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eniwetok

(1,629 posts) Thu Mar 31, 2016, 08:37 PM Mar 2016

Is a democracy legitimate if votes don't weigh the same? [View all]

Is a democracy morally legitimate if votes don't weigh the same? By weight I simply mean how votes get translated into representation. For example, imagine one group of 1000 citizen vote and get one seat in a legislature yet another group of 1000 votes and gets 3 seats. Would any laws passed by those 3 legislators be morally legitimate?

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Is a democracy legitimate if votes don't weigh the same? [View all] eniwetok Mar 2016 OP

Are you looking to do away with the Senate? dogman Mar 2016 #1

are you suggesting the senate is morally illegitimate? eniwetok Mar 2016 #5

They are not proportional to population. dogman Mar 2016 #8

so antidemocratic government is about morality? eniwetok Mar 2016 #12

I guess your question would be to the founders. dogman Mar 2016 #13

given us? eniwetok Mar 2016 #14

We would probably still be a colony. dogman Mar 2016 #15

missing the point eniwetok Mar 2016 #16

limiting the power of the minority eniwetok Apr 2016 #17

Is the Senate constitutional? WhaTHellsgoingonhere Apr 2016 #34

of course it's "constitutional" eniwetok Apr 2016 #38

Not so sure 'bout that. WhaTHellsgoingonhere Apr 2016 #41

the problem with ANY reformulation of the EC eniwetok Apr 2016 #43

I'm with you. The Senate is an abomination. Does America look like Chicago, represented by 2 WhaTHellsgoingonhere Apr 2016 #44

So, less populous states are now Bettie Apr 2016 #60

Keep the Senate... but base it on national proportional representation eniwetok Apr 2016 #48

Votes in swing states weigh more than non swing states too Rebkeh Mar 2016 #2

isn't it odd... eniwetok Mar 2016 #6

In 2012, 66 million voted for Obama and 61 million for Romney. Nye Bevan Mar 2016 #3

that's the problem with... eniwetok Mar 2016 #7

There is no solution to that, because there is no other way a government could work. potone Mar 2016 #10

Its called a Eko Mar 2016 #4

as opposed to... eniwetok Apr 2016 #22

a democracy. Eko Apr 2016 #26

It depends on what you are talking about. potone Mar 2016 #9

no other interests... eniwetok Mar 2016 #11

We are the 'United States', not 'America'. X_Digger Apr 2016 #54

lol tymorial Apr 2016 #59

RED HERRING ALERT!! eniwetok Apr 2016 #63

If you look into the deliberations forming the Constitution 1939 Apr 2016 #19

Much was debated eniwetok Apr 2016 #21

I disagree on this point... 2naSalit Apr 2016 #28

and the federalist papers... eniwetok Apr 2016 #31

I look at it in a different light I guess 2naSalit Apr 2016 #33

no progress the past 225 years? eniwetok Apr 2016 #37

Hmmm 2naSalit Apr 2016 #39

In our system apathy is not an unreasonablel response. eniwetok Apr 2016 #46

---unreasonable--- 2naSalit Apr 2016 #49

I meant unreasonable... eniwetok Apr 2016 #50

If the constitution were 'reformproof' we wouldn't be up to #28 for the next one. X_Digger Apr 2016 #55

here's the amendment breakdown... eniwetok Apr 2016 #64

I would submit 1939 Apr 2016 #72

no key reforms in 225 years eniwetok Apr 2016 #47

I remember Al Gore having more votes than Bush. Should the Electoral College be done away B Calm Apr 2016 #18

the EC is an antidemocratic abomination eniwetok Apr 2016 #20

Let's ask Socrates. Act_of_Reparation Apr 2016 #23

it's called the senate. nt La Lioness Priyanka Apr 2016 #24

So is this one of those threads where we answer questions with questions? Iggo Apr 2016 #25

One group of 1,000 voters gets counted as 1,000 votes, another group of 1,000 counts as 900 .... L. Coyote Apr 2016 #27

voter suppression is different from... eniwetok Apr 2016 #35

Learn a little about basic government and get back with us. Rex Apr 2016 #29

really? eniwetok Apr 2016 #30

how many other nations have our system? eniwetok Apr 2016 #40

Republicans would be the Green Party if it was one person one vote Democat Apr 2016 #32

some numbers: votes vs senate seats eniwetok Apr 2016 #36

It loses some legitimacy, but not all of it. N.T. Donald Ian Rankin Apr 2016 #42

what remains morally legitimate? eniwetok Apr 2016 #45

The US is a rigged manipulated democracy and the highest bidder wins. And some of it is obsolete, RKP5637 Apr 2016 #51

yup... a cat fight eniwetok Apr 2016 #53

Thank you for your astute reply! n/t RKP5637 Apr 2016 #70

If we didn't have a bicameral legislature then yes tymorial Apr 2016 #52

so bicameral means it MUST be antidemocratic? eniwetok Apr 2016 #56

Your concept is preposterous tymorial Apr 2016 #58

No, YOUR concept is preposterous eniwetok Apr 2016 #61

You mean like how the vote of someone in wymoing is way more proportionally powerful in the Senate Warren DeMontague Apr 2016 #57

we're only stuck with it if... eniwetok Apr 2016 #62

If I wasn't capable of "questioning" it, I wouldn't have mentioned it. Warren DeMontague Apr 2016 #65

the bar is insanely high eniwetok Apr 2016 #66

it is important to remember, absolutely. And I'm all for pointing it out. Warren DeMontague Apr 2016 #67

I hope you're wrong eniwetok Apr 2016 #68

There is a logistical process to changing the constitution, though, that goes beyond simply changing Warren DeMontague Apr 2016 #69

what I'm saying eniwetok Apr 2016 #71