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Politics : Bill Clinton Scandal - SANITY CHECK -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: aknahow who wrote (23158)	12/20/1998 11:30:00 AM
From: sea_biscuit	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 67261

Polling every one for every issue is not practical. However, the system does provide a way to accommodate the whims of the people. That is why the House has 100% turnover every two years whereas the Senate, which tends to represent the considered views of the people rather than their whims, has a turnover of 100% every six years. Making voting a duty rather than a right is an interesting idea. Australia does it.

To: aknahow who wrote (23158)	12/20/1998 11:31:00 AM
From: Les H	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 67261

We need to increase voter turnout. Why not convert those information kiosks in the shopping malls into voting booths? One downside is that if we truly want the elections to be representative, we will need to find a way to install voting kiosks in soccer fields to capture the soccer mom vote.

To: aknahow who wrote (23158)	12/20/1998 1:58:00 PM
From: Lizzie Tudor	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 67261

George, re: congress voting by polls I dont know where you live... In california we have a system that sort of enacts laws directly as a result of people polls, its the proposition system. Anybody can get a petition drive together and if you get enough signatures the proposition gets voted on and maybe becomes law. The problem is, that a number of these laws are wildly popular for the majority at a huge expense to everybody else, or they have complicated consequences etc. One example was this "roll back car insurance rates" proposition that passed about 10 years ago. Every insurance company was supposed to roll back rates, well you know that is going to pass. The problem is a bunch of agencies just left the state. Thats the reason you need representatives vs. a popular vote because the electorate tends to vote selfishly for their own interests without looking at the big picture. The worst example as I have griped about many times before is the property tax initiative proposition 13, which restricts reassessments on property taxes so once you buy your house (starting in 1978) they never raise the taxes except a small amt that in no way reflects the rise in costs for the services you receive. As a result of that law, the young essentially subsidize the old on local taxes and at the same time the incentive is there for these people to never sell their houses. Prop 13 is a huge amt of whats wrong with real estate in Ca and there is nothing anybody can do because the majority wants this law on the books. As a result, there is nowhere for young workers to live and its so expensive that companies are moving out of state. Of course, all the 55 and up crowd got rich off this law so theyre happy. Michelle