*CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION*

[Platypus]

The system works really well in Australia and New Zealand, and also in the other politics sim I play it. If we are going to have three viable candidates for president (and who knows, we might have more in the future, I don't think we'll remain like the current US system, things will change), we need to have a fair method of election. If 40% of the voters like one candidates, but 60% would prefer the other, how is it fair that the one with 40% is elected (the 60% being split 30-30, just say)

The game will evolve into something that isn't just a Republicans v. Democrats game. It wuill become more international, as Europeans, and indeed, Australians and New Zealanders become interested in the US election. This is the atlas forum, and as such it should represent the whole world. It will become even more international then it lready is, and we need to have a system that allows for new parties, as well as the Democrats and Republicans. A preferential system allows small parties to get some votes, and keeps them intact.

I have a compromize, that is OK, but I still don't love it: the presidential and senatorial elections are first past the post voting, and the house is preferential by party list-ie, every party submits a list of candidates, and voters vote for a party by preferences.

[Platypus]

demRepDans seems better to me, but hey.

One change to both: Senatorial elections should be every fortnight. It gives us something to do. For example in a four month cycle:

weekend 1: Presidential election
weekend 3: senatorial region 1, senator A
weekend 5: senatorial region 2, senator A
7: 3, A
9: 4, A
11: 5, A
13: 1, B
15: 2, B
17: 3, B
19: 4, B
21: 5, B

There is about 22 weeks in 4 months, IIRC, ao the equivalent of weekend 23 would be weekend 1-the Presidential election.

I've played political sims before, and to be honest, there really isn't that much to do between electon, so if we have them often it will keep interest up.

people can apply to be 'caretaker' senators until the election for that seat.

I'm happy with everything else, but I really think that positions (and how they are attained) is very important. I like DemRepDan's idea for the house, but I think that the houseshould only be created once the senate is full.

That is WAY too often.  Maybe Senate elections every 2 months.  Not every two weeks.

What are we going to do in the meantime?

Remember its only one election every two weeks, so it won't take over everything, but as this forum states, its for Fantasy Elections...there just isn't that much to do between them, unless we create an events writer, who writes good, bad and humoress events for the government to respond to, Ie, the atlas forum has been invaded by holidaying gays and lesbians, who want to take advantage of the fact that our marriage laws do not state gender in them (just say). The senate now has to draft legislation to either 1) Band gay marriage 2) Allow gay marriage, but only between two Atlas citizens, 3) Leave the situation as is, 4)whatever...

Truly, until we did this, it was terribly borin. We had full elections (inc. president) every two months; we had a 12-member parliament, we had ministers (it was a Swedish forum, in english), etc., and it was still tedious until we created more elections and introduced events

In three months dont come running to me when youre all bored is all i can say ;p

[dunn]

demRepDans seems better to me, but hey.

One change to both: Senatorial elections should be every fortnight. It gives us something to do. For example in a four month cycle:

weekend 1: Presidential election
weekend 3: senatorial region 1, senator A
weekend 5: senatorial region 2, senator A
7: 3, A
9: 4, A
11: 5, A
13: 1, B
15: 2, B
17: 3, B
19: 4, B
21: 5, B

There is about 22 weeks in 4 months, IIRC, ao the equivalent of weekend 23 would be weekend 1-the Presidential election.

I've played political sims before, and to be honest, there really isn't that much to do between electon, so if we have them often it will keep interest up.

people can apply to be 'caretaker' senators until the election for that seat.

I'm happy with everything else, but I really think that positions (and how they are attained) is very important. I like DemRepDan's idea for the house, but I think that the houseshould only be created once the senate is full.

That is WAY too often.  Maybe Senate elections every 2 months.  Not every two weeks.

true, way too often

[dunn]

One other thing-if, at it looks like will happen, we are going to have a three party system, i suggest we have preferential voting.

Clause X: All elections shall run using the preferential (or alternate) voting system. Voters shall list their preferences for the seat, presidency or other position by ranking them 1,2,3 etc. until all candidates have recieved the voter's preferences. The candidate with the least first round preferences will be eliminated, and all the votes that preferenced that candidate shall be divided into the remaining candidates by second preferences of the voter. This shall continue until one candidate has over 50% of the vote. in the event of a tie, the candidate who recieved the most first-round votes shall be elected.

Absolutly not!!!!!  This is the perfect case for some sort of EC system.  I propose we split the nation into 11 different areas, each with an (roughly, it can't be perfect of course) equal number of states.  Each distrcit will have an EV equal to the number of voters registered (not the number who vote) in the states contained in those districts.  Who so ever gets the most votes in that district gets credit for ALL the votes of that district.  Who ever gets a majority wins.  If no one does, then the election is thrown into the Senate.

(Another proposal would be a graduated system granting SOME crdit to the candidate(s) who doesn't win the district)

The Progressives are far Liberals, we may have a far right party someday, so we need to be equipt to handle that and Giving people multiple votes to throw around is not the solution.  It will just complicate things.

We should have an EV style system.  It would be closer to real life at least.

I agree. The progressive's draft calls for an ev according to the forum 'population' registered voters by states. It can be done by regions (I would go with 5 or 7) but then there is really not any 'states' in the process (just the avatars)

and soulty we are not far Liberals. just progressive. TR's, LaFolleete's. they were reps you know  

[Demrepdan]

The system works really well in Australia and New Zealand, and also in the other politics sim I play it.

This is a forum for U.S. politics...and this is AMERICA! Not Australia, or New Zealand, or England or "FRANCE"...but the good ole U S of A! And I think we should do things the AMERICAN way!!

*starts singing* "Oh say can you see.. by the dawns early light...what so proudly we hailed at the twighlights last gleeming?"

[Demrepdan]

and soulty we are not far Liberals. just progressive. TR's, LaFolleete's. they were reps you know  

Ever wonder why the Progressive Party isn't around anymore?

[dunn]

The system works really well in Australia and New Zealand, and also in the other politics sim I play it.

This is a forum for U.S. politics...and this is AMERICA! Not Australia, or New Zealand, or England or "FRANCE"...but the good ole U S of A! And I think we should do things the AMERICAN way!!

*starts singing* "Oh say can you see.. by the dawns early light...what so proudly we hailed at the twighlights last gleeming?"

yet again I agree demrep

[Demrepdan]

DEMREPDAN,

I really like your constitution, however I would liek to make some changes. if you im me so we can talk. i think dan's is the way to go with some minor changes. Also i dont like this 4 month presidency.. it should be 6

both needed to be edited however I like dunns

You flip flop more than John Kerry during an election year.

[Gustaf]

demRepDans seems better to me, but hey.

One change to both: Senatorial elections should be every fortnight. It gives us something to do. For example in a four month cycle:

weekend 1: Presidential election
weekend 3: senatorial region 1, senator A
weekend 5: senatorial region 2, senator A
7: 3, A
9: 4, A
11: 5, A
13: 1, B
15: 2, B
17: 3, B
19: 4, B
21: 5, B

There is about 22 weeks in 4 months, IIRC, ao the equivalent of weekend 23 would be weekend 1-the Presidential election.

I've played political sims before, and to be honest, there really isn't that much to do between electon, so if we have them often it will keep interest up.

people can apply to be 'caretaker' senators until the election for that seat.

I'm happy with everything else, but I really think that positions (and how they are attained) is very important. I like DemRepDan's idea for the house, but I think that the houseshould only be created once the senate is full.

That is WAY too often.  Maybe Senate elections every 2 months.  Not every two weeks.

What are we going to do in the meantime?

Remember its only one election every two weeks, so it won't take over everything, but as this forum states, its for Fantasy Elections...there just isn't that much to do between them, unless we create an events writer, who writes good, bad and humoress events for the government to respond to, Ie, the atlas forum has been invaded by holidaying gays and lesbians, who want to take advantage of the fact that our marriage laws do not state gender in them (just say). The senate now has to draft legislation to either 1) Band gay marriage 2) Allow gay marriage, but only between two Atlas citizens, 3) Leave the situation as is, 4)whatever...

Truly, until we did this, it was terribly borin. We had full elections (inc. president) every two months; we had a 12-member parliament, we had ministers (it was a Swedish forum, in english), etc., and it was still tedious until we created more elections and introduced events

In three months dont come running to me when youre all bored is all i can say ;p

In the meantime we'll discuss US and international politics and elections. Since that's what the forum's really about.

[Platypus]

we did that during the presidential election, and it won't change.

We need to have something happening all the time, wheher its the elections or fantasy events, or even real events that we draft.

Also Dan, do you ever wonder why the rest of the world thinks we are arrogant?

