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Edited by Mrph1 on Nov 30th 2023 at 11:03:59 AM

DrunkGirlfriend from Castle Geekhaven Since: Jan, 2011
#33876: Oct 20th 2012 at 2:52:05 PM

[up][up] Yeah, it's kind of funny. A lot of people harp on State's Rights, but don't really give a shit about local politics.

edited 20th Oct '12 2:52:15 PM by DrunkGirlfriend

"I don't know how I do it. I'm like the Mr. Bean of sex." -Drunkscriblerian
tclittle Professional Forum Ninja from Somewhere Down in Texas Since: Apr, 2010
Professional Forum Ninja
#33877: Oct 20th 2012 at 2:52:09 PM

State Legislatures are elected depending on what each State Constitution says how they are elected. Most States have modeled the process of of the Constitution, but some states may do things differently.

National Senators are election on a state to state basis, and the entire State votes for that particular election.

Representatives on the other hand, are an entirely different matter. Every 10 years, after the Census has been taken, each state then divides up their state in order to set up who gets to go to the House. Sometimes they may have to cut or add some areas, if they end up getting more electors or lose electors based on population.

But this process is typically ruined because each state gets to choose how they want the areas divided in, and can make it so some districts will obviously lean more to their interests. This can lead to events such as what's happening here in Texas and back early last decade with redistricting fights.

"We're all paper, we're all scissors, we're all fightin' with our mirrors, scared we'll never find somebody to love."
Inhopelessguy Since: Apr, 2011
#33878: Oct 20th 2012 at 2:52:29 PM

... What's the point of having an upper house elected the same way as the lower house? That's the most redundant thing ever. American politics is as contradictory and as confusing as the French tax code. tongue

Trivialis Since: Oct, 2011
#33879: Oct 20th 2012 at 2:52:39 PM

@Kostya: I think sometimes federal congresspersons are called Representatives and (U.S.) Senators, while state legislature members are called "Members of State _".

@deathpigeon: That's correct, but I'm just pointing out that state senates lack the feature that distinguishes the federal senate.

[up]Exactly. Reynolds v. Sims made state bicameralism obsolete IMO.

edited 20th Oct '12 2:53:07 PM by Trivialis

tclittle Professional Forum Ninja from Somewhere Down in Texas Since: Apr, 2010
Professional Forum Ninja
#33880: Oct 20th 2012 at 2:53:27 PM

We originally had the Senate elected by state legislatures, but then the 17th Amendment let popular vote allow us to elect Senators.

"We're all paper, we're all scissors, we're all fightin' with our mirrors, scared we'll never find somebody to love."
DeviantBraeburn Wandering Jew from Dysfunctional California Since: Aug, 2012
Wandering Jew
#33881: Oct 20th 2012 at 2:54:16 PM

From Red to Purple: Arizona’s Shift toward the Center

Everything is Possible. But some things are more Probable than others. JEBAGEDDON 2016
Inhopelessguy Since: Apr, 2011
#33882: Oct 20th 2012 at 2:56:03 PM

-Googles-

From the Wikipedia page:

In the Vermont General Assembly, the smallest district had 36 people, the largest 35 000, a ratio of almost 1 000 to 1.

0_0

WHAT THE FUCK.

DeviantBraeburn Wandering Jew from Dysfunctional California Since: Aug, 2012
Wandering Jew
#33883: Oct 20th 2012 at 2:58:40 PM

[up]

What? The smallest district gets less of the voice than the largest district.

I don't see the problem.

edited 20th Oct '12 2:59:35 PM by DeviantBraeburn

Everything is Possible. But some things are more Probable than others. JEBAGEDDON 2016
Kostya (Unlucky Thirteen)
#33884: Oct 20th 2012 at 3:00:04 PM

I find it amusing that no matter what we tell you you always find something else that just utterly shocks you.

ohsointocats from The Sand Wastes Since: Oct, 2011 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
#33885: Oct 20th 2012 at 3:01:20 PM

Hopey, do you know anything about Vermont?

