 2020 #70

Today's senators obviously think the people in their states, if red, treestar Feb 2020 #71

They were never supposed to be elected either Polybius Feb 2020 #82

Yep - appointed by the state legislators. jmg257 Feb 2020 #83

If Democrats control the majority of state legislatures treestar Feb 2020 #119

How about statehood for D.C. and any territories that would phylny Feb 2020 #40

Be careful what we ask for. Not disagreeing on need for reforms, but elements of the right have Cognitive_Resonance Feb 2020 #43

Sometimes it does seem ridiculous, except when it doesn't. MineralMan Feb 2020 #44

+1 crickets Feb 2020 #45

Doesn't mean it can't be improved. Yeehah Feb 2020 #47

LOL. Iggo Feb 2020 #54

That is true. However, any such change should be made after MineralMan Feb 2020 #57

At the beginning of the Republic treestar Feb 2020 #56

Knowing the history helps, for sure. MineralMan Feb 2020 #59

Shouldn't take a super-majority though treestar Feb 2020 #61

On the other hand, we have the UK. MineralMan Feb 2020 #64

They have a health plan treestar Feb 2020 #67

Yes, but... Rollo Feb 2020 #72

Truly well spoken. dware Feb 2020 #79

Thank you very much. MineralMan Feb 2020 #86

+1 And an additional thought Bettie Feb 2020 #116

Acres of land should not have a vote Yeehah Feb 2020 #46

+1 ck4829 Feb 2020 #100

If you want a true democracy, we need to get rid of all these elected officials hughee99 Feb 2020 #48

Like the California propositions treestar Feb 2020 #60

Yes, sort of. The difference would be that the population would need to vote hughee99 Feb 2020 #89

Mob Rule? CFC Feb 2020 #102

Is that what California has? treestar Feb 2020 #104

Especially when some states marlakay Feb 2020 #49

I understand the opposition to it, but I wouldn't get too aggrivated Polybius Feb 2020 #75

And why do we need TWO Dakotas? sandensea Feb 2020 #78

I think a compromise position would be: krispos42 Feb 2020 #80

DC is not "too small" moose65 Feb 2020 #85

It's too small physically. krispos42 Feb 2020 #88

Disenfranchise the people who grow your food? Bad idea. n/t Odoreida Feb 2020 #95

It is ck4829 Feb 2020 #98

Good luck convincing those same tiny states to give up that power FBaggins Feb 2020 #103

Some would treestar Feb 2020 #110

Not nearly enough of them FBaggins Feb 2020 #114

a huge majority is not going to want to be ruled by treestar Feb 2020 #115

They've been been perfectly ok with that for over 200 years Polybius Feb 2020 #118

As it gets worse treestar Feb 2020 #120

They aren't FBaggins Feb 2020 #121