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eniwetok

(1,629 posts)

70. in republican political theory all power derives from the PEOPLE

Thu Mar 30, 2017, 03:14 PM

Mar 2017

The Articles of Confederation was to be a perpetual union... not to be changed except through unanimous agreement of the states. But the Articles were failing and essentially reform-proof. So the Framers violated their mission to fix the Articles and started from scratch. How could they do this? Because they did so in the name of the People.

In the end the Framers are dead and it's OUR nation now. And if the system can clearly not provide morally legitimate government based on the Consent Of The Governed... and signature Dem programs are facing an existential threat BECAUSE the system is antidemocratic... then Dems need to get their priorities straight... will it be Framer Worship or finally fixing the defects in our system? Will we have the courage of the Framers to do what needs to be done? And if those choices weren't hard enough... demographic changes are making the system more and MORE antidemocratic.

Dems wear blinders at their own peril.

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This PERFECTLY Illustrates How INSANE The Electoral College Concept Is! [View all] eniwetok Mar 2017 OP

Eliminate the EC and return to paper ballots...nt LakeArenal Mar 2017 #1

And the asinine need to know who won the same night of the election. KittyWampus Mar 2017 #3

Exactly! rogue emissary Mar 2017 #8

THIS! ProfessorGAC Mar 2017 #13

That can be done with adequate counters in each precinct Warpy Mar 2017 #51

word. nt TheFrenchRazor Mar 2017 #42

I don't know if it needs to be eliminated outright Blue_Tires Mar 2017 #2

The EC, like the Senate, has a clear GOP Bias... eniwetok Mar 2017 #21

It also invites rigging the election in a few states by switching just a few votes. L. Coyote Mar 2017 #4

Yes! The worst aspect of the EC... VOX Mar 2017 #41

absolutely, much easier to steal. nt TheFrenchRazor Mar 2017 #43

Russ Feingold would like to abolish it as well...... a kennedy Mar 2017 #5

All you have to do is convince those same small States to change the Constitution.... brooklynite Mar 2017 #6

that's the Catch 22 eniwetok Mar 2017 #7

2/3 of states legislatures is 33 of them treestar Mar 2017 #16

Amending the Constitution requires 3/4 of the states, not 2/3 Jim Lane Mar 2017 #18

I think the 2/3 came from....... WillowTree Mar 2017 #22

oh you are rights treestar Mar 2017 #23

The National Popular Vote Compact is not an amendment eniwetok Mar 2017 #38

So the question is how many votes gives a state disproportionate representation? eniwetok Mar 2017 #20

It does not look good in that treestar Mar 2017 #24

I think our system has unintended consequences... eniwetok Mar 2017 #25

Wouldnt that make winning elections harder? MichMan Mar 2017 #33

I don't think the nation would let CAL go... eniwetok Mar 2017 #36

yes, but the other blue states could join them. works for me. nt TheFrenchRazor Mar 2017 #44

and it's proving to be the end of what little democracy is left....the last 16 years have Gabi Hayes Mar 2017 #26

I remember reading that some states have a "work-around" plan. The participating states... NurseJackie Mar 2017 #9

clever idea... but I suspect it's doomed eniwetok Mar 2017 #10

Found this link. Legal arguments for and against. I believe the "for" arguments are stronger. NurseJackie Mar 2017 #12

I don't like that idea MichMan Mar 2017 #34

So you're opposed to it when it's not in your favor? NurseJackie Mar 2017 #35

either Dems stand for democratic principles... or they don't. eniwetok Mar 2017 #39

But if it were the will of the majority of voters in the US that would be a fairer outcome pnwmom Mar 2017 #46

EC is crap, just like the way congress is elected Ezior Mar 2017 #11

How many complaints have you read here about the Democratic Party, DCCC, etc? brooklynite Mar 2017 #14

the list system opens up the door for third parties... eniwetok Mar 2017 #19

Not sure what you have against the election of senators... clementine613 Mar 2017 #47

are you THAT unaware of vote weighting? eniwetok Mar 2017 #48

I meant within each state... clementine613 Apr 2017 #71

isn't the issue here what's ANTIdemocratic? eniwetok Apr 2017 #72

Yes. treestar Mar 2017 #15

There is a great video that shows that you only need to win about 22% of the vote to win the EC ProfessorPlum Mar 2017 #17

Here ProfessorPlum Mar 2017 #28

BRILLIANT VIDEO!!! eniwetok Mar 2017 #49

all the more reason that losers love it, and will never let it go. nt TheFrenchRazor Mar 2017 #45

How do you get rid of the ec? caroldansen Mar 2017 #27

It's kinda hard Calculating Mar 2017 #30

We'll never have fair elections so long as this abomination of a system exists Calculating Mar 2017 #29

and in the Senate.... Dems represent 33 million more Americans that the GOP eniwetok Mar 2017 #32

The more important issue is the focus on swing states. Jim Lane Mar 2017 #31

The EC actually does a good job at achieving the goal it was designed to achieve. ManiacJoe Mar 2017 #37

the EC was to magnify the power of white in slave states... eniwetok Mar 2017 #40

That quote gets thrown around a lot Azathoth Mar 2017 #50

Sure... but maybe it doesn't matter. eniwetok Mar 2017 #54

And it has policy implications as well. Yavin4 Mar 2017 #52

I have always wondered what would happen duncang Mar 2017 #53

It Also Seems To Be Doing The Opposite of The Intent ProfessorGAC Mar 2017 #55

we can't unravel "winner take all" eniwetok Mar 2017 #56

Don't Disagree, E ProfessorGAC Mar 2017 #57

It would still be a virtual tie... eniwetok Mar 2017 #59

Six of the 9 Scenarios Show Clinton on Top ProfessorGAC Mar 2017 #61

Really? One? eniwetok Mar 2017 #63

You Can Quit Yelling At Me ProfessorGAC Mar 2017 #64

sorry... eniwetok Mar 2017 #66

"I know it's highly unlikely" former9thward Mar 2017 #58

I know it's "improbable": SO WHAT!! eniwetok Mar 2017 #60

Rightly or wrongly forthemiddle Mar 2017 #67

in republican political theory all power derives from the PEOPLE eniwetok Mar 2017 #70

the currents of antidemocratic government are insidous eniwetok Mar 2017 #62

Blood red mountain grammy Mar 2017 #65

I'm not a huge fan of the EC Sgent Mar 2017 #68

Why should ANY voters get a bigger vote than others? eniwetok Mar 2017 #69

What a total waste of time looking backward as if we didn't have enough problems.. CK_John Apr 2017 #73

are you suggesting we don't bother to understand what needs to be fixed? eniwetok Apr 2017 #74