Do you agree that we in the USA would have a better government if something like the following change was made

Question

The Constitution established a House and a Senate as part of a government with three equal branches. The idea followed the British model where Parliament had a House of Lords to represent the landed and rich and a House of Commons to (supposedly) represent the average man. Since it is apparent to everyone that all Congressmen in the US are now rather well to do, most are attorneys or successful real estate or professional people in both Houses, and that average people have no chance of serving due to the practical demands of being a politician, is it time for a constitutional change to add a third house, with equal powers, shared responsibilities and a veto (requiring a 3/4 majority assent to exercise) before bills go to the executive branch. This would balance the power now weilded by the rich in our country. The method of selection of representatives would not be an election to insure not perpetuating the mess we have now.

The size of this house would be based absolutely on population numbers as the Hosue was before its size was limited to a fixed number. All the representatives of this House would be drafted using techniques to insure a true random sampling from all the citizens over 18 of the USA. This would make a House of average people, smart, dumb, street people, old, young, male, female, mentally healthy, and 'people like me', etc. I'm certain that few of them would have a problem with accepting the standard Congressional salary for 6 years, since almost none of them would be making as much in their normal professions. If they truely represented there constituents and played their cards right then perhaps they could get elected into the old house or Senate even after their terms expire. So, this provides the chance of changing those institutions into more representative bodies also by providing additional candidates of merit.

Answer 1

You are right, how could a plumber do worse, and snobs like that comment about not wanting plumbers in office is what's wrong with the system now. The lawyers adobted their own language to keep the people confounded. The people that first ran the government went home to their farms afterwards and we grew just fine. Now we are more complicated mostly because they made laws and rulings that give them too much control over the common man, weneed to eliminate at the start, 50 laws to pass one bill on it's way. What about drastic change, for a drastic situation, perhaps two leaders, or presidents. One for domestic policy, and the other for foreign or world policies.

Answer 2

I think that adding a fourth tier of government would be unproductive and unwieldy.
Most democracy don't have the executive level of governance the US does instead that role is usually only ceremonial IE Queen, Governor General or ceremonial president like in Ireland and the position is not political therefore powerless.
All real power then resides in the Parliament.
From the outside looking in the US system seems complicated and unwieldy,
I've always thought that true representation can only be achieved by drafting citizens into a senate or a house of review the same way a jury would be selected.
People would have to give up a year of their lives to the running of the country.
You may think this would be difficult on those chosen but so is serving on a Jury in a capital case and we have no problem with average citizens doing that.
This way you would have true representation and no hidden agendas.

Answer 3

The problem you raise could be much more easily addressed by allowing public financing of Congressional elections as they have for local elections in several states --

I think drafting people is a terrible idea -- undemocratic and you would get a lot of incompetent, ignorant and apathetic people.

And why people are putting down plumbers is beyond me, a plumber could easily do as good a job as a lot of the people in congress right now. Also, where I come from a licensed plumber can make as much money as a doctor -- and plumbing contractors with employees can be millionaires.

Answer 4

"is it time for a constitutional change to add a third house, with equal powers".............................
I do not agree with you. It is however the time to change the present way we do things and go back to the original intent of the Founding Fathers.
Each time we add an ammendment these so called educated politicians add another pc. of garbage along with it the useless ACLU jumps in to add their "worthless" 2 cents, the Fed. Judges are starting to believe they are the constitution and the mess we have now is because of this.. Ah....John Quincy Adams..."where are you"...nobody with guts anymore, Jefferson....! no one has balls any more....Washington...! we are about to start laughing at you also for having served your country with no salary, aids to give aids to, no one is freezing/sweating and is in the front line with our troops....
Go back to the way it was meant to be. One more governmental body will only add more pain,confusion and cheat the American people of their original given rights.

Answer 5

I don't want some union plumber sitting on my federal legislature.

Besides, we have a great Constitution now. Our problem isn't that we don't have a great system of government, the primary problems are: 1) we have nauseatingly ignorant voters, and 2) we have a major political party (Democrats) who operate a philosophy, antitheitical to the Constitution (socialism).

-Aztec276

Answer 6

Our constitution was written by "RICH WHITE MALES",so why would there be any problems?Shall we see the number of times "SLAVERY" is mentioned,for one........

Answer 7

how do you suppose the members of this third house will be selected? something like jury duty? Volunteers?

Answer 8

I don't think so. The status quo is the best for the U.S.

Answer 9

No

Answer 10

I don't think so !!!