More legislative shenanigans by Al Carlson

[bisonaudit]

I am certain the rural states would want the people in the major cities to determine issues pertaining to them. Oh wait we do, it's called the House of Representatives.

Sorry, but the amount of land you’re surrounded by shouldn’t get you extra voting power.

Also, our system, roughly speaking, gives each legislative body and the executive a veto over the others so the House of Representatives can do precisely nothing by itself. Effectively, we are governed by the least representative body not the most (which is arguably the court, now and not even the senate, but that’s a whole other thing).

[Hammerhead]

I am certain the rural states would want the people in the major cities to determine issues pertaining to them. Oh wait we do, it's called the House of Representatives.

Should the N.D. legislature have one senator from every county instead of one per legislative district?

[fanbison]

https://kfgo.com/2022/04/26/565834

Al is most likely in favor of this.

As you know the state wants to increase the threshold from a simple majority to 60% to change the states constitution.
I guess I didn't know. Has every vote we've had on initiated measures changed the ND Construction?

When your an all Blue State or Red State you already have enough or to much power. The people should not have a harder time to make law then the politicians.

In Washington it looks like the fillabuster will soon be history. They want a simple majority for them. 50 plus one for the politicians 60 or is it 61 for the people?

Power grab, hypocrisy

No to this measure.

Currently ND has two types of initiated measures: one for statutes (state laws) and one for constitutional amendments. Example the Marijuana initiated measures are statutory; the term limits initiated measure is constitutional. Current law requires only a simple majority for both types of initiated measures. The proposal to 60% majority is for the constitutional measures only. I am not sure at this point where I personally stand on this issue; but my gut tells me there should be a higher standard to change our ND Constitution than to pass a statutory law.

[bisonaudit]

Currently ND has two types of initiated measures: one for statutes (state laws) and one for constitutional amendments. Example the Marijuana initiated measures are statutory; the term limits initiated measure is constitutional. Current law requires only a simple majority for both types of initiated measures. The proposal to 60% majority is for the constitutional measures only. I am not sure at this point where I personally stand on this issue; but my gut tells me there should be a higher standard to change our ND Constitution than to pass a statutory law.

That would be my gut as well, however my second thought is that there are many things enshrined in the state constitution that aren’t really on the level of what you think about being in the federal constitution such as the locations of educational institutions, penitentiary, hospital. Politically expedient stuff from 140 years ago that aren’t fundamental to the structure and operation of the government that maybe shouldn’t require a super majority to undue. So I’d want to study it much more closely before voting for such a change.

[PickedBess]

Election night looking at the candidates the Republicans and Democrats run. Repubs almost always smart. They run people that are recognizable. People who were on TV sports stars. Trump Oz Walker. Ronald Reagan movie star then radio commentator before running for President. Dems run Black women in the south. I'm sure these women are smart. Can they be elected? Dems need to run actors and sport stars to. I guess they have a death wish.

Did they just say Oz lost. I'm surprised.
Anyway you nominate people who are electable first smart second. It should be the other way around but it is what it is.

[PickedBess]

Working with Bob he'd say to me don't come crying to me, When.
If it isn't broke don't fix it.
Is the current ballot measure system broken?
No it's served us well.
One party governments
One newspaper
One radio voice
One TV owner
No competition

If this gets passed in 2 3 years when most forget this there will be more power grabbing.

Who talks about Hong Kong or Afghanistan.

It was Mussolini who said this is how you take away rights. It's liked plucking a chicken. One feather at a time and they don't notice.

No on this it's not broke.

[THEsocalledfan]

Sorry, but the amount of land you’re surrounded by shouldn’t get you extra voting power.

So you disagree with the founding fathers? Yep, dumb, dumb group......but in today's day and age, folks don't understand how this was a compromise since they don't understand the concept of compromise.

[El_Chapo]

wuhan missed this guy?

[bisonaudit]

So you disagree with the founding fathers? Yep, dumb, dumb group......but in today's day and age, folks don't understand how this was a compromise since they don't understand the concept of compromise.

Of course I understand that it was a compromise. I also understand that it was a compromise forged 245 years ago when the only people with political power were white male property owners and that some of that property consisted of other human beings. I stated explicitly that changing the way were represented in the Senate would be very difficult if not impossible. I get it. Jefferson’s “agrarian” vision is firmly enshrined and the amendment process makes it nearly impossible to change because what would possibly induce rural states to voluntarily surrender their power, right? Let’s just be plain about the system we actually have. It’s a veto-ocracy that’s currently ruled by a West Virginia DINOsaur.

[The_Sicatoka]

... my gut tells me there should be a higher standard to change our ND Constitution than to pass a statutory law.

100% agreement with need of a higher standard.
Constitutional changes should not be at the whim of 50%+1.