You might be a Progressive liberal if......

[Nosmo King]

We have the right to vote for our representatives. Technically, A,Erica is,a democratic republic. There are pockets of pure democracy in some small towns,where each vote counts on local referendums but, by in large, we are not a pure democracy.

But you think that the electoral college should be done away with, right?

The electoral college was built into the constitution to empower small states in the election of a president. I have no beef with the electoral college.

You are the first "liberal" I've talked to that passed this first test, and I've talked to a whole slew of them. Congrats.

Did you also know that those in the Senate were not originally elected directly by the people? Progressives amended the Constitution to let this happen. I assume you have no issue with this either, even though the Founding Fathers did.

The 17th amendment. I have no problem granting people the right to elect their representatives.

Why do you think the Founding Fathers did not have them directly elected?

It is interesting to note that there are only 2 Senators per state and their terms are far longer than in the House where they are directly elected by the people.

Could it be that they empowered Congressmen more in the Senate for a reason? If so, what? If not, where they just stupid?

The constitution was born of compromise. One way smaller states had of ensuring their interests would be met was by holding appointment of senators.

Through the years political parties were established. More powerful private interests in the various states held more sway in state houses. Political bosses and powerful monied interests became more pervasive in seating compliant senators.

Give the power directly to the people was the democratic thing to do.

 

[Votto]

But you think that the electoral college should be done away with, right?

The electoral college was built into the constitution to empower small states in the election of a president. I have no beef with the electoral college.

You are the first "liberal" I've talked to that passed this first test, and I've talked to a whole slew of them. Congrats.

Did you also know that those in the Senate were not originally elected directly by the people? Progressives amended the Constitution to let this happen. I assume you have no issue with this either, even though the Founding Fathers did.

The 17th amendment. I have no problem granting people the right to elect their representatives.

Why do you think the Founding Fathers did not have them directly elected?

It is interesting to note that there are only 2 Senators per state and their terms are far longer than in the House where they are directly elected by the people.

Could it be that they empowered Congressmen more in the Senate for a reason? If so, what? If not, where they just stupid?

The constitution was born of compromise. One way smaller states had of ensuring their interests would be met was by holding appointment of senators.

Through the years political parties were established. More powerful private interests in the various states held more sway in state houses. Political bosses and powerful monied interests became more pervasive in seating compliant senators.

Give the power directly to the people was the democratic thing to do.

That makes no sense.

If the issue is "big money" corrupting lawmakers, then why have only a hand full of Senators to buy off rather than a myriad of State officials to buy off in regards to appointing them as well as the Senators themselves? It makes more sense to decentralize the system as much as possible rather than the reverse.

I say once they did away with state appointed Congressmen to represent the states they may have well just done away with the Senate altogether.