EXCERPT EMAIL FROM ORGANIZING FOR ACTION
A new grassroots organization is being launched:
Organizing for Action.
Following in the footsteps of the campaign you built, Organizing for Action will be an unparalleled force in American politics. It will work to turn our shared values into legislative action -- and it'll empower the next generation of leaders in our movement.
Michelle recorded a video about the new organization.
We may have started this as a long shot presidential primary campaign in 2007, but it's always been about more than just winning an election.
Together, we've made our communities stronger, we've fought for historic legislation, and we've brought more people than ever before into the political process.
We have the power to do even more to change our politics and our country for the better. With Organizing for Action, you'll have every resource you need to do it.
But it starts with you. This new organization is in your hands.
I'm so excited to see what you all do next -- and so grateful to be part of it.
Thanks
Barack
The national picture:
- REDMAP 2012 Summary Report
- ProPublica: House Seats vs. Popular Vote
- A chart!
- RNC chief backs electoral college scheme
And in the states:
- Michigan Effort Shows G.O.P. Sway
- Wisconsin GOP governor is "intrigued"
- So goes Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, so goes any chance of there ever being another Democratic president
FairVote acts to transform our elections to achieve secure access to participation for all, a full spectrum of meaningful ballot choices and majority rule with fair representation. As a catalyst for change, we build support for innovative strategies to win a constitutionally protected right to vote, universal voter registration, a national popular vote for president, instant runoff voting and proportional voting.
EXCERPT:
The problem is districting, not redistricting. Fortunately, there are reform options that address that more basic dilemma.
The route to a balanced and effective Congress: Constitutional forms of fair voting
The real problem at the root of the Democratic demographic disadvantage and the gridlocked Congress is the statutory decision to elect House members exclusively through single-seat, winner-take-all elections.
The best way to remove the structural unfairness inherent in the current House of Representatives is to get rid of winner-take-all elections. FairVote has a plan to do just that, grounded in our Constitution and American electoral traditions. The first requirement is an act of Congress. The more ambitious plan would be for Congress to prohibit winner-take-all elections in all states that elect more than one House member. A more modest step would be to repeal the congressional mandate for states to use single-member districts that was established in 1967.
Our plan is fully constitutional and would combine existing congressional districts into multi-seat “super districts” of between three and five members, in which members would be elected using fair voting systems – American forms of proportional representation based on voting for candidates – and most voters would help to elect a candidate that they support.
These voting methods have already proven their effectiveness in our local elections and for over 100 years in state legislative elections in Illinois. When fair voting is used in a five-seat district, like-minded voters who make up 20 percent of the district would be sure of electing at least one candidate. The plan would reliably result in balanced and accurate representation of the left, center and right of every district, as would other proven voting methods that are consistent with our traditions of voting for candidates rather than for parties.
Switching to fair voting would balance congressional elections between the parties. Under the current system, there are 195 seats that favor Republicans by at least 54 to 46 percent, but only 166 seats that favor Democrats at that level of safety.
Under the plans we propose, for the U.S. House there would be 195 Republican-leaning seats, 192 Democratic-leaning seats and 42 seats that would regularly swing between the parties. And while the major parties would usually win the seats leaning their way, voters would have credible general election options within their party of preference as well as among third parties and independents.
In the long run, fair voting could also help save the Republican Party. Although congressional Republicans earn a partisan advantage under current rules, the party is hurting in presidential and senatorial elections. Today, Republicans can only win in certain areas of the country. As they become more and more reliant on these strongholds, their presidential candidates become less successful in being able to build support in areas where more voters live.
As a result, the identity of the Republican Party at the national level has become more closely associated with positions that today seem to be a minority view among Americans. For the party to evolve with the times, they need to be able to contest and win seats everywhere in the country. But that broadening of their tent won’t happen if we continue to elect Congress with a single-member district, winner-take-all electoral system.VIDEO LINK
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