Conflict of the Ideal and the Real

[ScottSolomon]

But wouldn't that give a disproportionately large number of representatives to the northeast and to California

In the House of representatives, this is the way it works. That is why the Senate has only two members per state ( which should be expanded to 3 ). What I was trying to say - if I was not very clear - is that the House not be divided by state, but the percentage of votes per party would dictate the house's composition. Then, among the parties, the highest voted party members would receive the seats.

This would not necessarily give an extreme representaion to northestern. In the House, since the represetntation is of a point of view - not a geographic reason, the most ardent spokespeople for your political ethos would be receiving the seats - regardless off their state of origin.

The senators would still be state based, but since there are three of them, and the seats are awarded by state political demographics, a third party candidate would only need to get about 30% of the vote to gain entry to a seat of congress.

I think the executive branch has far too much power and far too little oversight. Our Legislative and Judiciary Branches have really lost their ability to effectively limit the powers of the executive branch.

In my opinion, the president should function like a good CEO. He should have to prove his positions and should be interrogated by the board ( Congress ) regularly. I do not think the president should be allowed to keep his seat if he has botched the job to an extreme degree, but not committed an impeachable offense. Even an honest CEO can make major mistakes. If a CEO makes major mistakes, he gets fired. Currently, if the president botches his job, he has 4 years to shift the blame, create scapegoats, and villify dissentors.

I think this gives the president too much leeway.

Too ridiculous for comment.

If it is not talking about the names of spies, contacts, or secret technology, with regard to national security from a credible threat, I do not think it should be kept secret.

Bush signed in a law that keep the president's records out of the public domain for many, many years longer than before. He also made the same protection valid for Bush Sr. and Clinton.

These are just a cheap thought experiments anyway.