How to break up the two party system?

[Belsnickel]

(10-27-2016, 06:46 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Something like this would make a real big difference.

Have all representatives run "at large" then take the top two or three finishers instead of just one each from a lot of small gerrymandered districts.

That's called proportional voting, it's what I mentioned earlier.

I was in Norfolk at a conference until this afternoon, so I couldn't get into specifics on what I personally would like to see:

1. Increase the number in the House. Currently our number is set at 435 representatives for a total population of about 325 million. Let's compare that with Germany (I know, I like to look to Germany for these things) where they have a lower house number of 630 for a population of roughly 82 million. When you see this comparison, does it make you feel like you are represented? I think there needs to be an amendment made to tie the number of total representatives to the population and the number is increased based upon the census when they are apportioned to states. Right now a Representative has an average of 750,000 constituents. That is voting members, I should also say. Even lowering it down to 300-500,000 would lead to better representation.

2. Get rid of congressional districts. This eliminates gerrymandering. Representatives are voted at-large at the state level by the proportional system. Say we fix a number that essentially doubles the number of representatives. Maine would be apportioned 4 Reps. Now, with 4 Reps you can say that a Rep only need 25% of the vote to take the seat. With ranked voting you would be able to make this happen with people choosing who they want to represent them. It works better when parties actually stand for something, which is what I would like to see happen, but I doubt it will. But, with increased representation, keeping districts would at least be improved. Still, ranked voting for the positions would help facilitate more options.

3. Ranked voting in Senate and Executive races. Just plain and simple. It needs to happen.

4. I waffle on whether or not I would like to see us move to a parliamentary system where the Executive is less divorced from the Legislative. The POTUS is not intended to derive its power from the entire electorate, or rather wasn't. By making it so that the people elect the POTUS, we have removed some of that separation of powers that was set up in the Constitution. I'm not sure what we should really do about it, though. And thus the waffling. If we are going to continue to have the POTUS elected by the people, though, the electoral college needs to go away.