[EM] Lincoln; Big money, gerrymanders, rotten EC, etc.

[Joe Weinstein]

First of all, some disagreement with DEMOREP.  Then, some agreement.

DEMOREP writes (Thu, 18 Apr 2002 00:23:55 EDT):

"NO apologies to the late Prez A. Lincoln --- see his unreality speech at 
Gettysburg, PA, Nov. 1863. --- taking note that his minority rule 
gerrymander election in 1860 helped produce about 620,000 dead in the 
1861-1865 Civil War."

DEMOREP here argues instances of two fallacies: ad-hominem and 
post-hoc-ergo-propter-hoc.  I believe apologies ARE due the memory of 
Lincoln.

First of all (re: ad hominem), why was it Lincoln's fault (or indeed 
anyone's) that he was elected by 'minority' rule: i.e., a plurality which 
happened not to be a majority?  A few IRVites to the contrary, there really 
are situations where NO articulated position or available candidate is 
supported by a majority.  And was indeed the Gettysburg address any more 
'unreality' than a typical public speech?

Second (re: post-hoc) and more important, did in fact Lincoln's election 
guarantee an otherwise avoidable Civil War and an otherwise avoidable 
620,000 dead?

At the moment I hold a rather non-revisionist Yankee-oriented view.  Namely, 
that Lincoln was in fact a moderate Yankee who really tried to save the 
Union above all.  That he had a good mix of personal ambition and commitment 
to mission and principle.  That the country was permanently better off for 
being kept indisputably united.  That had Lincoln not fought for the Union, 
a later Prez or a later polity - perhaps involving various confederations of 
states and various pro- and anti-slavery mafias - would have stumbled or 
been forced into one or more even bloodier confrontations, lasting maybe 
15-25 years rather than a mere 4.  That had Lincoln not been assassinated 
... we might indeed have had a crucial four years of 'malice toward none, 
charity for all' that might well have spared us a century of excesses - Jim 
Crow, carpet-bagging, 1876 Hayes-Tilden capers and their example for 2000 
Bush-Gore, etc. etc. That 'squatter-sovereign' Douglas had shown himself 
ready and suited to indefinitely more of the indecisive slavery-toleration 
that had already wasted ten precious years since the 1850 California 
'Compromise' which in the bargain had already given us a startup Civil War 
in bleeding Kansas.

Please reread Gettysburg and Second Inaugural addresses: maybe self-serving 
but also truly high-minded - and quite REAL too.

Having said all that about Lincoln, I want to register my AGREEMENT with 
DEMOREP on the actual matters at hand:  electoral college, gerrymanders, 
undue influence of big money, etc. etc.

I despair of easy solution, but one new (for me) tack continues to urge 
itself:  reduce or eliminate the role of PERMANENT or anyhow 
PRE-IDENTIFIABLE power centers - parties, bosses, small office-holding 
elites.  We may thus reduce or eliminate incentives and pathways for 
big-money infusions and for gerrymanders.

One part of the overall mechanism would be to reduce the role of usual 
elections altogether - at least for choosing office-holders as vs resolving 
issues.  Maybe choose legislatures as we choose juries - by lot from voter 
rolls - or anyhow choose candidates by lot, followed by speedy PAV election. 
  Maybe also fill by lot executive and judicial positions, or anyhow thus 
get candidates (with speedy election by AV), from among those who pass 
suitable qualifying exams. (Yes, OK, unavoidably maybe, there might well be 
some litigations as to which proposed exams were truly suitable.)  Make 
terms just long enough to enable necessary business to get done.

Joe Weinstein
Long Beach CA USA


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