American democracy is more fragile than many of us ever imagined. But we’ve been neglecting and abusing it so much that maybe the bigger surprise is that it’s lasted as long as it has.
A lot of that damage can still be fixed, though—as long as we don’t let the whole thing fall apart first.
Spencer’s guest Vinz Koller has great insights on what’s gone wrong and how we can repair it, focusing on the few moves that would do the most good. Vinz is a political scientist who advises governments on effective policy. He’s long been active in politics, working on multiple national and local campaigns. And he’s been a member of the Electoral College three times for California’s 20th Congressional District.
Vinz sees all too clearly how bad things have gotten—but the solutions he proposes offer real hope.
Among the topics covered:
- The Electoral College
- Redistricting and gerrymandering
- The filibuster
- The roles of the Senate and the House
- What the Founders did and did not intend in designing our system of government.
Spencer’s comments on past Democratic opposition to reapportionment reform in California require amplification. Republicans sponsored no less than eight campaigns to end gerrymandering in California which Democrats fought furiously and scurrilously. One of the Republican champions of reapportionment reform was Congressman Bill Thomas. At the time Thomas was known as a forceful, if abrasive Congressman who became Chair of House Ways and Means. Now we know him as the employer and tutor of Kevin McCarthy.
All of Bill Thomas’ work on reapportionment reform should be exhumed and exported to states everywhere—with amplified disclosure about Kevin McCarthy’s good work on the issue. Also, Democrats should lose the campaign finance element of their orthodoxy. Trump allies in election finance offices funding QAnon is imaginable (and terrifying).
Ending winner take all in state’s apportionment of electoral votes comes after reapportionment reform. The effects of gerrymandered Congressional districts could spill over to presidential politics.
Thanks for this one. Great listen.