On 2004-08-29T20:55:19-0700, Steve Schear wrote:
I am not discussing presidential elections, this is another matter.
Fine.
Steve Schear wrote:
The problem is that use of voting districts seems to have always resulted in gerrymandering in our political system. A proportional system can eliminate these geopolitical distortions.
At 02:49 PM 8/27/2004, Justin wrote:
State and Federal House of Reps. are proportional. (Yeah, I know Nebraska is unicameral, excuse the generalization). What part of the System isn't proportional other than most States' selection of presidential electors?
The part that isn't proportional has to do with the very establishment of 'voting districts' within the states that are the key to the two major parties maintaining their electoral monopolies.
Oh, you want to eliminate voting districts. I apologize for not reading your intentions into your earlier comments. Are States "geopolitical distortions" as well? Are countries? ---- If you're going to propose an alternate system, please clearly identify 1) the voting pool, and 2) what they're voting for. If the pool is voting for a party instead of individuals, how does a winning party pick representatives? Is that selection method fair? There are many, many ways to conduct elections, and your proportional representation system has serious problems of its own. It underrepresents regional interests, and doesn't guarantee a geographically diverse set of representatives. You could complain that geography (and in general physical boundaries) isn't important, but you'd be wrong IMO. -- "When in our age we hear these words: It will be judged by the result--then we know at once with whom we have the honor of speaking. Those who talk this way are a numerous type whom I shall designate under the common name of assistant professors." -- Kierkegaard, Fear and Trembling (Wong tr.), III, 112