[EM] Introductory Message

[Doreen Dotan]

James Green-Armytage <jarmyta at antioch-college.edu> wrote: 
Bart Ingles writes:
>In other words,
>if the PM election allows ratings of 1-10, a sophisticated voter would
>give each candidate either 1 or 10.

>Presently we vote for the parties that comprise the Knesset separately
>from the PM. I should like to see voter ratings of 1 – 120 (120
>corresponding to the number of seats in the Knesset) for the parties that
>are contending for seats in the Knesset. Thus, theoretically, one party
>could hold every seat in the Knesset (of course this scenario is well
>nigh impossible, but the possibility should exist). This voting
>procedure would not only determine which parties will comprise the
>Knesset, and how many seats they will have, but will do away with the
>present system of parties having to pass a 1.5% thre shold of votes in
>order to have any representation at all

I don't understand this proposed method. How are the ballots cast
translated into the number of seats allotted to each party? You seemed to
have skipped over that part, perhaps because you thought it was obvious.

The current system allows the voter to vote for one and only one party for the Knesset out of the twenty-some-odd parties that are contending for seats in the Knesset. The PM elect is given 21 days in which to forge a coalition, which every PM has always had to do.  No one party has ever garnered 61 seats in any election and the PM must have the approval of a simple majority in the Knesset in order to take her or his seat as PM.  If the PM elect fails to forge a coalition within 21 days s/he is given another 21 days in which to do so. It has never happened that the PM elect was not able to forge a coalition within the second 21 day period, if s/he had the matter would be given over to the President to handle.  One can only imagine the types of deals that are made during those 21 or 42 days of hysteria.

I should like for the electorate to decide the make-up and breakdown of the Knesset by voting for any or all parties in order of preference given 1 - 120 points.  That would, theoretically, allow for, an albeit well nigh impossible, scenario in which one party could hold all of the seat in the Knesset.  Far more likely is that one party may receive a simple majority if the voters can vote their honest preferences because the large parties have very general platforms that "speak" to most voters on at least some points and will almost certainly be among the parties voted for. I am still thinking about how to obviate the need for forming a coalition. All and any suggestions are most welcome.

Applying the Condorcet method to voting for twenty-something parties for the Knesset would get not just a bit hairy in the tallying, methinks. Thus, I propose range voting for the Knesset; although I can certainly see where Condorcet is preferable in voting for the PM.  The Israeli electorate are more likely to vote sincerely for the Knesset wherein the twenty-something parties can express each voters nuance of political opinion. It is in the voting for the Knesset that the will of the electorate is most severely limited and I think the electorate will welcome the freedom to express their honest opinions in voting for the Knesset.

For the Prime Minister I would recommend some version of Condorcet's
method.

Yes, this is the unanimous suggestion that I have been receiving. Presenting the idea as a tournament to the public should make the concept go down easier.

>As you are also a citizen of Ireland, I am surprised you did not
>recognise the potential benefits of
>changing the Knesset voting system to STV-PR, as used in Ireland. The
>only two changes from Dáil
>Éireann I would suggest are larger electoral districts and the use of the
>Northern Ireland STV
>counting rules.
>James Gilmour

I will second this suggestion. STV seems like the right way to do
proportional representation. 

Hmmm.  Two Jameses now suggest this.  It seems to auger well.  I've already bookmarked the site that explains STV and will read i, and others, carefully.

If you were married to paper ballots, then
you probably couldn't do the whole Knesset in one district, so you might
have to sacrifice some proportionality. 


We do do paper ballots. However, using  Kanton Appenzell-Ausserrhoden in Switzerland as an example, we see that "primitive" voting systems can exist side by side with sophisticated politics.  The canton (kanton in German) gave women the right to vote only in the late 80s/early 90s. They still hold town referendums in which the men of the town assemble in the town square, dressed in old-style battle regalia--including swords-- and vote either by raising their hands or raising their swords. However, the President of the Government/Landammann of Kanton Appenzell-Ausserrhoden is one Marianne Kleiner-Schläpfer.  


Also, would you mind explaining what the powers of the prime minister
are, versus the Knesset and whatever other branches of government? 

I sure wish someone would it explain it to my satisfaction to me, James. Not having a constitution those powers are more fluid than suits a lot of folk's taste. Pushy types that Israeli politicians, and Supreme Court Justices, are, they tend to overstep their authorities on a regular basis and only return to their poorly-described perameters and responsibilities if roundly kicked in the butt.

The following sites will provide some (theoretical) picture of the way things work:

http://www.knesset.gov.il/description/eng/eng_mimshal4.htm

Note how on the next site the function of the PM's office is only very vaguely described (there's sort of a sinister air to the non-descript description, IMO) and the role of the PM is glossed over entirely.  I've tried, in vain, to find sites in both English and Hebrew that pin just what the PM's authorities and responsibilities are.

http://www.pmo.gov.il/english/ts.exe?tsurl=0.25.0.0.0

I couldn't access link on the following page to information about the PM's office:

http://www.info.gov.il/eng/min-pmo.asp


Doreen



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