Post by terrus on Jul 7, 2014 8:41:41 GMT -5
Members of the Pennsylvania Legislature,
There is nothing more important in a republic than the form of elections. A republic gains its legitimacy by rule of law, and that rule of law is inherently based in the consent and support of the people. Elections are the way through which the people provide that consent, that support, and that legitimacy. It is profoundly important that this nation, and each state, maintain free, fair, and organized elections.
The current at-large election process fails to live-up to the standard of free and fair elections required in a republic. These at-large races inherently disfavor rural citizens by denying them direct representation, and forcing upon them urban statesman better known to most voters. These at-large races inherently disfavor working citizens by forcing them to track dozens of candidates in a single race, in addition to dozens of candidates in other races. And these at-large races leave electoral districts far too big, blocking individuals from realistically influencing their own representatives. The problems with at-large elections are many -- and the advantages few.
Pennsylvania will possess eleven seats in the House of Representatives during the next decade. An at-large election for that many seats is simply an absurdity -- the kind of poor electoral system that can be compared only to Britain's "virtual representation." Our colonies rebelled to end this concept -- let us now not replicate it in the form of badly organized elections. Representation in government is too important for such an over-simplified system; let us instead pick a simple, but effective, form of representation, one indeed used by Pennsylvania's own legislature -- that of single district representatives.
Do not just take my word for this -- review also the New York Daily Times, whose editor has explicitly endorsed this policy.
Thank you for your time,
James Terrus
Attorney for the United States
There is nothing more important in a republic than the form of elections. A republic gains its legitimacy by rule of law, and that rule of law is inherently based in the consent and support of the people. Elections are the way through which the people provide that consent, that support, and that legitimacy. It is profoundly important that this nation, and each state, maintain free, fair, and organized elections.
The current at-large election process fails to live-up to the standard of free and fair elections required in a republic. These at-large races inherently disfavor rural citizens by denying them direct representation, and forcing upon them urban statesman better known to most voters. These at-large races inherently disfavor working citizens by forcing them to track dozens of candidates in a single race, in addition to dozens of candidates in other races. And these at-large races leave electoral districts far too big, blocking individuals from realistically influencing their own representatives. The problems with at-large elections are many -- and the advantages few.
Pennsylvania will possess eleven seats in the House of Representatives during the next decade. An at-large election for that many seats is simply an absurdity -- the kind of poor electoral system that can be compared only to Britain's "virtual representation." Our colonies rebelled to end this concept -- let us now not replicate it in the form of badly organized elections. Representation in government is too important for such an over-simplified system; let us instead pick a simple, but effective, form of representation, one indeed used by Pennsylvania's own legislature -- that of single district representatives.
Do not just take my word for this -- review also the New York Daily Times, whose editor has explicitly endorsed this policy.
Thank you for your time,
James Terrus
Attorney for the United States