More U.S. Atrocities - "Suicides" Actually Murder Victims at Gitmo

[Xavier_Onassis]

Obama knew when he was elected that he was seen as an inexperienced politician in the national arena. So he decided to allow the Congress to write his health care legislation. In the times of Kennedy, this would probably have worked. But the country is too polarized for that to work now. The US system of government is DESIGNED to make change very, very difficult. In a European country, as in Switzerland, for example, a majority wanted a national healthcare system and the people voted in those who favored it. A much smaller country with less divisions according to political sentiments, they managed to pass legislation in several months. Now most Swiss like it and there is little sentiment to remove it.

The US system is antiquated and designed to produce dissent and eternal debate. Like California, the US is becoming ungovernable because the system itself is defective and unfair. For example two senators represent some 600,000 people in Wyoming, and they have as much influence as the two senators that represent 16 million people in California.
 

[BT]

The US system is antiquated and designed to produce dissent and eternal debate. Like California, the US is becoming ungovernable because the system itself is defective and unfair. For example two senators represent some 600,000 people in Wyoming, and they have as much influence as the two senators that represent 16 million people in California.

You do realize that Senators represent the states and congresspersons represent the people of their district.

That is why Senators were originally appointed by their respective state legislatures.

[Michael Tee]

<<You do realize that Senators represent the states and congresspersons represent the people of their district.

<<That is why Senators were originally appointed by their respective state legislatures. >>

That's interesting and I actually did not know that Senators were originally appointed by their state legislatures.  However, that does not address XO's point, which was the absurdity of two Wyoming Senators representing 600,000 people and two California Senators representing 16 million people.

I have the greatest respect for the U.S. Constitution as a fair, sensible and extremely durable solution to what were originally the problems of the 18th Century, but it looks to me like the time has come for some major revisions.  Hopefully in the same liberal spirit as the original.

[BT]

XO's point is a non sequiter.

California has 53 congressional representatives.

Wyoming has 1.

How is that fair?

[Michael Tee]

It's fair because "California" doesn't have a sick child in need of medical care and "Wyoming" doesn't have to choose between paying the mortgage and putting food on the table.

These are the problems of individuals, not of abstract entities like states.  And individuals in America expect to have their government address their problems.  Individuals in America tend to hold certain truths as self-evident, such as the truth that all men are created equal, endowed with certain inalienable rights, etc.

They DON'T expect that the citizens of Wyoming should be more equal than the citizens of California, that people in Wyoming have a disproportionately larger presence in  the Senate than the people of California.

[BT]

Do you understand the concept of representative government?

Do you understand the concept of political subdivisions?

Your Canadian Senate is comprised of members from each region and the provinces within those regions.

Even the British model has one house based on region (peerage)  and the other by vote.

[Amianthus]

That's interesting and I actually did not know that Senators were originally appointed by their state legislatures.

I've brought it up several times over the years. If you didn't know it, it's because you failed to remember it.

[Michael Tee]

I sincerely appreciate the many facts you've brought into these discussions but you can't seriously expect me to remember every single fucking thing you ever brought in.  Get over yourself, for fuck sake.

[sirs]

Impressive civility.  And Tee thinks I'm someone to ignore