How Our Elections Work in the U.S.
By ParaTed2k
@ParaTed2k (22940)
Sheboygan, Wisconsin
November 12, 2007 1:32pm CST
Every election year, I read articles from people who call for changes in our election laws. I agree that reform is in order, but most of the arguments people use to back their points show a basic lack of understanding of how our system works.
Here in the USA we do not have a national election, we have 50 state elections. Why? Because the only office in our government that represents the entire nation is President of the United States. Every other position represents either We the People or The Several States.
Since we don't have a National Election, States are free (within the confines of the U.S. Constitution) to make laws and bylaws on how and when their elections will run.
Senators and House members do not hold federal offices, they hold State and District offices. Furthermore, Senators do not represent the people of their state, they are the voice of the State itself. It is the members of The House of Representatives who are the voice of We the People.
The House members don't represent all the people either. They only represent the people who live in their discrict. Therefore, a Representative from the 9th District does not speak for the people in the 12th.
Yes, there is room for reform in our system, and many ideas are pretty good, but when we write about change, let's make sure we know what the status quo is first.
2 people like this
4 responses
@redyellowblackdog (10629)
• United States
12 Nov 07
"Senators do not represent the people of their state, they are the voice of the State itself."
This is as it was intended by the writers of the Constitution, but is really not the case today. Senators are elected directly by the people. He who puts you in office is who you represent. It might be better to go back to haveing state legislators appoint Senators.
2 people like this
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
12 Nov 07
Exactly! When the Constitution was ammended, changing the way Senators are selected, it stripped the states of their voice at the federal level.
I wonder how the people would feel if the state silenced us in the same way.
The voice of the states SHOULD be returned to where it belongs. There is no reason for We The People to be deciding who should represent the states.
1 person likes this
@redyellowblackdog (10629)
• United States
12 Nov 07
The political parties don't listen to me now.
The states in general have done nothing but continue to lose power to the Federal government after Senators became responsible to the people as opposed to state legislators.
It sounds at first like a backward step to have Senators answer to state legislators rather than the people, but this is exactly why the states have lost power. State legislators, hence the states themselves, are not adequately represented in Washington D.C.
The House should represent the people. The people are you and me.
The Senate should represents the states. The states are the state legislators.
If the states were truely represented, a lot of the federal abuse of power and stupidity would cease.
3 people like this
@xfahctor (14113)
• Lancaster, New Hampshire
12 Nov 07
Great thread Ted and sorely needed. There is a great deal of misconception in this area of political dbate. Particularly with respect to political parties. I have often heard complaints of it being a 2 party system and people atribute this to a fault with in the government. There are at least 47 poiltical parties in The u.s. that I know of, probably more. If it is a "2 party system" then it is the fault of the voters for always supporting the 2 big ones and not the other 45 or so they could choose from, or even forming their own. That and hounding state legislative bodies to make it a little easier for a party to get on the ballot in their state. It Is not a conspiricy of issue with the federal government, it is a voter apathy issue. The government does not run political parties, we do.
2 people like this
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
12 Nov 07
Well, I have a problem with ANY party system. The 2 parties have such a stranglehold on Congress that it's almost impossible for a Representative to be the voice of the people of their district or Senators to be the voice of their states. The fact that votes are considered "along party lines" or "against their party" is disgusting and shows how far from the U.S. Constitution we've allowed Congress to stray.
Of course, parties should be able to exist, but there should be no official recognition of them in the daily business of Congress.
2 people like this
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
12 Nov 07
Exactly, Redyellow... The fact that the states have no voice at the federal level means that there is no one there to look out for the interests of the states. That is tyrranical.
2 people like this
@KrauseHome (36445)
• United States
13 Nov 07
Well, I feel that is some of the issue here at hand, is people being Elected and then no one ever coming to some sort of agreement that really benefits the people at hand. If the people who are Elected especially the President would be for the people, and not themselves, and consider how it will affect others, we would be so much better. But honestly, I think that day will never come.
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
13 Nov 07
The thing is, the politicians know that most Americans have this attitude towards them. In fact, it empowers them to NOT care what the people think.
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
13 Nov 07
Exactly! States have become little more than welfare recipients to the federal government.
1 person likes this
