Re: OT: Constitutional issues [Was: Re: How to prime kids to learn 3+ languages?]

On Oct 6, 6:16 pm, Trond Engen <trond...@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

The winner-take-all system is one of these unforeseen effects that
naturally grown constitutions are full of (and still the constitutions
work and people are so happy with them they almost consider them
sacred). The system is obviously wrong. At best, because the many states
tend to neutralise eachother, it's not very wrong. At worst it could
give the power to a man -- or a woman -- representing only a slim
majority in a few big states.

I think mathematically, some form of winner-take-all structure is
desirable. Imagine an election process where 100 million people vote.
Say, the winner gets 50,000,001 votes and the loser gets 49,999,999
votes. If every vote were absolutely equal, this would require a
recount of all the 100 million votes. This situation is not
theoretical. Narrow margin has happened in many places of the world.
And the result is always political inestability. Without any lump-sum
or winner-take-tall structure, narrow-margin problems can create so
much violence that destroys the very essence of democracy.

Theoretically, technology should be able to make good vote counters.
Realistically, when the size of voter pool is large, millions of
things can go wrong, and do go wrong. Confining the disputed precincts
is crucial.

If there is some form of winner-take-all, or even several stages of
winner-take-all, the disputed precincts can be better isolated. And
this also gives key minority voters/states a chance to exert their due
influence, whose voices would otherwise be drowned.

-- Ekki

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: "Uncommitted" beat Duncan Hunter.
    ... Since there are so many states that give out delegates ... Utah, Connecticut, and Delaware are winner-take-all ... delegates to the winner in each Congressional district, ... delegates among whoever gets at least 15% of the vote; ...
    (rec.sport.pro-wrestling)
  • Re: OT: Constitutional issues [Was: Re: How to prime kids to learn 3+ languages?]
    ... naturally grown constitutions are full of. ... Say, the winner gets 50,000,001 votes and the loser gets 49,999,999 votes. ... your point is rather an argument for indirect democracy generally than for a winner-take-all system especially. ... one of the often mentioned weaknesses of multi-party parliamentary democracy is just how key minorities gain more than their share of importance through one-cause parties maneuvering between blocks in shifting coalitions. ...
    (sci.lang)
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