From jims at greens.org Mon Jul 20 17:09:36 2009 From: jims at greens.org (Jim Stauffer) Date: Mon, 20 Jul 2009 17:09:36 -0700 Subject: [Sosfbay-news] Proportional Representation and the Town Hall Meeting Message-ID: <4A650740.2010605@greens.org> FYI for anyone who would like to go to the town hall meeting and put in a word for proportional representation. Jim CALIFORNIANS for ELECTORAL REFORM Dear CfER Members: You have likely heard talk in the news about a group promoting a Constitutional Convention for California to fix the panoply of institutional problems plaguing the state. And you may have heard that part of the process is to hold town hall meetings in various locations to gather public comments. One such town hall meeting is being held in Sunnyvale on July 31. Whether or not you agree with a Constitutional Convention, or the organization behind it, this is an opportunity to make public comments promoting proportional representation. The more people hear about proportional representation, the concept becomes less foreign and more acceptable. Even though some form of proportional representation is used in most democracies around the world, it is still viewed as a foreign concept here in the U.S. The more people across the state bring up this issue at these meetings, the more likely the Convention folks will consider it worth examining. If you're interested in attending you are requested to RSVP and register at this web site: http://www.repaircalifornia.org A description of the event follows. Below that are talking points you may use for commenting. Public comment time is usually held to a minute or two per person, so prepare to be concise. Jim Stauffer Chapter Coordinator, Santa Clara County 408-432-9148 ==================================================================== THE PROGRAM Hosted in partnership with Joint Venture: Silicon Valley Network, this Constitutional Convention Town Hall event will feature panel discussion and learned commentary from constitutional experts, but most of all, it will feature your own comments and advice for us as we move forward. Silicon Valley Constitutional Convention Town Hall Friday, July 31, 2009 9:00 a.m. Registration | 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Program AMD Commons Building 991 Stewart Drive Sunnyvale, CA 94085 Cost: Free Map: http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?city=Sunnyvale&state=CA&country=us&zoom=8&address=991+Stewart+Drive 9:30 a.m. Opening Remarks Russell Hancock, President & CEO, Joint Venture: Silicon Valley Network Jim Wunderman, President & CEO, Bay Area Council 9:50 a.m. The Need for Reform: A Silicon Valley Perspective Liz Kniss, Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors Richard S. Gordon, San Mateo County Supervisor Lawrence E. Stone, Santa Clara County Assessor 10:20 a.m. The Legal Path to a Constitutional Convention Andrew Giacomini, Managing Partner, Hanson Bridget 10:40 a.m. Break 10:55 a.m. The View From Sacramento Mark Paul, New America Foundation Robert Cruickshank, Courage Campaign Derek Cressman, Common Cause 11:15 a.m. Dialogue & Discussion 11:55 a.m. Next Steps, Concluding Remarks Russell Hancock Jim Wunderman ---------------------------------------------------------------- TALKING POINTS The current system of winner-take-all elections from single-member districts produces the following defects of democracy: - A "winner" who may represent only a minority of voters. - Expensive run-off elections where one group of voters selects the top two candidates in the Primary and a different group of voters selects the winner in the General Election. - Perpetuation of the two-party system, which offers only two choices to the broad diversity of voting constituencies in this state. - Oddly gerrymandered districts to provide minority groups with representation, or to provide "safe districts" to one of the two parties. All of these serious problems are mitigated by a proportional representation system using multi-member districts. In practice, this means a "ranked-ballot" voting system that allows voters to rank all candidates by preference, and large districts that elect multiple representatives thereby giving representation to multiple constituencies within the district. Other attributes of proportional representation systems include: + More voter choices. + Broader democratic representation. + Not having to vote for the lesser-of-two-evils candidate. + No "spoiler" effect. + Increased voter turnout. + Less expensive elections. + Less negative campaigning. From fredd at freeshell.org Mon Jul 20 18:06:54 2009 From: fredd at freeshell.org (Fred Duperrault) Date: Mon, 20 Jul 2009 18:06:54 -0700 Subject: [Sosfbay-news] Proportional Representation and the Town Hall Meeting In-Reply-To: <4A650740.2010605@greens.org> References: <4A650740.2010605@greens.org> Message-ID: <4A6514AE.3050301@freeshell.org> Jim, If I were to be here in the state on that day, and if I were adequately articulate on the subject I