[EM] Another PR method based on ranked ballots

[Alex Small]

Olli Salmi said:
> At 08:46 -0800 23.3.2003, Alex Small wrote:
>>Let me close with a question:  For those who still think single-member
>> districts have no place in a legislature, what do you propose as a good
>> model for a bicameral legislature?
>
> Nothing. It's a feudal relic, necessary only in federal states.

Isn't there some value in having two-step decision-making?  I'd rather
have two chances to stop a bad law.

And I don't really like the way it's done in federal states.  Living in a
federal state (the US), I still don't understand how we can justify giving
500,000 people the same Senate represetation as 36,000,000 people.  They
say it's to prevent "Tyranny of the majority", but all it does is give us
"tyranny of the minority."  It would be better to have two houses
apportioned by population (either PR or districts of equal size) and use
supermajority requirements for certain laws that run the risk of being
oppressive (e.g. taxes, creation of government departments with new
powers, etc.).

That's the way we apportion the legislatures at the state level, and it
works fine.  We get slower decision-making without the absurd
malapportionment of the Senate.

Of course, never in a million years will the Senate be reformed.  Still,
the point is that second chambers can make sense on grounds unrelated to
federalism.  They work nicely on the state level here.




Alex