Is Proportional Representation the future for the US?

We know the two party system is a sham and we see it's faults everyday, rather than expecting a solution from the two parties that are hell bent on destroying this country ,I suggest we change the system to give more representation to the people.

A quick definiton:

Electoral system in which the share of seats held by a political party in the legislature closely matches the share of popular votes it received. It was devised in Europe in the mid-19th century to guarantee minority groups more representation than was possible under the majority or plurality systems. Its supporters claim that it creates a more accurate reflection of public opinion; its opponents argue that by allowing more parties in a legislature, it may result in weaker, less stable governments. Two methods for apportioning seats are the single-transferable-vote method, under which voters rank candidates by preference, and the list system, under which voters select a party's list of candidates rather than individuals. Some countries (e.g., Germany and Russia) use a combination of plurality and proportional methods for allocating seats in the lower house of the national legislature

source

While I jest about a pirate for president in the US, I am really pointing out the need for changes to our political system that would be needed for that to happen, imho one being Proportional Representation.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Proportional representation (PR) is a principle applied to voting systems to elect an assembly or council to ensure that the number of seats won by a party or group of candidates is proportionate to the number of votes received. For example, under a PR voting system, if 30% of voters support a particular party then roughly 30% of seats will be won by that party.

PR is an alternative to voting systems based on single-member districts or on bloc voting. These non-PR systems tend to produce disproportionate outcomes for the winning party or parties (shares of seats larger than shares of votes) and are biased in favour of larger political parties. Under PR systems, smaller parties are allocated seats in proportion to their share of the vote and are thus more likely to secure a certain level of representation, although the details will vary from case to case depending on the details of any particular system.

source

OK I was just starting to draft this, I hit the enter key and it posted, oops!

We would not be changing to socialism nor communism but we would be giving more representation to the people, which is something that is sorely needed, as the recent single digit approval rating of congress shows.

Its not a two party system, only the masses keep voting for the two parties.

Every time i get into this conversation i get the same comments.
Why vote any other way when they wont get enough votes to make a difference. Voting is rigged...blah blah blah.

What needs to be done is people need to get their heads out of their rears and use the brain god gave them.

Everyone needs to vote for an alternative party. EVERYONE.

Then the truth shall be revealed.

Arrgggh matey, I always vote for the alternative party and when I admit it, I get strange looks from people.

originally posted by: InTheLight
Arrgggh matey, I always vote for the alternative party and when I admit it, I get strange looks from people.

Same here. Im sure its because of the reason i listed too.

a reply to: shaneslaughta

It is a winner takes all system in which is dominated by the two main parties.

Proportional Representation would encourage voters to vote for the party that best represents them, rather than the lesser of the two evils as so many feel the need do with the current system.

a reply to: AlaskanDad

The Federal government and the crony politicians need to do no more than honor the Constitution and do their job as described there in!

Why can't people see that!

We allow them to break their oaths and this is what we get!!!

Pretty simple concept to fix if you ask me!

But then again with the new MS5 that just came out, I am mentally ill for not obeying my government! GO FIGURE!

Obama fail, senate fail, congress fail...but we keep the same people in power.

Brainwashing at its finest.

a reply to: AlaskanDad
I like the premise behind it. It could adjust the balance of power and give the minority parties a better than a snowballs chance in hell.

a reply to: shaneslaughta

Brain washing?

I think most of feel sick when we see our choices on the ballot, even many who vote party lines are getting discouraged by the choices available to them.

As for voting for independents, great idea...

...but how much representation has it got you?

I mean remember Ron Paul and what the system did with him?

How about we go back to the ideas of the COTUS?

Abolish the amendment that took Senators away from the states so that the states are represented in Washington. Then, go back to awarding Representatives to every so many 100,000 people. Make the House a body that meets electronically so that House Reps much stay in their Districts except for a few, very specifically defined days per year when they meet in committee or as a whole body. That way they stay accountable and available to their constituents. And with that many House Reps, it gets harder to buy off the whole body.

a reply to: AlaskanDad

There is also the point at which the Tree of Liberty must be refreshed. If they won't respond and bring the system back, then we have the duty to take it back.

originally posted by: AlaskanDad
a reply to: shaneslaughta

Brain washing?

I'm speaking of the thought that you cant vote another party into power, that its a two party system.
That brainwashing.

a reply to: ketsuko

While looking back is a fine idea, the problems we are facing today evolved from our past. There fore does it not make sense to look forward and modernize out political system.

Or maybe we should bring back the wearing wigs to?

a reply to: shaneslaughta

Or it could just be conditioning / reality of seeing the results of past elections,

either way we need a change, do we not?

originally posted by: AlaskanDad
a reply to: ketsuko

While looking back is a fine idea, the problems we are facing today evolved from our past. There fore does it not make sense to look forward and modernize out political system.

Or maybe we should bring back the wearing wigs to?

The COTUS as written was an elegant cage against a strong, centralized government. If the government as we have it is not working then perhaps it's time to put it back into that cage rather than try to fix a system that's too big and too powerful.

The measures I proposed were things that kept the centralized government weakened and helped cage it.

We broke something when we made those changes to our older system. In other words, it was by moving forward that we got ourselves into this mess.

a reply to: seeker1963

We allow them to break their oaths and this is what we get!!! - See more at: www.abovetopsecret.com...

It goes beyond that, we are allowing them to make pledges to others outside of our government, even pledges as to what they will or will not do for our country!

Yup there needs to be a spring cleaning of the politicians!

Another advantage to knee-capping the strength of the feds and decentralizing the overall system is that it puts power back in the hands of the local and state governments. Sure, you're going to get corruption at those levels (see: Chicago and Illinois) and examples or horrific governance (see: California), but by localizing you reduce the number of people who will suffer those system and you allow them an easy avenue of escape. Eventually, the bad systems will collapse (see: Detroit) allowing a chance for new and better practices to be brought in.

Localized pain and misery is better than pain and misery and potential disaster on a national scale. We can recover and survive localized bad governance a lot better than sustained bad governance on the national level.

You can pull a weed out, but if you don't get the root it can always grow back.

IMO: This is a band aid on a gunshot wound.

Double.

originally posted by: AlaskanDad
a reply to: seeker1963

We allow them to break their oaths and this is what we get!!! - See more at: www.abovetopsecret.com...

It goes beyond that, we are allowing them to make pledges to others outside of our government, even pledges as to what they will or will not do for our country!

Yup there needs to be a spring cleaning of the politicians!

Who's fault is that though?

It's the American voters whom failed to remain vigilant!

In this day and age I see the States looking towards a Constitutional Convention............well, you just might get the change your looking for!

I'm not thinking it is going to be good for any of us though!