Abolish US Electoral College?

[KrazyHorse]

Thanks, Ashie baby.

In the current system, small states (and small provinces in Canada, due to grandfathering of seats in Commons) are simply modern-day rotten boroughs.

[Asher]

Originally posted by KrazyHorse
In the current system, small states (and small provinces in Canada, due to grandfathering of seats in Commons) are simply modern-day rotten boroughs.

(not to turn this into a Canadian political thread, but would you consider Alberta from 1980-1985 to be a "rotten borough" It's a prime example of the tyranny of the majority trampling the rights of the minority -- end threadjack)

[KrazyHorse]

dp

[KrazyHorse]

If we extended your concept to the real world with an extreme situation, what if 50.0001% of the people in our world decided that all socialists should be killed? One man, one vote, rule of the majority, right? All the socialists are round up and killed.

The idea of the Senate is to have rule of the majority while respecting the rights of the minorities. Comprende?

That's why both Canada and the US have Constitutions.

The Senate simply helps respect the rights of geographic minorities (and only those that happen to have gotten themselves their own state). Why don't we reserve more votes for racial, religious or political minorities?

[Asher]

Originally posted by KrazyHorse
That's why both Canada and the US have Constitutions.

The constitutions obviously don't go far enough, considering we've already got a situation in one nameless country without a senate like this where one province's views are totally ignored by the rest of the country and they don't matter to them at all, since it's a minority province with "extreme" viewpoints.

Why don't we reserve more votes for racial, religious or political minorities?

Because we don't elect based on those, that's why.
We elect based on region.

[KrazyHorse]

Originally posted by Asher

(not to turn this into a Canadian political thread, but would you consider Alberta from 1980-1985 to be a "rotten borough" It's a prime example of the tyranny of the majority trampling the rights of the minority -- end threadjack)

How would you have prevented that? Even with each prov. getting an equal number of reps in an EEE senate, Alberta's still outnumbered 9-1.

[KrazyHorse]

Originally posted by Asher

The constitutions obviously don't go far enough, considering we've already got a situation in one nameless country without a senate like this where one province's views are totally ignored by the rest of the country and they don't matter to them at all, since it's a minority province with "extreme" viewpoints.


Because we don't elect based on those, that's why.
We elect based on region.

It's a silly system.

Oh, and same question. Alberta's views would still be ignored pretty easily. It's only one province.

[notyoueither]

Originally posted by KrazyHorse In other words, why accord small state more power than its numbers merit?

Should we give minorities more say than their numbers merit because there are less of them?

Not minorities KH. Regions. Wait until you experience the tyranny of the majority. Then you will know.

BTW, you almost did. All your fanciful talk of Montreal breaking off from Quebec to stay a part of Canada is just cr*p. Montreal would be engulfed in the first flourish of the sovereigntist militias. The north might be an issue, but not Montreal. Sorry.

[Buck Birdseed]

Originally posted by KrazyHorse
Why should people in small states have their votes count for more?

In other words, why accord small state more power than its numbers merit?

Because it's a federal system? In the EU, which is quite a few steps looser than the US, each state has a veto over major decisions. This system effectively provides a middle ground between each state having equal power (Which would incense the bigger states) and a competely non-federal system (Which would rightly incense the smaller states).

Should we give minorities more say than their numbers merit because there are less of them?

I always advocated a system like this. Don't let the stronger groups push down the weaker groups...

[Asher]

Originally posted by KrazyHorse
How would you have prevented that? Even with each prov. getting an equal number of reps in an EEE senate, Alberta's still outnumbered 9-1.

I don't think BC would have agreed with it. They weren't too fond of the policy either IIRC.

And it's still a better situation than currently. I mean, how retarded is it that the prime minister can arbitrarily select senators that stay senators for the rest of their life? Even when a province votes in someone completely different, the PM ignores that and appoints one of his liberal cronies.

THAT system is retarded. The US' system is far and above a better idea.

If it wouldn't make much difference as you're implying, why are you afraid of it?

[KrazyHorse]

Because I'm not going to let people steal the importance of my vote from me.

[notyoueither]

Originally posted by Snapcase
I always advocated a system like this. Don't let the stronger groups push down the weaker groups...

OMG. I want to have Snapcase's baby!

::Heart Attack::

[KrazyHorse]

Our Senate is stupid, but it has zero real power, therefore we can ignore it. For all intents and purposes we have a unicameral parliamentary government.

[Asher]

Originally posted by KrazyHorse
Because I'm not going to let people steal the importance of my vote from me.

But if you live in an area where your vote is "useless" that's what you're doing in the current system.

Christ KH, look outside your own little box. Learn to put yourself in another situation.

[Asher]

Originally posted by KrazyHorse
Our Senate is stupid, but it has zero real power, therefore we can ignore it. For all intents and purposes we have a unicameral parliamentary government.

Which is controlled entirely by the majority government, which is elected entirely by ONLY the majority of the people.

You openly admit that there are no safeguards at all to protect provinces being assraped under the current system, and you're absolutely okay with this since you live in the 2nd largest province in the country.

HEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLOOO
wake up.

Edit: You also realize that 40% of the country's votes are actually dictating EVERYTHING that happens in Canada right now under that very same system? It's totally screwed up, and the USA's setup is far and away a better idea. At least they limit each branch's powers and use a system of checks and balanced, which are blatantly missing from Canada.