General Discussion

Whiskeytide

(4,623 posts)

49. Ok. I'll jump in. For almost 100 years a ...

Mon Dec 12, 2022, 05:57 PM

Dec 2022

… majority of those in our government supported the concept of slavery. For 150 years, a majority of those in our government supported the concept that women were not entitled to suffrage. For decades, a majority of those in the US government supported the idea of separate but equal. Our government leaders - a majority of them - at one time bought into the philosophy of manifest destiny as an excuse to remove native Americans from their land. Want something more recent? A significant majority of Americans initially supported the war in Iraq.

A “majority” does not mean they have it right. In fact, it seldom does. It only means that they want it and have the numbers to make it happen.

I think that checking the whims and desires of the majority is perhaps the most crucial function of the Constitution.

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

96 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

California has 39 million people and two senators. Wyoming has a few dozen people and two senators. [View all] Cyrano Dec 2022 OP

The House of Representatives is where you find politicians representing the people. jimfields33 Dec 2022 #1

Not perfect at all with the filibuster rule in the Senate. brush Dec 2022 #7

And more populous states are Bettie Dec 2022 #27

But not proportionally dpibel Dec 2022 #31

Good point - it may have meant something treestar Dec 2022 #34

The Senate was originally set up to represent the states interests DetroitLegalBeagle Dec 2022 #46

I ask again dpibel Dec 2022 #56

The same way Country's are represented in international organizations like the UN Zeitghost Dec 2022 #59

But states are not countries dpibel Dec 2022 #60

Sorry Zeitghost Dec 2022 #71

The senate is undemocratic. Mosby Dec 2022 #74

it would be closer to "perfect" if they lifted the cap on the number of house members. Orangepeel Dec 2022 #52

So you support a massively undemocratic institution? Voltaire2 Dec 2022 #80

Each state is treated equal in the senate whether you have one person or a billion. jimfields33 Dec 2022 #90

but WY has 1.27 million cattle (basically 2 cows/person) hlthe2b Dec 2022 #2

moo Cyrano Dec 2022 #17

It's, Specifically, Designed That Way To Avoid A "Tyranny of the Majority". ruet Dec 2022 #3

Tyranny of the majority? What kind of disinformation phrase is that? brush Dec 2022 #9

If a majority said blacks and Jews should be gassed, that would... Lucky Luciano Dec 2022 #13

The history of the country shows that that sentiment... brush Dec 2022 #19

But that doesn't HAVE to be the case just because it might be at the moment. In our own ... Whiskeytide Dec 2022 #37

That's what the bill of rights treestar Dec 2022 #36

Mob rule is dangerous and does need to be checked. Lucky Luciano Dec 2022 #38

I take it you have not studied the philosophy of liberalism and the founding principles of Just A Box Of Rain Dec 2022 #14

It's historic term all right, but it's misinformation bullshit. brush Dec 2022 #22

You are deeply misguided on this point. Just A Box Of Rain Dec 2022 #23

Cite an example in American history. No bs imagined scenarios... brush Dec 2022 #24

You should do your own homework, however I'd suggest reading Federalist 10 (and if you Just A Box Of Rain Dec 2022 #28

Is it an example of actual tyranny of the majority in Congress? brush Dec 2022 #30

I should know better Just A Box Of Rain Dec 2022 #32

Is it? brush Dec 2022 #33

You tried dumbcat Dec 2022 #48

And probably won't Genki Hikari Dec 2022 #95

Ok. I'll jump in. For almost 100 years a ... Whiskeytide Dec 2022 #49

And in no case did the Senate protect the minority dpibel Dec 2022 #57

Yeah... Ummmm... No. ruet Dec 2022 #16

See post 23. brush Dec 2022 #25

agreed, this is how the constitution functions treestar Dec 2022 #35

The Supreme Court found slavery to be perfectly constitutional, and that ... Whiskeytide Dec 2022 #50

Nothing is perfect treestar Dec 2022 #51

But we don't actually have "minority ... Whiskeytide Dec 2022 #55

When did a majority elect Trump? dpibel Dec 2022 #58

Yes. You're right. I used a bad example. Perhaps a better one ... Whiskeytide Dec 2022 #65

Interesting question! dpibel Dec 2022 #67

A majority of voters didn't vote for that...thing Genki Hikari Dec 2022 #94

The United States is not a democracy, it is a Constitutional Democratic Republic. Dysfunctional Dec 2022 #72

Newsflash: A republic is a representative DEMOCRACY. brush Dec 2022 #73

It was explicitly designed that way to appease slave states... hunter Dec 2022 #18

Our bicameral system was not there to appease slave states. Cuthbert Allgood Dec 2022 #29

Oh, please. Our Senate was modeled after the House of Lords... hunter Dec 2022 #62

Are you aware sarisataka Dec 2022 #63

Virginia had the largest population of the 13 colonies. hunter Dec 2022 #66

Right, so having a house of Congress based on state representation hurt the slave states. Cuthbert Allgood Dec 2022 #77

Ironically those "Lords" and sarisataka Dec 2022 #85

I was thinking people like George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. hunter Dec 2022 #91

That's an interesting theory. It has no basis in the actual deliberation of the country founding, Cuthbert Allgood Dec 2022 #69

All democracies are a "hot mess." hunter Dec 2022 #70

The Senate was that way to put a balance between state and national governments. Cuthbert Allgood Dec 2022 #76

You seem to think I respect the "founding fathers." I don't. hunter Dec 2022 #78

well no it was specifically designed to ensure that the slave states would Voltaire2 Dec 2022 #81

That makes precisely zero sense. Imperialism Inc. Dec 2022 #87

The Senate should go the way of the House of Lords in the UK CloudWatcher Dec 2022 #4

That is fairly obvious Johonny Dec 2022 #82

YES!!! And sooner than later!!! calimary Dec 2022 #5

And there's not a damn thing that can ever be done about it Polybius Dec 2022 #6

California is one state and has 2 senators sarisataka Dec 2022 #8

Luckily (for now), both Dems and Reps have their own share of small states. BlueCheeseAgain Dec 2022 #10

Maine likes Susan Collins because she's always "concerned." Cyrano Dec 2022 #21

In terms of Senators & the 20 smallest States, the Rethugs have 23 out of 40 possible, we have 17 Celerity Dec 2022 #26

Rhode Island should be bold. jimfields33 Dec 2022 #39

Fixed Celerity Dec 2022 #40

Thanks. You did a great job pointing out the inequity of the senate. jimfields33 Dec 2022 #41

also it's depressing that soon 70% of the seats will be controlled by only 30% of the population Celerity Dec 2022 #43

Inequity of the senate intelpug Dec 2022 #68

Why is Vermont never mentioned in these discussions? Kaleva Dec 2022 #11

And the solution is....51 national senators. GreenWave Dec 2022 #12

Puerto Rico is not at all guaranteed to yield 2 Dem Senators. Celerity Dec 2022 #15

those 4 states should go back to being 1 state. mopinko Dec 2022 #20

Another solution would be for blue cities or counties Genki Hikari Dec 2022 #96

They also only have one Congressional representative. Initech Dec 2022 #42

The makeup of the Senate was a check on the power of the more populous state ripcord Dec 2022 #44

Yep. Exactly as intended when Cyrano Dec 2022 #45

What power would Californians have treestar Dec 2022 #53

More people in CA voted for TFG then in many smaller states combined Kaleva Dec 2022 #83

With a population of almost 40 million, of course the Cyrano Dec 2022 #88

And they probably feel like they don't get representation in the Senate Kaleva Dec 2022 #89

Yes indeed. Especially the Electoral College treestar Dec 2022 #92

Technically speaking KentuckyWoman Dec 2022 #47

Shall we talk about the Dakota Territories? gldstwmn Dec 2022 #54

A few dozen????? USALiberal Dec 2022 #61

States like CA are stuck in a "constitutional straightjacket". roamer65 Dec 2022 #64

Senate should be dissolved, along with the electoral college. Mosby Dec 2022 #75

538,000. Why distort the real numbers when they are truly horrible? Voltaire2 Dec 2022 #79

We could probably do away with states all together Kaleva Dec 2022 #84

Good luck getting buy in on that here. Imperialism Inc. Dec 2022 #86

"wyoming has a few dozen people..." orleans Dec 2022 #93