Should the House of Representatives Be Elected by Proportional Representation?

[SPC]

No.  Given the number of states we have and the way population is distributed among them, there's absolutely no way of realistically going to proportional representation without either eliminating the allocation of Representatives to States and thus weakening the Federal system or going to an unwieldy House with more than triple its current size.

Shouldn't larger states (e.g. California) be allowed to try PR on the state level? I'd prefer that to our atrocious top-two system, anachronistic Supreme Court decisions be damned.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

No.  Given the number of states we have and the way population is distributed among them, there's absolutely no way of realistically going to proportional representation without either eliminating the allocation of Representatives to States and thus weakening the Federal system or going to an unwieldy House with more than triple its current size.

Shouldn't larger states (e.g. California) be allowed to try PR on the state level? I'd prefer that to our atrocious top-two system, anachronistic Supreme Court decisions be damned.

I'd have no objection to it.  Indeed, the only thing standing in the way is not the Supreme Court, but Congress (and the state legislatures of course).

Yes, through a MMP system.  And enlarge it substantially.  Abolish the Senate.

So basically eliminate all pretense at having a Federal system of governance?

Theoretically, why would that necessarily be the case?

If you eliminate the link with States, then the National government would have no reason to consider the State governments at all.  Indeed, I would favor replacing the 17th amendment with one that restored the election of Senators to the State governments, but in exchange would limit the powers of the Senate unless legislation impacted the State governments in some direct form.

[Sol]

Well, I mean, the definition I've heard for federalism is that the subnational units are constitutionally protected, and thus have power over certain areas of legislation which the National Government cannot rule on. I don't see any reason why a federal system couldn't work with a MMP or PR system or something.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Name one area today the Federal government doesn't try to tell the states what to do, albeit in most cases by using a carrot instead of a stick.  The situation today is loosely analogous to that of the French king and his nobles.  In theory the French kingship was fairly weak, but his ability to raise money beyond that of his nobles and shower his financial favors on those who were compliant to his whims led to the kingship becoming stronger over time until it became the very epitome of absolute monarchism.

A nationally-based MMP system won't kill federalism, but it will inevitably weaken it by making the Congress insensitive to the concerns of individual States.

[Sec. of State Superique]

Partially. I think it's still important for a portion to be elected by FPTP to allow for local issues to be heard, and to give some MP's a measure of independence. That said the end result should still be proportional. I support something like the German model with a lower threshold like 1-2%.

This ^^^

[ElectionsGuy]

Yes! But if we would, then we would probably have to revamp our current system completely.