- 07 Jun 2020 03:21
#15098236
I mostly agree with you.
But, the Constitution is hard to change.
However, there are things that can be done with just laws.
This is why I have made and posted here a list of laws and amendments.
A] Laws are easy if the Senate drops the filibuster rule for a while.
. . 1] The Constitution gives Congress the power to tell the states how they must elect the US House Reps.
I suggest that states that have 1 to 9 Reps. elect them from one district. In this new system each voter can easily split his vote to vote for more that one Rep..
. . . For example Colo. has 7 Reps. now. The Dems and Repuds could both run 4 candidates and the Greens could run one. Then if the Greens had 8% of the vote and they all voted for 1 guy, then he gets 8% of the final votes. If the Dems get 48% of the votes split 4 ways then they all get about 12% of the vote. If the Repuds know they have less and just run 3 guys then they get 100-48-8=44% of the vote divided 3 ways, so each of their guys gets 14.67% of the vote. So, the 3 Repuds and 4 Dems win. The greens would need 12% of the vote (which comes from the Dems mostly so the new Dem total is 44%), now the Dems all get 11% and the Repuds still get 14.67% for their 3 guys. So, now the Repuds get 3, the Greens get 1 and the Dems get one.
. . . If the Repuds run 4 guys then it is the same final outcome (The Greens get 8% and no Rep., the Dems get 48% / 4 = 12% for each of 4, and all 4 win, and the Repuds ran 3 and got 44% /3 = 14.6 each and get 3 Reps.
. . . It is impossible to gerrymander the 37 states that have just 1 district.
. . . States with 10 to 15 Reps would have 2 districts with 5 to 8 Reps each. Note the number of Reps per district must be X or X+1 Reps. States with 16 to 23 Reps have 3 districts, etc.
. . 2] In order to dilute the Electoral College power of the small states Congress can add Reps to the US House. Maybe about 100 could be added. Congress can also admit 2 new states, Washington DC (it could pick a new name other than Washington) and Puerto Rico. This adds 4 more likely Dem Senators to the Senate, which adds more Dem EC votes too.
B] Constitutional Amendments
. . 1] Bring back the filibuster in the Senate with the required vote for cloture being just 55%. NOT 60% or the old 67%. This would be especially necessary for Judges and Justices. In fact some seats on the Supreme Court should be set aside for moderate justices which require a 67% vote for cloture.
. . 2] I strongly feel that a simple majority vote for President is fine until the vote is split 5.1% other, 47.5% Dem and 47.4% Repud; which ought to require a recount in all 50 states. What a mess.
. . . I have suggested this compromise instead. Whenever the popular vote is within 1% for 2 candidates, we use the current EC system unchanged as the tie breaker.
. . . Otherwise, the candidate that wins the popular vote by more than 1% gets an additional 100 (or so) electors to dilute the power of the small states and make every single popular vote matter to some small extent, even when you know your state will vote for some other guy.
. . . An alternate compromise would be to drop the extra EC electors from 2 for the Senators to just 1, and add just 50 more for the winner of the popular vote (maybe 1 from each state).
. . . All these specific numbers are open for modification in the Amendment writing process to get it through the Congress and ratified by the states.
. . 3] Change the way the Constitution will be amended start in 10 years to make it easier for the majority to make changes. But *not* a simple majority vote like many states do. This is a terrible way to make amendments. At least require a 2nd vote 2 years later if the 1st vote is between 50% and 55%.
. . 4] Add an amendment to lock in certain functions for the US Gov.
. . . . a] It gives a grant to each state based on population raised to some power less than 1, but more than 1/2 (which would be the sq.root of the population). Small states get more/person than large states. Pres. Nixon started this but IIRC Reagan ended it.
. . . . b] Require the US Gov. provide a Soc. Sec. system for elderly citizens.
. . . . c] Require the US Gov. provide a health care system for all legal residents at no cost or co-pay.
. . . . d] Require the US Gov. provide a prison for all LEOs from all the states & Feds. who break the law so they will be safe in prison.
. . . . e] Give the US Gov. the power to try state LEOs for abuse of their power and denying civil rights to a citizen or person. And also give this right to every state Gov. over local gov. LEOs. LEOs are given special power to enforce the law. When they use this power to abuse people it is worse that when a criminal does it because the LEOs are doing it under 'color' of law or the state's power.
There are others you can add in a reply.
Last edited by Steve_American on 07 Jun 2020 07:35, edited 1 time in total.