Dan
The ONLY way you're going to get several Republicans/Libertarians on the
Mpls city Council is by
PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION (PR)
As long as over 70% of each ward is DFL + Green, there's NO way your maybe
30% of conservatives can win ANY seats. Even tho you're 30%. Unfair? You
bet. It stinks. But since the DFL gets more seats this way, they love it,
injustice and all. After all, they deserve those extra seats because
they're BETTER - just ask them.
So to get PR, you're going to have to go around the council. Probably via
referendum. You get your conservatives to vote for it; the Greens are for
it; and also fair-minded non-elected DFLers. Maybe enuf to to pass. This
way or no way.
So how would PR work? How would it give your reps power?
According to the version of PR I like, all 13 seats would be voted for in
AT LARGE fashion - but contrary to old-fashioned at large, you get only
ONE vote. You vote 1-2-3 etc and if your 1 loses your vote transfers to 2,
etc.
But most importantly, with 13 seats up, all it takes to win a seat is 1/13
of the votes - about 7.5%.
Can you and your conservatives round up 7.5%? I'll bet you can! One rep.
How about another 7.5%? Ditto. TWO reps! And another 7.5%? THREE! Beyond
this you have to try to guess how people will vote when they are not
penalized for voting their real preferences, instead of the sickening
lesser-evil calculating that kills third parties.
Now with 3 or even 4 reps the Republicans/Libertarians would be a real
force to reckon with! They would be heard on EVERY issue, and courted and
feared. They and you would have real power.
Or you can stick with the present unfair bissed corrupt system, and have
whatever (little) power you have now.
Be prepared for DFL hacks jumping up and down, going ballistic, frothing
at the mouth, predicting the end of the world, etc. But we and they know
they just want to keep the seats that they in effect have stolen from you.
--David Shove
Roseville
On Tue, 23 Nov 2004, Dan wrote:
> > >You see Minneapolis is a one-party town. There is no public debate.
> There
> > >is no opposing opinion.
>
> > Well, what the heck is this list, then?
>
> This list is a tremendous collection of "progressives" and a wee tiny sliver
> of opposing voices.
>
> > And the references to the 4 "park'ers" vs the "5 receation'ers" on the
> Park
> > Board? (Aren't nearly all of them in the same party?)
> > And the constantly changing alliances on the Mpls City Council on
> > each issue? Ever since the election of Council Officers back in January,
> > 2002, when there were some strong feelings expressed. And the Mayor and
> > most of the Council Members are all from one party -- so Vicky says "there
> > is no opposing opinion"? Funny, I see the Mayor & Council members with
> > opposing opinions constantly!
> >
> > Somehow, living off in a rich suburb must give Vicky a real different view
> > than what I see of our city!
>
> I live right in the middle of it, and I see the same view. There are
> disagreements about how to turn Minneapolis into a socialist "utopia," but
> ultimately, our city council has the same end vision, and the agenda has
> been moving forward like greased lightning, regardless of some petty
> squabbles along the way. This town is run by the DFL. There is no disputing
> that. Even the "opposition" (Green) is left-wing. So, where is the real
> opposition?
>
> Dan McGrath
> Longfellow
> http://www.smokeoutgary.org
>
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For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html
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