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We desperately need to double the number of Representatives in the House. Or quadruple. And we need a National Popular Vote for President. No more ignoring s

We desperately need to double the number of Representatives in the House. Or quadruple. And we need a National Popular Vote for President. No more ignoring solidly blue or solidly red states. We should also force anyone who wants a nomination from one of the major parties (however many there are) for office in the Federal government to pledge to live only and entirely on their pension. They must completely divest of anything but Index Funds. No more paid lobbying retirement for politicians. It's killing this country.

InTheArena 3y ago
How about forcing the president to be non-partisan? None of this "the president leads the party" shit. Partisanship in America is a bug, not a feature.
- krapp 3y ago
  You can't do that in the US, because we have freedom of speech and freedom of association - the latter of which inevitably leads to partisanship. If the party wants the President to be their leader, they have the right to decide that, and the President likewise has the right to be as partisan as they wish. Solutions that require forcing people to adhere to a specific ideological or political framework (or not to) tend towards authoritarianism. You can't stop people in a free society from acting in aggregate to further their own common interests.
  - InTheArena 3y ago
    We have oaths that keep people from acting in foreign countries' interest. The same can apply here. No mandatory party-line votes. No ordering representatives how to vote on issues.
    - krapp 3y ago
      Everything you've listed is still perfectly legal, nonviolent consensual speech from people acting in what they believe to be theirs and their country's best interests, and party members are perfectly within their rights to break ranks if they want. That isn't the same class of behavior as sedition or espionage. The only solution I can see is if the parties themselves decided to change their rules, but they have no reason to. Things are only the way they are now because that is what wins votes and concentrates power.
lotsofpulp 3y ago
The Democrat led states have already done that: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Popular_Vote_Interstate_Compact https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Popular_Vote_Intersta... But the Republicans will never pass it because it would hurt them.

InTheArena 3y ago

How about forcing the president to be non-partisan? None of this "the president leads the party" shit. Partisanship in America is a bug, not a feature.

krapp 3y ago
You can't do that in the US, because we have freedom of speech and freedom of association - the latter of which inevitably leads to partisanship. If the party wants the President to be their leader, they have the right to decide that, and the President likewise has the right to be as partisan as they wish. Solutions that require forcing people to adhere to a specific ideological or political framework (or not to) tend towards authoritarianism. You can't stop people in a free society from acting in aggregate to further their own common interests.
- InTheArena 3y ago
  We have oaths that keep people from acting in foreign countries' interest. The same can apply here. No mandatory party-line votes. No ordering representatives how to vote on issues.
  - krapp 3y ago
    Everything you've listed is still perfectly legal, nonviolent consensual speech from people acting in what they believe to be theirs and their country's best interests, and party members are perfectly within their rights to break ranks if they want. That isn't the same class of behavior as sedition or espionage. The only solution I can see is if the parties themselves decided to change their rules, but they have no reason to. Things are only the way they are now because that is what wins votes and concentrates power.

lotsofpulp 3y ago

The Democrat led states have already done that: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Popular_Vote_Interstate_Compact https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Popular_Vote_Intersta... But the Republicans will never pass it because it would hurt them.