Inhopelessguy Since: Apr, 2011
#33886: Oct 20th 2012 at 3:03:18 PM

I know it makes Ben & Jerry's. That's about it. tongue Oh! And it's also really tiny. And wasn't one of the original thirteen traitorous colonies.

I find it amusing that no matter what we tell you you always find something else that just utterly shocks you.

Eh. tongue

DeviantBraeburn Wandering Jew from Dysfunctional California Since: Aug, 2012
Wandering Jew
#33887: Oct 20th 2012 at 3:06:04 PM

[up]

Rhode Island is really tiny.

Vermont is just small.

And Washington D.C. is bordering on microscopic.

edited 20th Oct '12 3:10:33 PM by DeviantBraeburn

Everything is Possible. But some things are more Probable than others. JEBAGEDDON 2016
shimaspawn from Here and Now Since: May, 2010 Relationship Status: In your bunk
#33888: Oct 20th 2012 at 3:08:53 PM

[up] More people live in my city than live in that entire state. Then again, the same is true of the city I live in and Finland.

Reality is that, which when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away. -Philip K. Dick
ohsointocats from The Sand Wastes Since: Oct, 2011 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
#33889: Oct 20th 2012 at 3:11:58 PM

Vermont is small, not very populous, and has a very uneven spread of population. It's really not that surprising that you might end up with a district with only 36 people in it.

Joesolo Indiana Solo Since: Dec, 2010 Relationship Status: watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
Indiana Solo
#33890: Oct 20th 2012 at 3:14:16 PM

they could fuse rhode island and coneticut and it'd STILL be really small. it'd be a bit better if you threw mass. in.

Imagine the average state size was the average of the original 13. we'd have hundreds...

I'm baaaaaaack
Inhopelessguy Since: Apr, 2011
#33891: Oct 20th 2012 at 3:17:07 PM

... Does that mean the Ben & Jerry's factory is the entire state? tongue

Why are those states so tiny? Surely it would be a lot more efficient and administratively simple to fuse them together, and create—

Right. Right. America. Forgot.

ohsointocats from The Sand Wastes Since: Oct, 2011 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
#33892: Oct 20th 2012 at 3:18:53 PM

[up]Same reason we don't just fuse Canada and the US together.

Trivialis Since: Oct, 2011
#33893: Oct 20th 2012 at 3:19:17 PM

States are reluctant to fuse because they get less senators. But another problem is that each state has its own government, and you would need to revamp the inner government system and its services if you merge states. It gets messy.

TrashJack Confirmed Doomer from beyond the Despair Event Horizon (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
Confirmed Doomer
#33894: Oct 20th 2012 at 3:19:58 PM

[up][up][up] Would you guys mind lending us some brains? Given all that's going on lately, I'd say we're in rather short supply of them.

edited 20th Oct '12 3:20:33 PM by TrashJack

"Cynic, n. — A blackguard whose faulty vision sees things as they are, not as they ought to be." - The Devil's Dictionary
Kostya (Unlucky Thirteen)
#33895: Oct 20th 2012 at 3:21:56 PM

The constitution makes it illegal for states to have their borders changed without their approval and you can bet such a move would never get enough support.

We'd probably also have gerrymandering on the national level instead of just the state level.

nightwyrm_zero Since: Apr, 2010
#33896: Oct 20th 2012 at 3:22:09 PM

[up]x4 Coz the last time we went to war, we burnt down Washington? tongue

edited 20th Oct '12 3:22:20 PM by nightwyrm_zero

Inhopelessguy Since: Apr, 2011
#33897: Oct 20th 2012 at 3:23:35 PM

Wow.

@ Night. -hi5- Hey, hey, we Brits were there too. -hi5 of Commonwealthism-

ohsointocats from The Sand Wastes Since: Oct, 2011 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
#33898: Oct 20th 2012 at 3:23:41 PM

The point I was trying to make was that even friendly entities need their space and will react violently if you try to fuse them by force.

Inhopelessguy Since: Apr, 2011
#33899: Oct 20th 2012 at 3:25:13 PM

Hmmm. Interesting.

Although, burning down Washington was cool.

Kostya (Unlucky Thirteen)

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