Election Day Thread...

Carl said:
Not sure. I don't mind learning, but can't find a use for the HOR these days. What is the relevance?
Click to expand...

The number of representatives in the House is based on state population. But each state gets two senators. The idea is to keep the interests of the most populous states from completely dominating legislation, while still providing for majority rule.

When the Constitution was ratified, state legislatures elected the senators, which provided even more of a balance between a body more attuned to mass society and a body less beholden to popular desires, but we kind of screwed that up.
 
Kbrown said:
The number of representatives in the House is based on state population. But each state gets two senators. The idea is to keep the interests of the most populous states from completely dominating legislation, while still providing for majority rule.

When the Constitution was ratified, state legislatures elected the senators, which provided even more of a balance between a body more attuned to mass society and a body less beholden to popular desires, but we kind of screwed that up.
Click to expand...

So, I repeat my question. What use is this today? We have about 25 states with a combined population of about 50 Million deciding what happens in the country as a whole. What real power does the House have?
 
Carl said:
So, I repeat my question. What use is this today? We have about 25 states with a combined population of about 50 Million deciding what happens in the country as a whole. What real power does the House have?
Click to expand...

He just answered that question. It's to keep the most populous states from dominating legislation. The House is the body based on population edges, where California has a huge edge in number of representatives over a state like Missouri.

You have to pass both bodies to become a law. So there's a population based system AND an equal share based system in place.

The House of Representatives and the Senate are basically equal footing when it comes to passing laws. Neither can trump the other.
 
Carl said:
I will say again. CA has about 40 million residents; yet we get 2 senate seats. Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, West Virginia, Tennessee, who all voted Republican on Tuesday, each get two. About 30 million people live in those states combined. So 16 senators against two. Change the system.
Click to expand...

The house of representatives distribution takes care of that. If both the house and Senate were seated by population, a coalition of approximately 6 or 7 states could completely control the entire political process. The division of population representation and equal voting on the other side keeps a minority of states with a majority of population from complete domination.
 
Last edited:
Carl said:
So, I repeat my question. What use is this today? We have about 25 states with a combined population of about 50 Million deciding what happens in the country as a whole. What real power does the House have?
Click to expand...

The house has tons of power since you can't pass a law without it passing the house.
 
150707_10152896499258623_8439761777038777401_n.jpg
 
I recently learned some information about why the recent election went the way it did. Initially the Democrats started with an overwhelming lead by the voters but as the day wore on the republicans got off work then voted.
 
L.T. Fan said:
I recently learned some information about why the recent election went the way it did. Initially the Democrats started with an overwhelming lead by the voters but as the day wore on the republicans got off work then voted.
Click to expand...

:lol

LT with the zinger.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom