Transitioning to a larger House
Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2010 9:53 pm
Pseudolus, I was trying to move that last thread but I accidently deleted it. I'm sorry! It just so happens that I didn't lose my reply to your last posting that I was working on (below). Of course, feel free to re-post any of your points. Again, my apologies. (I'm still on a learning curve with this forum.)
You ask how they will "successfully debate and negotiate bills once there are so many representatives". You may not be aware of this, but that debate and negotiation currently takes place in committee rooms, back rooms, hallways and elsewhere. There is no longer a deliberative process of the larger body (and if you don't believe me, I can recommend several books for you to read).
In a much larger federal House, legislation will be proposed out of committee – just as it is today. And 6,000 Representatives can vote up or down on such legislation - just as they do today. If tens of millions of California's voters can vote on propositions (sort of like an ad hoc national assembly), so can a few thousand Representatives. And, as explained in the pamphlet, there is no reason they have to be in DC to cast their vote. So it will be necessary to change a few rules, but that happens when the status quo is overthrown.
I realize that some will want to discuss transition concepts. That is a fair topic but, at this time, I'm just not very interested in it.
I understand your concerns and respect your views, but I'm optimistic that we can make such a transition relatively quickly.Pseudolus wrote: ...jumping immediately from 435 to 6000 doesn't make sense
You ask how they will "successfully debate and negotiate bills once there are so many representatives". You may not be aware of this, but that debate and negotiation currently takes place in committee rooms, back rooms, hallways and elsewhere. There is no longer a deliberative process of the larger body (and if you don't believe me, I can recommend several books for you to read).
In a much larger federal House, legislation will be proposed out of committee – just as it is today. And 6,000 Representatives can vote up or down on such legislation - just as they do today. If tens of millions of California's voters can vote on propositions (sort of like an ad hoc national assembly), so can a few thousand Representatives. And, as explained in the pamphlet, there is no reason they have to be in DC to cast their vote. So it will be necessary to change a few rules, but that happens when the status quo is overthrown.
I realize that some will want to discuss transition concepts. That is a fair topic but, at this time, I'm just not very interested in it.
I do not have any hope they will be willing to increase their numbers at all, except perhaps to an inconsequential extent. This change will be forced upon them either by a victory in the court (in order to achieve one person one vote), or by an amendment proposed out of an Article V convention.Pseudolus wrote: ...and I doubt highly any House would reduce their power and effectiveness in such a dramatic way.