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[Earthquake Damage]

Anyway Aqizzar, I will be very disappointed if you don't abuse the strict but unimaginative rules to mime the hell out of anyone thinking about voting the way you don't want them voting.

Fixed?

I'd like to think that you don't support further corruption of the political system, but maybe I'm wrong.

[Nilocy]

Ok, I should have made it clearer.

What is the point in midterms.

[Bauglir]

-snip-

[CJ1145]

Just let me know if Boomhauer shows up, Aqizzar.

[Aqizzar]

Ok, I should have made it clearer.

What is the point in midterms.

That is still not a clear question.  If you're asking who is being elected, it's the entire lower chamber of Congress, the House of Representatives.  (A third of the Senate is up for election every two years too, but that's not as mobile, especially in this election where majority party control is not expected to change.)  The whole body goes up for election every two years, and this is important, because the House proposes most legislation.  Probably more importantly, both chambers can issue subpoenas to launch hearings and investigations of members of the Executive branch, pending majority support.  If the majority of a chamber, especially the House, is controlled by a party different from the President, everybody goes fucking nuts, because it's non-stop hearings and demands, for the express purpose of the screwing up the Executive branch's daily activity.

Other than that, I don't know what "point" you think you're referring to.

Just let me know if Boomhauer shows up, Aqizzar.

In all likelihood, he'll be the Election Judge, the resident officer, my counterpart, and most of the staff.

[Sir Pseudonymous]

I believe he's asking "why are the elections staggered so that rather than electing everyone in a house of congress at once, only part is up for election at any given time?" To which the answer is that it's to ensure that there are always people who've served for a number of years already, so the entire legislature can't be filled with people who don't know how the office works, and there's always veterans who can serve as an example for new members. At least I believe that was the logic behind it, that seems to be what history books say of the matter.

[Heron TSG]

Not only that, the goal was that our legislature would always contain someone in it, so that we didn't have a period of three weeks where nobody was making laws. Considering that all of congress has to agree in order to declare war, the initial idea was probably to prevent us from being attacked while we shuffled our government every 6 years.

[Nikov]

No, the reasons why elections are staggered is to keep surges in popular opinion in check. Imagine if the President and all seats in Congress were up for election this year, and would not be replaced until four years from now. Staggering out terms and elections keeps the electorate from throwing out the entire government on a whim and empowering either party too greatly all in one election.

[Fayrik]

Oh, did I mention that I have to report to the campaign office for my location at 6AM?  And that I don't get home from work until like 4AM?  This is going to be a blast.

I seriously hope there is coffee.

I'd like to think that you don't support further corruption of the political system, but maybe I'm wrong.

I quite agree, politics needs to be clean. It helps no one when things get childish.
And, I'm pretty sure most of the time when people try to cheat the political system, it's just to thicken their wallet.

Also, Aquizzar, isn't Texas normally a republican state? (I'll admit, my American political knowledge is limited!)

[Eagle_eye]

actually, ~45% of texans are liberal. The whole state goes to republicans because of that stupid redistricting that lumps republican heavy areas with small slivers of democrat heavy ones.

[Earthquake Damage]

actually, ~45% of texans are liberal. The whole state goes to republicans because of that stupid redistricting that lumps republican heavy areas with small slivers of democrat heavy ones.

Woo!  Gerrymandering:  Ensuring fair representation since never.

[Aklyon]

two states have actually smart redistricting stuff, where the whole state doesn't get tossed to one side, just the seperate districts.

[smjjames]

I think thats what California is trying to achieve with Proposition 20, unfortunately someone is trying to reverse what we voted for previously with Proposition 27

[Aklyon]

isn't California like New Jersey, though?
Both have silly things in laws. (California with its video game law thing even though that kind of law has been struck down at least a dozen times already, and New Jersey mrequiring expiration dates on everything, even stuff that doesn't actually expire like water bottles)

[IronyOwl]

I'd like to think that you don't support further corruption of the political system, but maybe I'm wrong.

I quite agree, politics needs to be clean. It helps no one when things get childish.
And, I'm pretty sure most of the time when people try to cheat the political system, it's just to thicken their wallet.

With all the other stuff that goes on (like you mentioned) I have no issue supporting mime-based shenanigans.

isn't California like New Jersey, though?
Both have silly things in laws. (California with its video game law thing even though that kind of law has been struck down at least a dozen times already, and New Jersey mrequiring expiration dates on everything, even stuff that doesn't actually expire like water bottles)

Every state (and country, and county, and city...) has at least a few ridiculous laws.