Also, people are afraid of change. People are scared to death of change. If you were to tell the American people "We're going to change the constitution in order to give all of you a more powerful voice in government and along with that, healthcare, education, and free booze" most Americans will say "You can't do that! You can't change the constitution! It's unconstitutional! We're Americans, damnit, not frenchmen! What the hell do we need all of these parties and representation for!?"
The democrats and republicans aren't going to reform SHIEET because it works against them! If we switch to PR, a bunch of Social Democrats, Greens and Libertarians will spring up and people will be forced to adhere to their party platforms, and thus be held accountable for their decisions and policy making, and god forbid that happen!
ps. i am a canadian living in the province of ontario. last provincial election we had a vote on changing to some kind of proportional representation but it didnt pass. it has also been tried and failed in at least one other province. maybe the answer to your question is that the people just don't want it
That's not entirely true. While Australia uses proportional representation for their Senate, they do not use it for their House of Representatives (which forms the government, of course). However, two-party preferred voting is a step above first-past-the-post.
In any case, this is an issue that should be pursued in the debate.
The answer to her question is that we do it because it is in the U.S Constitution. That way all states have at least some input into the selection. There is one elector for each Senator and each Representative.
I love it! Thank you so much for that question! I hope CNN Asks this question, I am totally in favor of using proportional representation in the Congress and for State Legislatures. Unfortunately, the two-party system is totally against this, because they know it would be the end of the two-party rule and of the political machine that currently runs our government. It will take the education of the American people and the will of the people to change our voting system.
indeed...education is crucial. other countries (i'm most familiar with the new zealand transition) have gone through similar reforms, so it is possible.
Unfortunately I think that CNN will probably choose one of those "How are you going to show leadership" type softball questions for most of their debate instead of these serious questions. I hope I'm wrong but from what I saw in the last two debates that is most likely to be the case.
Good question. The first-past-the-post system is quite detrimental, it often forces people to vote against their candidate of choice. Some people refuse to do this "lesser of evils" choice and instead don't vote at all (which explains the lower voter turnout we have in comparison to countries with forms of PR).
Our wealthier politicians have always sought to remove the Electoral College for favor of the majority vote, and it bothers me that so many people entertain the idea.
The representative vote which is the Electoral System is currently flawed, but it can be easily fixed by putting a limit on the number of Representatives from each State.
Our founding fathers were very prescient when they made the electoral college. We need it now more than ever. It is already reaching the point where a few populous centers control the whole ball game and we in flyover country don't count. With amnesty for illegal aliens it will do even more to disenfranchise those who do not live in California or the NorthEast megalopolis.
This is still the United States of America and not the Peoples Republic of America. For a little while longer at least.
a delightful idea, methinks. i'd also like to do away with polling ENTIRELY. to be honest, though, I feel like majority rule is more at the root of the problem, because regardless of who wins, a huge proportion of people's (most often minority groups') candidates lose every time and their supporters go unrepresesnted. So I say we need primary reform! majority rule voting reform! voting machine reform! and electoral college reform!!!
what if all of the primaries were held on the same day? or- if that is not possible- what if the RESLTS of the primaries were released on the same day. this way- MORE people in EVERY state wold be invested in the election process.
Also, people are afraid of change. People are scared to death of change. If you were to tell the American people "We're going to change the constitution in order to give all of you a more powerful voice in government and along with that, healthcare, education, and free booze" most Americans will say "You can't do that! You can't change the constitution! It's unconstitutional! We're Americans, damnit, not frenchmen! What the hell do we need all of these parties and representation for!?"
OmarAlQaseer 4 years ago
The democrats and republicans aren't going to reform SHIEET because it works against them! If we switch to PR, a bunch of Social Democrats, Greens and Libertarians will spring up and people will be forced to adhere to their party platforms, and thus be held accountable for their decisions and policy making, and god forbid that happen!
