lawsuit seeks to increase House of Representatives

[villageidiot111]

The only way to fix the unevenness of the number of constituents each House Rep has is to make their districts not bound by state lines. Thus someone might represent people from 2 or more states. And we can all imagine how terrible that would work out...

 

[fskimospy]

Originally posted by: Dari
Great, just what we need. More fringe lunatics in Congress is not the solution to the current status quo. What we need is less gerrymeandering. This'll help weed out the loonies.

Gerrymandering actually makes districts more moderate, not less.

 

[Moonbeam]

I think in the age of electronics representatives are no longer necessary. We can have congress run by the people electronically. There could be requirements to vote, like a functional IQ, the ability to pass a detailed American history test, the identification of logical fallacies, mathematical logic, knowledge of propaganda techniques, 5 years of psychotherapy, recommendations by 100 or your fellow citizens, public service, etc.

 

[Tom]

Originally posted by: Cuda1447
I am for this bill. Direct representation is what this country was founded on and I think we should try to move back to that.

actually it wasn't. In fact Senators weren't directly elected until 1914.

 

[fskimospy]

Originally posted by: Tom

Originally posted by: Cuda1447
I am for this bill. Direct representation is what this country was founded on and I think we should try to move back to that.

actually it wasn't. In fact Senators weren't directly elected until 1914.

And the founders went out of their way to avoid the direct election of the president. Really only 1 of the 3 elected parts of our government was ever supposed to be 'direct' by original design.

It's interesting to see that on here 'what our country was founded on' tends to be equal to 'the way I want things to be'.

 

[miketheidiot]

Originally posted by: Brainonska511

Originally posted by: n yusef
If you really want to increase the viability of multiple parties we should move away from physical districts altogether. My state, Massachusetts, sends ten people to the House of Representatives, all Democrats. But, not all MA residents are Democrats; many people are not represented. Imagine: instead of being tied into districts where Democrats almost always get 55~75% of the vote, all MA residents voted for a political party. We might have 7 Democrat Representatives, and 3 Republicans; or 5 Democrats, 2 Republicans, 2 Greens, and 1 Libertarian. Similarly, Red States would have more left-wing representation and viable non-mainstream parties.

I think that would be worse - then there would be no specific representative for your district.

After reading Dari's post, the best way would be to end the ridiculous practice of gerrymandering - random L shaped districts that twist this way and that like rivers to keep incumbents in power.

why do you need or want a specific representative of your district? We don't need more hacks in congress fuming over their own pathetic local interest, we need a coherent national policy. N yusef is right on the money here.

 

[tk149]

Originally posted by: lupi
people keep voting in the well known idiots, how would this change anything.

More elected idiots?

 

[dawp]

Originally posted by: tk149

Originally posted by: lupi
people keep voting in the well known idiots, how would this change anything.

More elected idiots?

Plus making lobbiest spend more to get their agenda through.

 

[sandorski]

My first thought was of the Senate in Star wars with the beehive of balconied Senators. You'd have to do some renovating for sure before attempting such a thing.

 

[Balt]

I wouldn't suggest supporting this if you are doing so only because you think it will challenge two-party dominance in this country, because it won't.

 

[FoBoT]

Originally posted by: Balt
I wouldn't suggest supporting this if you are doing so only because you think it will challenge two-party dominance in this country, because it won't.

in your view , what are the pro's and con's if this lawsuit goes to the supreme court and results in a larger number of representatives?

 

[Wreckem]

Originally posted by: FoBoT

Originally posted by: Balt
I wouldn't suggest supporting this if you are doing so only because you think it will challenge two-party dominance in this country, because it won't.

in your view , what are the pro's and con's if this lawsuit goes to the supreme court and results in a larger number of representatives?

Con #1: Grows government spending by atleast $750million per year

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: heyheybooboo

My point is that at each margin you will have states fighting for the extra district, and at every reapportionment some states are going to lose each Census.

Ask Utah about North Carolina

so the US house should not be increased because increasing the number of members doesn't fix a tangential problem?

 

[dmcowen674]

Term limits is the only answer, all else = FAIL

 

[marvdmartian]

Can we increase the number of representatives, but decrease their pay & benefits, as well as their ability to receive political kickbacks (aka donations), and entirely cut out the favors they get from lobbying groups??? While we're at it, how about making it a minimum of 6 consecutive 2-year terms (or more) before you start getting any sort of retirement benefits, and get them to pay into social security??

I might support the idea, if we could get those concessions. Otherwise, all we're doing is making more slots for career politicians, who will probably accomplish less than the congress does now.

 

[Fern]

Even more politicians than we have now?

Good lord - No!!!

Fern

 

[MovingTarget]

Although I am for term limits, I can't say that increasing the number of representatives will help things. It really was a practical concern to limit the # of representatives, but apportion them based on the census. What gets me is why the more populated territories aren't at least given a vote in the House. For that reason I can see adding a handful (but no more) of members.