[EM] Another PR method based on ranked ballots

[stephane.rouillon at sympatico.ca]

Alex

it allows two-step to stop a good law too...
Except if you think that statu quo is better than 
any new law, your argument seems falacious
One "intelligent and fair" chamber should be able
to pass only good laws without any strategical
additional component. The goal of a chamber is to
identify and respond to new problems by adapted new
laws. Not to maintain statu quo when some minority
(geographical or other) wants to preserve its advantage
at the expense of the new needs for the majority.
At least it is my vision of thing...

Steph

> 
> De: "Alex Small" <asmall at physics.ucsb.edu>
> Date: 2003/03/25 mar. AM 11:05:54 GMT-05:00
> À: <election-methods at electorama.com>
> Subject: RE: [EM] Another PR method based on ranked ballots
> 
> 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
> 
> 
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