OmarAlQaseer 4 years ago
ps. i am a canadian living in the province of ontario. last provincial election we had a vote on changing to some kind of proportional representation but it didnt pass. it has also been tried and failed in at least one other province. maybe the answer to your question is that the people just don't want it
goon6942069 4 years ago
on a world view what is wrong with the US, Canada, and Britain? seems to me our nations are doing just fine.
goon6942069 4 years ago
That's not entirely true. While Australia uses proportional representation for their Senate, they do not use it for their House of Representatives (which forms the government, of course). However, two-party preferred voting is a step above first-past-the-post.
In any case, this is an issue that should be pursued in the debate.
karmapoliceman43 4 years ago
thanks for the info on australia. Im still learning about this but think its crucial in terms of the current state of our democracy...
ssmackley 4 years ago
Great question.
2-party rule will go down hard here in the U.S., but it will eventually go down, IMO.
notrombones 4 years ago
Europe's voting system r0x0rz american b0ox0rz
FaeMM 4 years ago
READ THE CONSTITUTION! Read the Federalist papers.
Why is it that everyone today is arrogant enough to think they have a better idea for the Constitution than the framers of the Constitution?
Maybe it is because the schools don't teach truthfully about our system anymore. There was history before 1970.
luxomni 4 years ago
WOOOO!!! We need to get rid of our old system and get down to business!
BoboTalkClownA 4 years ago
Also, I hope others will submit this same question to CNN, if we get enough people to submit this question it will ratchet up the pressure to ask it!
vegasrain84 4 years ago
Great idea! go for it!
ssmackley 4 years ago
The answer to her question is that we do it because it is in the U.S Constitution. That way all states have at least some input into the selection. There is one elector for each Senator and each Representative.
luxomni 4 years ago
I love it! Thank you so much for that question! I hope CNN Asks this question, I am totally in favor of using proportional representation in the Congress and for State Legislatures. Unfortunately, the two-party system is totally against this, because they know it would be the end of the two-party rule and of the political machine that currently runs our government. It will take the education of the American people and the will of the people to change our voting system.
vegasrain84 4 years ago
indeed...education is crucial. other countries (i'm most familiar with the new zealand transition) have gone through similar reforms, so it is possible.
ssmackley 4 years ago
Unfortunately I think that CNN will probably choose one of those "How are you going to show leadership" type softball questions for most of their debate instead of these serious questions. I hope I'm wrong but from what I saw in the last two debates that is most likely to be the case.
Y2ANJ 4 years ago
Yeah, I agree.
j0eg0d 4 years ago
Good question. The first-past-the-post system is quite detrimental, it often forces people to vote against their candidate of choice. Some people refuse to do this "lesser of evils" choice and instead don't vote at all (which explains the lower voter turnout we have in comparison to countries with forms of PR).
Y2ANJ 4 years ago
Our wealthier politicians have always sought to remove the Electoral College for favor of the majority vote, and it bothers me that so many people entertain the idea.
The representative vote which is the Electoral System is currently flawed, but it can be easily fixed by putting a limit on the number of Representatives from each State.
Why won't they do this ?
j0eg0d 4 years ago
5 STARS, by the way ^_^ Great question.
j0eg0d 4 years ago
Our founding fathers were very prescient when they made the electoral college. We need it now more than ever. It is already reaching the point where a few populous centers control the whole ball game and we in flyover country don't count. With amnesty for illegal aliens it will do even more to disenfranchise those who do not live in California or the NorthEast megalopolis.
This is still the United States of America and not the Peoples Republic of America. For a little while longer at least.
luxomni 4 years ago
a delightful idea, methinks. i'd also like to do away with polling ENTIRELY. to be honest, though, I feel like majority rule is more at the root of the problem, because regardless of who wins, a huge proportion of people's (most often minority groups') candidates lose every time and their supporters go unrepresesnted. So I say we need primary reform! majority rule voting reform! voting machine reform! and electoral college reform!!!
ssmackley 4 years ago
what if all of the primaries were held on the same day? or- if that is not possible- what if the RESLTS of the primaries were released on the same day. this way- MORE people in EVERY state wold be invested in the election process.
davisfleetwood 4 years ago