Tom Mast, founder Solve American Gridlock
Let’s pretend, please, something that won’t work your grey cells too hard. Pretend that for many decades Congress’s House of Representatives has had members who for the most part come from districts that have a several members. On top of that, voting methods used for both houses have endeavored to make the results proportional to those casting the votes.
We have four parties large enough to make a difference, and have had roughly this number for some years. Every two years the new members and senators elect their chamber’s leaders, and it is never obvious from which parties these will come. The number one and number two leaders in each house are usually from different parties. Committee chairpersons also are from more than one party, often being the most knowledgeable and experienced person in the committee’s topic. Both houses also use ranked choice voting for all these elections to ensure broad support.
It has been most gratifying to note some of the results that have ensued these past fifty and more years from the electoral methods and events described above.
U.S federal debt as a percent of GDP is on a par with other leading nations.
Our medical system is fair to all, above average in results, and no more expensive than most other countries.
America is respected by friend and foe alike.
The Senate Foreign Relations committee, like that of William Fulbright, provides valuable advice and counsel to the administration in foreign affairs.
Most members of Congress spend the majority of their time in Washington.
But (with clouds and rolls of thunder), a recent groundswell of support in Congress has arisen to require single-member districts for the House and make other changes.
House members are excited about the possibility of having their own private districts.
Talk has arisen among some about the possibility that their party could exercise influence in the shape of these new districts so as to make it very difficult for another party to win. This talk has advanced to the point that they are trying to dream up a name for this process.
There has also been discussion of possible other changes that would make voting less proportional and thus favor having fewer parties.
The real thrill being experienced is the dream that their party could control both houses of Congress and make the rules and laws by which everything happens.
Excitement abounds!
My mother used to tell me that such a tale was a Flight of Fantasy, but I prefer to call it a Parable.
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