would take the challenge. But I don't qualify either way. Thanks for your persistence and skill in promoting Proportional Representation. Fred D. Jim Stauffer wrote: > FYI for anyone who would like to go to the town hall meeting and put in > a word for proportional representation. > > Jim > > > > > CALIFORNIANS for ELECTORAL REFORM > > > Dear CfER Members: > > You have likely heard talk in the news about a group promoting a > Constitutional Convention for California to fix the panoply of > institutional problems plaguing the state. And you may have heard that > part of the process is to hold town hall meetings in various locations > to gather public comments. > > One such town hall meeting is being held in Sunnyvale on July 31. > > Whether or not you agree with a Constitutional Convention, or the > organization behind it, this is an opportunity to make public comments > promoting proportional representation. The more people hear about > proportional representation, the concept becomes less foreign and more > acceptable. Even though some form of proportional representation is used > in most democracies around the world, it is still viewed as a foreign > concept here in the U.S. > > The more people across the state bring up this issue at these meetings, > the more likely the Convention folks will consider it worth examining. > > If you're interested in attending you are requested to RSVP and register > at this web site: > > http://www.repaircalifornia.org > > A description of the event follows. Below that are talking points you > may use for commenting. Public comment time is usually held to a minute > or two per person, so prepare to be concise. > > > Jim Stauffer > Chapter Coordinator, Santa Clara County > 408-432-9148 > > ==================================================================== > > > > THE PROGRAM > > > Hosted in partnership with Joint Venture: Silicon Valley Network, this > Constitutional Convention Town Hall event will feature panel discussion > and learned commentary from constitutional experts, but most of all, it > will feature your own comments and advice for us as we move forward. > > Silicon Valley Constitutional Convention Town Hall > Friday, July 31, 2009 > 9:00 a.m. Registration | 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Program > AMD Commons Building > 991 Stewart Drive > Sunnyvale, CA 94085 > Cost: Free > > Map: > http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?city=Sunnyvale&state=CA&country=us&zoom=8&address=991+Stewart+Drive > > > 9:30 a.m. Opening Remarks > Russell Hancock, President & CEO, Joint Venture: Silicon Valley Network > Jim Wunderman, President & CEO, Bay Area Council > > 9:50 a.m. The Need for Reform: A Silicon Valley Perspective > Liz Kniss, Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors > Richard S. Gordon, San Mateo County Supervisor > Lawrence E. Stone, Santa Clara County Assessor > > 10:20 a.m. The Legal Path to a Constitutional Convention > Andrew Giacomini, Managing Partner, Hanson Bridget > > 10:40 a.m. Break > > 10:55 a.m. The View From Sacramento > Mark Paul, New America Foundation > Robert Cruickshank, Courage Campaign > Derek Cressman, Common Cause > > 11:15 a.m. Dialogue & Discussion > > 11:55 a.m. Next Steps, Concluding Remarks > Russell Hancock > Jim Wunderman > > ---------------------------------------------------------------- > > > TALKING POINTS > > > The current system of winner-take-all elections from single-member > districts produces the following defects of democracy: > > - A "winner" who may represent only a minority of voters. > > - Expensive run-off elections where one group of voters selects the top > two candidates in the Primary and a different group of voters selects > the winner in the General Election. > > - Perpetuation of the two-party system, which offers only two choices to > the broad diversity of voting constituencies in this state. > > - Oddly gerrymandered districts to provide minority groups with > representation, or to provide "safe districts" to one of the two parties. > > > All of these serious problems are mitigated by a proportional > representation system using multi-member districts. In practice, this > means a "ranked-ballot" voting system that allows voters to rank all > candidates by preference, and large districts that elect multiple > representatives thereby giving representation to multiple constituencies > within the district. > > > Other attributes of proportional representation systems include: > > + More voter choices. > > + Broader democratic representation. > > + Not having to vote for the lesser-of-two-evils candidate. > > + No "spoiler" effect. > > + Increased voter turnout. > > + Less expensive elections. > > + Less negative campaigning. > > > > > _______________________________________________ > sosfbay-news mailing list is moderated. > Post to sosfbay-news at cagreens.org > Reply to sender or sosfbay-discuss at cagreens.org > http://lists.cagreens.org/mailman/listinfo/sosfbay-news > > >