01-06-2008, 08:35 PM
"Who asserted this?"
Okay, perhaps asserted was a bad word choice, implied would be better. If we had more than two major political parties, the power of the Democratic and Republican parties would be reduced. In any case, one of the major purposes of political parties is to get candidates of similar ideology elected. They are a necessary evil.
"As opposed to our system, where we have K-Street lobbyists so anxious to curry favor with the party leadership that they allowed a poisonous toad like Grover Norquist tell them who they could hire and how much to pay them.
As opposed to our system, where these lobbyists write position papers -- sometimes even actual legislation-- for elected representatives. Representatives to whom they have been granted unparalleled access as a reward for loyalty to one party or the other."
We will never be rid of people trying to influence politicians as long as we have politicians. I do not see myself as cynical; this is simply human nature. The only true way to reduce the power of politicians is to reduce the amount of money they control. The Libertarian position.
"It is only recently that Senators have been elected by popular vote."
This was not my point; I do not want to see Senators appointed to their positions by state legislatures or Governors. What I meant was that there is precedent for one man not having one vote when we elect Senators. Going by the population ratios in the 2000 election, a voter in Wyoming gets 50 votes for Senator, while someone in California gets one vote. Or to put this another way, A Senator from Wyoming has 50 times the political clout he should have.
Okay, perhaps asserted was a bad word choice, implied would be better. If we had more than two major political parties, the power of the Democratic and Republican parties would be reduced. In any case, one of the major purposes of political parties is to get candidates of similar ideology elected. They are a necessary evil.
"As opposed to our system, where we have K-Street lobbyists so anxious to curry favor with the party leadership that they allowed a poisonous toad like Grover Norquist tell them who they could hire and how much to pay them.
As opposed to our system, where these lobbyists write position papers -- sometimes even actual legislation-- for elected representatives. Representatives to whom they have been granted unparalleled access as a reward for loyalty to one party or the other."
We will never be rid of people trying to influence politicians as long as we have politicians. I do not see myself as cynical; this is simply human nature. The only true way to reduce the power of politicians is to reduce the amount of money they control. The Libertarian position.
"It is only recently that Senators have been elected by popular vote."
This was not my point; I do not want to see Senators appointed to their positions by state legislatures or Governors. What I meant was that there is precedent for one man not having one vote when we elect Senators. Going by the population ratios in the 2000 election, a voter in Wyoming gets 50 votes for Senator, while someone in California gets one vote. Or to put this another way, A Senator from Wyoming has 50 times the political clout he should have.
