I really enjoyed this post; thanks for the context around Speaker elections in the past. As opposed to explicitly moving to a parliamentary system, I’ve of late come to believe that the size of Congress needs to be vastly expanded. Look at the number of constituents a US Congressperson is supposed to represent versus a Member of Parliament in the UK (or a representative in the legislatures of other developed democracies). I believe that this change could lead to more voices/parties in Congress and more accurately distill the voice of the people. Don’t get me started on the Senate...
Lately, I've been wondering aloud whether this is not the perfect time to move toward a multi-party parliamentary system such as the ones in Western Europe. Think about the Danish political drama series 'Borgen' - coalitions form and reform to pass laws and promote real reform.
We are so close to that today, to the four parties that contested the United States Presidential Election of 1860. The Democrats and the Progressives, who supported Nader or sat out an election wherein Hillary won by almost three million votes. The MAGA Trumpists and "Far Right" and those Republican'ts who are slowly coming to their senses to preserve what is left (pun intended) of the Grand Old Party.
The question is: how do get there from here? Even more so (to quote Auden in 'Our Bias'): "When have we not preferred a little going round, to going straight to where we are."
I really enjoyed this post; thanks for the context around Speaker elections in the past. As opposed to explicitly moving to a parliamentary system, I’ve of late come to believe that the size of Congress needs to be vastly expanded. Look at the number of constituents a US Congressperson is supposed to represent versus a Member of Parliament in the UK (or a representative in the legislatures of other developed democracies). I believe that this change could lead to more voices/parties in Congress and more accurately distill the voice of the people. Don’t get me started on the Senate...
Lindsay,
I appreciate your thoughts.
Lately, I've been wondering aloud whether this is not the perfect time to move toward a multi-party parliamentary system such as the ones in Western Europe. Think about the Danish political drama series 'Borgen' - coalitions form and reform to pass laws and promote real reform.
We are so close to that today, to the four parties that contested the United States Presidential Election of 1860. The Democrats and the Progressives, who supported Nader or sat out an election wherein Hillary won by almost three million votes. The MAGA Trumpists and "Far Right" and those Republican'ts who are slowly coming to their senses to preserve what is left (pun intended) of the Grand Old Party.
The question is: how do get there from here? Even more so (to quote Auden in 'Our Bias'): "When have we not preferred a little going round, to going straight to where we are."
Chevy
South Hadley, MA