Author: Gblonder

National Academy study on expanding the House

Gblonder

Today the National Academy of Arts and Sciences laid out their case for expanding the size of the House of Representatives in an Op-Ed in WaPo and in their full report. After reviewing numerous proposals, they recommend an expansion by 150 members, but do not offer a realistic implementation plan other than lobbying for change.

As we pointed out last week in this ESSAY on DailyKos, begging for agreement is too passive an approach. Instead, we recommend a state-by-state ratification of the existing, live 200 year-old Madisonian amendment. More details as we move ahead.

Expanding the House

Gblonder

Our two party duopoly is unable to govern, and often cares more about their own interests than choosing what is best for the country. New voices and a third party could help break this logjam. One way to make room for new ideas is to expand the size of the House, which is small in comparison to other democratic legislatures. Surprisingly, there is a LIVE constitutional amendment already in play, ratified by eleven states, but over two centuries old.

It’s time to bring that amendment before the other 39 states.

WeAmend is passionately non-partisan. We’ve introduced this proposal on a partisan website to determine if the progressive wing of the Democratic Party might support a larger House. We are now seeking a conservative site to re-post.

See the essay at the DailyKos.

WeAmend at Brookline HS

Gblonder

We tested the WeAmend crowdsourcing technique in the AP Government class at Brookline HS in Massachusetts. The students first identified issues with current presidential pardon powers, then wrote their own amendments, and then debated and consolidated their ideas into a single proposal. BU Today covered the class discussion.