Sounds like a demographic problem, not a political problem. You just bottom-lined Bud's point for him. They changed things (number of votes) to make it easier for someone else (Latino dude) to win. It's not complicated.
given a scenario where latins made up 40% of the population, and therefore lost each seat on this whatever by 60-40 for a total of 0% representation, wouldnt it be ok to alter the system such that minorities have the chance to be represented by a minority of the lawmakers? yunno, representation proportional to their votes? this doesnt work when electing one dude, but for something that has multiple seats it is fine and works to represent everyone. else the 51% could occupy all seats, then why bother having multiple seats?
Martin, did you read that article in The New Yorker a couple of moths ago? It makes many of the same points you make. I'd post a link but I can't find one on their website.
No, its not. The system was flawed if that many latinos are disenfranchised. THis voting system is an attempt to make a more fair situation. Otherwise you'll have federal courts getting involved making designed minority districts with guaranteed minority representation and judges ruling on all of the elections.
The system is not flawed. It is designed to get people elected and it does that just fine when people have one vote. It's none of the government's concern whether Latinos are disenfranchised. If they don't like it, they can leave. If I lived in an area where the opposite side was true and I couldn't get my guy elected, if it got bad enough, I would move to somewhere less miserable. The government should have no involvement in this. It's stupid and it creates a sense of entitlement and worthlessness.
one vote per candidate is what they have. You haven't paid much attention to the federal government in the last 45 years have you? They are legally involved in voting issues everywhere where large segments of the population was disenfranchised. It's why communities make efforts like this one to enfranchise locally without federal interference, which is heavy-handed and divisive.
Yes, I understand math. I still think it's dumb and unnecessary. I didn't say it doesn't happen...I said it shouldn't, 100 years ago or 100 years from now.
proportional representation is not weird or new and it has been happening in democracies forever. it isnt weird or tricky or underhanded. it is a fairly common way to award seats on councils and boards and whatever. i think fox news is misrepresenting it to make it seem weird. it isnt weird at all.
