Re: OT: Bush insults BBC Editor

dgsweet wrote:
The opposite would open up the floor to the tyranny of the minority by
the majority. The folks in tiny states would be ignored even more than
they are you.-

One person, one vote is a basic principle.

In a pure democracy yes. We however have a representative government.

Anything that compromises
that institutionalizes that idea that people in one area of the
country are fuller citizens than people in another. Right now, we
have the tyrannization of the majority by a minority, and to a degree
that is kind of jaw-dropping. On issue after issue, the majority of
people in this country support pretty liberal positions, and yet a
dogged minority stalls progress on gun control, public funding of
health and the rest. I believe in makign certain that a minority
doesn't get trampled on, but that's not the same as the minority
dictating to the majority major matters of law. That's anti-
democratic.


Do you really feel its that simple? Our system of government does make a number of guarantees of certain rights and some of the issues you raise will have a minority that claims specific protection under these rules.

In some of the other cases, I feel it goes much deeper than just one vote and or the electoral system. The effect of money and special interests on the laws of the land seems to have a very large hand. The dollars are beginning to matter a whole lot more than the votes.

That said, there is however certainly a basis for a discussion on whether the electoral college system still serves the purpose it was originally intended. I know that Maine and I think, New Hampshire are two states that do not necessarily follow the winner takes all approach to their states votes.

Much of the Electoral College idea goes back to a time when we did not have the Federal system we have been moving to over the last 50 years. Prior to that, States were far more autonomous.
.

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