This is the Atlas Fantasy Elections folder, not the American fantasy elections folder. Sure, we should focus on the US system, it is a great one, but if something from the ROTW works, why not use it? American democtracy isn't perfect, neither is Australia's, but they have a better system of counting votes for sure.

Either way, I think i'm going to lose that vote, so I will concede that the population wants unrepresentative democracy-fine.

But having elections only every 2 months is a BIG mistake, trust me. We at least need events, minimum. I'm happy to be the event writer, excluding me from a position in the government, because I feel so strongly about the need for it.

[Gustaf]

we did that during the presidential election, and it won't change.

We need to have something happening all the time, wheher its the elections or fantasy events, or even real events that we draft.

Also Dan, do you ever wonder why the rest of the world thinks we are arrogant?

This is the Atlas Fantasy Elections folder, not the American fantasy elections folder. Sure, we should focus on the US system, it is a great one, but if something from the ROTW works, why not use it? American democtracy isn't perfect, neither is Australia's, but they have a better system of counting votes for sure.

Either way, I think i'm going to lose that vote, so I will concede that the population wants unrepresentative democracy-fine.

But having elections only every 2 months is a BIG mistake, trust me. We at least need events, minimum. I'm happy to be the event writer, excluding me from a position in the government, because I feel so strongly about the need for it.

Wow...I support prefernential voting, I'll make a stand for the ROTW that I like to call home!

I retain my scepticism about the high frequency of elections though.

[Platypus]

wow, a fellow preferential voting voter-hallelujah!

I'm still willing to let that vote go ahead, btw. See what the public thinks-although as I said the anti-Preferentials will prolly win.

Hope about every four weeks instead of every fortnight, at least? trust me, by the time we reach the month it will have felt like a long time.

[Gustaf]

wow, a fellow preferential voting voter-hallelujah!

I'm still willing to let that vote go ahead, btw. See what the public thinks-although as I said the anti-Preferentials will prolly win.

Hope about every four weeks instead of every fortnight, at least? trust me, by the time we reach the month it will have felt like a long time.

I am ready to compromise, but I don't think we should overdo it.

[ilikeverin]

Actually, dunn, we are far Liberals.

TR & LaFollette were Reps in their time, put as I understand it the Reps and Dems flip-flopped sometime in the 19th century, so they would be Dems nowadays

[Gustaf]

Actually, dunn, we are far Liberals.

TR & LaFollette were Reps in their time, put as I understand it the Reps and Dems flip-flopped sometime in the 19th century, so they would be Dems nowadays

The Republicans were to the right even then, but TR was pretty liberal.

[Demrepdan]

Also Dan, do you ever wonder why the rest of the world thinks we are arrogant?

I was joking......jeeze...

Although I was exagerrating my statement making it a joke.....I still have a point...that even Dunn (someone outside the US) agrees with...

[Emsworth]

I propose that, if a constitution calls for the division of the United States into regions for the purposes of any election, an "international region", composed of the World except for the US, be created in addition to the American constituencies.

[Gustaf]

I propose that, if a constitution calls for the division of the United States into regions for the purposes of any election, an "international region", composed of the World except for the US, be created in addition to the American constituencies.

That would be cool!

[Platypus]

Me likey. Put DC in there also so we can actually have 10 state regions, and call that region the "Soon-to-be-states region"

DC statehood! wOOt!

[ilikeverin]

Me likey. Put DC in there also so we can actually have 10 state regions, and call that region the "Soon-to-be-states region"

DC statehood! wOOt!

Not wOOt silly...

\/\/007!

[12th Doctor]

The system works really well in Australia and New Zealand, and also in the other politics sim I play it.

This is a forum for U.S. politics...and this is AMERICA! Not Australia, or New Zealand, or England or "FRANCE"...but the good ole U S of A! And I think we should do things the AMERICAN way!!

*starts singing* "Oh say can you see.. by the dawns early light...what so proudly we hailed at the twighlights last gleeming?"

Amen to that.

[12th Doctor]

Here is my suggestion for the break-up of the regions.

[MAS117]

Here is my suggestion for the break-up of the regions.

I like that but I think DC and Maryland should be in the same one as NJ, PA, etc

[Platypus]

If we are having 10 state regions, thats impossible.

[Emsworth]

I think that, rather than having each reason composed of ten states, we should have each region composed of such states as to give it approximately 108 electoral votes (1/5 of 538) in "real life." The Rest of the World could form the sixth region.