Views on the US Constitution

[CIVPhilzilla]

One of the most sound documents that has allowed our government to thrive for over two hundred years. For a comparison look at France's government's average reign before being overthrown.

 

[Xanikk999]

Pah. For someone talking about federalism, you sound pretty anti-Federalist to me. The United States is a republic, not a dictatorship by the states. A Republic elects its officials and does not allow a selected body to elect them for it.

One state, one vote is the most disgusting travesty of democracy I have ever heard.

(And I bet you wouldn't support it if the liberal states outnumbered the conservative ones.)

Except that the lowest number of votes any state has is 2. So your wrong. Ive taken government so i know this for a fact.

 

[CruddyLeper]

Call me cynical... but I don't think 2 votes per state is govt by the people.

It's a start though.

 

[Xanikk999]

Call me cynical... but I don't think 2 votes per state is govt by the people.

It's a start though.

Well how many do you think it should be? Not all states have the same amount. Although it could use some adjusting.

But if we are going to stick to the electoral college system to "govern" by the people the larger populated states should have more votes.

 

[.Shane.]

Except that the lowest number of votes any state has is 2. So your wrong. Ive taken government so i know this for a fact.

WTH are you guys talking about? If its the electoral college, the minimum is 3 votes since its a combination of representation in the House and Senate. That said, I'm not sure what Washington DC has for Electoral votes.

If you mean the Senate, yes, its 2 members per state regardless of population. This is not a travesty. Its a check. Its a check on the House where representation IS based on population. Democracy is the careful balancing of the rule of the majority vs. protecting the rights of the minority. The construction of the Congress reflects this very well.

 

[bhsup]

Except that the lowest number of votes any state has is 2. So your wrong. Ive taken government so i know this for a fact.

Three, actually. Two senators + one representative = three EC votes.

EDIT: *bows to Shane* Ya beat me fair and square!

 

[Xanikk999]

WTH are you guys talking about? If its the electoral college, the minimum is 3 votes since its a combination of representation in the House and Senate. That said, I'm not sure what Washington DC has for Electoral votes.

If you mean the Senate, yes, its 2 members per state regardless of population. This is not a travesty. Its a check. Its a check on the House where representation IS based on population. Democracy is the careful balancing of the rule of the majority vs. protecting the rights of the minority. The construction of the Congress reflects this very well.

Nope electoral college is 2. Unless they changed it since the last election. Let me find a linky.

edit: cant find it on wikipedia.
On second thought you may be right but i have sworn that i have seen on maps showing apportionment of electoral votes states that had 2. Were they all wrong?

 

[.Shane.]

Nope electoral college is 2. Unless they changed it since the last election. Let me find a linky.

/gets ready for you to eat your online words.

Actually, let me feed them to you! Open up!

In through the lips
over the gums
watch out stomach
here it comes!

 

[Xanikk999]

/gets ready for you to eat your online words.

But ive seen it say 2 is the minimum on maps when i was in highschool on worksheets! Did i remember it wrong??

 

[bhsup]

But ive seen it say 2 is the minimum on maps when i was in highschool on worksheets! Did i remember it wrong??

You're either...

• wrongly remembering what the map was representing (maybe it was saying min. 2 Senators per State, as a State cannot be deprived of 2 without it's own permission).
• wrongly remembering the number on the map. It was three.

 

[.Shane.]

But ive seen it say 2 is the minimum on maps when i was in highschool on worksheets! Did i remember it wrong??

Yes. Its defined as I described in the Constitution. This has not changed.

NOW OPEN UP!

 

[tomsnowman123]

But ive seen it say 2 is the minimum on maps when i was in highschool on worksheets! Did i remember it wrong??

Sorry to say it, but yeah, it's three.

The number of electors assigned to each state is equal to the total number of Senators (two) and Representatives that the state has in Congress (at least one; thus, no state has fewer than three electors).

Wikipedia Source

 

[malclave]

But ive seen it say 2 is the minimum on maps when i was in highschool on worksheets! Did i remember it wrong??

I think so.

Article. II.

Section. 1.

The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America. He shall hold his Office during the Term of four Years, and, together with the Vice President, chosen for the same Term, be elected, as follows:

Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors, equal to the whole Number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress: but no Senator or Representative, or Person holding an Office of Trust or Profit under the United States, shall be appointed an Elector.

http://www.archives.gov/national-archives-experience/charters/constitution_transcript.html

 

[.Shane.]

This is great, now we just need a 10th person who didn't read the previous replies! BOOYAH!

Xanikk (your name sounds like one of those medicines they advertise on TV), that's a lot of crow served by a lot of people. I guess its nice to have a menu to choose from.

 

[tomsnowman123]

This is great, now we just need a 10th person who didn't read the previous replies! BOOYAH!

Hey, I read the replies. Just wanted to make sure we have multiple sources. That way we know the Constitution wasn't screwed up.

 

[malclave]

This is great, now we just need a 10th person who didn't read the previous replies!

Naw, what we really need is someone who doesn't bother looking at time stamps to notice that multiple responses were made in a short period.

 

[Xanikk999]

This is great, now we just need a 10th person who didn't read the previous replies! BOOYAH!

Xanikk (your name sounds like one of those medicines they advertise on TV), that's a lot of crow served by a lot of people. I guess its nice to have a menu to choose from.

What?

I didnt catch what you meant.

 

[The Yankee]

DC has three electoral votes as well. Probably has had it since DC residents were allowed to vote for president via an amendment a few decades ago. It's usually 88-10 Democrat, so nobody bothers campaigning there (except for grandstanding in Congress )

 

[The Yankee]

Whats with this part here?

In suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved

Now i know that back in those days twenty dollars was a lot of money but has the courts changed their interpretation to account for inflation or is that right still preserved even today?

Probably preserved. Obviously does not mean that all trials are decided by jury (especially those court shows on TV...those are all small claims courts).

 

[Sims2789]

What was his "bid for power"? Lincoln was forced into an awkward position and did a damn good job of it. Had he not been assassinated, Reconstruction could've had a much better outcome.

Good point. Lincon seized power because he had to, and actually ended up shrinking the federal government by making it illegal to hold a person in bondage, which, if enforced by the government, is much more controlling than, say, an income tax (Which was repealed atfer the Civil War).