POLI330N Determining Democracy
docx
keyboard_arrow_up
School
Chamberlain University College of Nursing *
*We aren’t endorsed by this school
Course
60945
Subject
Political Science
Date
Feb 20, 2024
Type
docx
Pages
3
Uploaded by CoachOkapiPerson291
Ayanna Scruggs
Democracy is a system of government that rules by the people in three fundamental principles popular sovereignty, political equality and political liberty (Greenberg & Page, 2018). This means “the people” determine the government by voting. Every state in America has a constitution which is an important part of America’s democracy. Political scientist Larry Sabato has proposed a new constitutional convention, many of his ideas has pros and cons that I have an influence on how American government is ran.
Pros:
Enhanced Representation and Personal Contact:
Prospective: Enlarging the size of the House would decrease constituents per representative, enabling more fruitful person to person connections. This is consistent with Sabato's reasoning that smaller constituency size promotes more excellent representation and minimizes people's alienation about their
federal government.
Perceived Representation and Alienation:
Prospective: The reality of representation is as important as the perception created. Smaller districts reduce the widespread feeling that the government doesn't care or listen. This can make the relationship between constituents and their elected representatives warmer.
Diversity in Legislative Body:
Prospective: Smaller districts could result in a more diverse representation, demographics and ideologies. Smaller constituencies may have a greater possibility of minority groups having the majority or at least pluralities, making this legislative body more inclusive.
Lower Campaign Costs and Increased Accessibility:
Prospective: A small district size would decrease the cost of a congressional campaign. This can open doors for relatively poor candidates to run elections and thus lead to a more economically diverse selection of candidates.
Cons:
Logistical Challenges and Unwieldy Size:
Concern: 1000 members would be considered significant for the House and challenging to manage efficiently (Amar, 2008). James Madison's warning about the size of legislative bodies implies an upper limit beyond which effectiveness deteriorates. Arranging with the same number of representatives poses logistical challenges.
Potential Dilution of Accountability:
Concern: Smaller constituencies may cause the diffusion of accountability. It may be difficult for constituents to identify the representatives they thus should hold accountable once more representatives are elected. This can lead to an ambiguity about the responsibility of specific issues.
Risk of Political Fragmentation:
Concern: Smaller districts can increase diversity but may also cause political fragmentation. Small interest groups may hinder cohesive legislative agendas and policy organization.
Budgetary Implications:
Concern: This could impact the Budget because more funds would be required to accommodate representatives, their staff, and infrastructure for a more significant legislative body. This could be a problem from the perspective of government spending and effectiveness.
In conclusion, the proposal to increase the size of the U.S. House of Representatives can result in better representation, diversity, and perceived accountability. However, there are concerns about the potential
logistical challenges, possible degradation of accountability, political fragmentation, and budgetary consequences. The balance of these pros and cons would determine the viability and desirability of such
constitutional change.
Reference
Greenberg, E. S., & Page, B. I. (2018). The Struggle For Democracy-2018 Elections and Updates Edition. Pearson New York.
Amar, V. D. (2008, April 10). Should the Size of the U.S. House of Representatives Be Doubled, and Other
Major Governmental Changes Be Made? A Set of Interesting Proposals From Political Scientist Larry Sabato. FindLaw. https://supreme.findlaw.com/legal-commentary/should-the-size-of-the-us-house-of-
representatives-be-doubled-and-other-major-governmental-changes-be-made-a-set-of-interesting-
proposals-from-political-scientist-larry-sabato.htmlLinks to an external site.
Your preview ends here
Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version
- Access to all documents
- Unlimited textbook solutions
- 24/7 expert homework help