Last political post of the day.
We need to expand the House of Representatives. We are supposed to after every census. We stopped a century ago so that a minority party could keep a majority of seats. Now it’s just because of inertia.
Smaller districts are more responsive to the will of the people. They are much harder to gerrymander. The constitution never intended for one person to represent a million citizens.
Contact your representatives.
@mcnado Gee, imagine that. After decades of our parties demonizing each other, yet collaborating for the benefit of the 0.1%, the voters hate everyone.
#ExpandTheHouse to 1500
#ExpandSCOTUS to 17
Let's dilute this polluted septic tank.
@6G @GreenFire @billyjoebowers Yeah. We should #ExpandTheHouse to 1500 or so. The current number was set when the US population was 1/3 of what it is now.
It's bad enough that we're constitutionally limited to a House of Lords-style senate and judiciary. But the actual democratic organs like the House and the Executive have been massively perverted by our two corporate parties.
I suppose we could fix it if we wanted to.
@WhiteCatTamer Can't say I agree that the solution to hyperpartisanship is to only have one party. Especially when the Constitution itself speaks so eloquently in its silence about political parties.
If the goal is to have one chamber representing the rich and one chamber representing the people, then we really need to bump up the size of the House and reapportion accordingly.
Let's #ExpandTheHouse to 1500 and see how that works for decade or two. Because the solution to pollution is dilution.
@tomiahonen If SCOTUS pisses off the GOP like they've pissed off the Dems, there will be calls to expand the court from both sides. Which there should be.
It's ridiculous that so few appeals to the court are ever heard. It ridiculously inflates the power of the court and of the few judges that sit on it. And even with the self-imposed reduced workload, these jurists can't get a decent vacation in.
The solution to pollution is dilution. Let's #ExpandTheCourt to 17 and see how the stats look in a decade. While we're at it, we can #ExpandTheHouse to 1500 or so.
@Strandjunker #ExpandTheCourt until all appeals are heard. Currently, around 5% of cases are heard. Which is bullshit.
Let's start with 26 Justices - 2 per circuit - and check the stats in ten years.
Similarly, let's #ExpandTheHouse to 1500 or so - the US is 3x the population we were when the current size was set. As a side-effect, this expands the Electoral College, too. Which means candidates can focus on population centers for a change.
Iowa, New Hampshire - love ya both, but it's silly to let your caucus determine anything for New York, Texas, Florida, and California.
@shekinahcancook #ExpandTheHouse
2500 is about right. This changes the Electoral College vote count, of course.
@futurebird Mandatory retirement age for federal office holders (judges, cabinet members, all federal elected officials) at lower of SSN retirement age and FAA commercial pilot retirement age.
Those folks who age out but want to stay in the game can work as staff for younger office holders.
And, of course, #ExpandTheCourt (17) and #ExpandTheHouse (2500)
Calico Jesse
Grumble
Rep. Eric Gallager (no "h"!)