Posted on Jun 9, 2021
How Democratic Is American Democracy? Key Pillars Face Stress Tests
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https://www.npr.org/2021/06/09/ [login to see] /how-democratic-is-american-democracy-key-pillars-face-stress-tests
The American political tradition enshrines majority rule, with rights for the minority. But some wonder whether the United States is sliding toward minority rule.
More and more Democrats are saying the system is out of whack.
Twice in the last 20 years, their presidential candidate got more votes but lost the election. And now that the 2022 redistricting cycle is beginning, Republicans in many states will be able to get fewer votes but end up with a majority of seats.
In the Senate, many Democrats say a system designed to protect the rights of smaller states has turned into partisan minority rule. According to the Constitution, every state — no matter if it has 1 million people, or 30 million — gets two senators.
But Sen. Brian Schatz, from the small state of Hawaii, says that disparity is growing.
"The way this is starting to work is that elected representatives who collectively have gathered 10 million, maybe 12 million, maybe by the year 2030 30 million fewer votes are going to stack the judiciary and entrench minority rule," Schatz, a Democrat, said during last year's debate about confirming Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court. "And so something has to give."
The American political tradition enshrines majority rule, with rights for the minority. But some wonder whether the United States is sliding toward minority rule.
More and more Democrats are saying the system is out of whack.
Twice in the last 20 years, their presidential candidate got more votes but lost the election. And now that the 2022 redistricting cycle is beginning, Republicans in many states will be able to get fewer votes but end up with a majority of seats.
In the Senate, many Democrats say a system designed to protect the rights of smaller states has turned into partisan minority rule. According to the Constitution, every state — no matter if it has 1 million people, or 30 million — gets two senators.
But Sen. Brian Schatz, from the small state of Hawaii, says that disparity is growing.
"The way this is starting to work is that elected representatives who collectively have gathered 10 million, maybe 12 million, maybe by the year 2030 30 million fewer votes are going to stack the judiciary and entrench minority rule," Schatz, a Democrat, said during last year's debate about confirming Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court. "And so something has to give."
How Democratic Is American Democracy? Key Pillars Face Stress Tests
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Democracy
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 2
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SFC Casey O'Mally
Yes! Absolutely! Wyoming, with their 3 electoral votes is the problem. So glad you have finally caught on.
Would you like to discuss how voters in high illegal immigration districts have their votes count extra not just for EC, but also for individual representatives?
Would you like to discuss how voters in high illegal immigration districts have their votes count extra not just for EC, but also for individual representatives?
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Yet another Democrat who doesn't understand the purpose of the EC, or the very clear intention of ensuring that all states, even the small ones, have a say in the President.
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