tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4756185575473975762.post7887687961252089822..comments2017-03-13T22:45:52.761-07:00Comments on The Sweetbriar Patch: Constitution: Article 1, Sec. 3-4Lynnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02931430192454854432noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4756185575473975762.post-31099167436677838842009-04-05T09:08:00.000-07:002009-04-05T09:08:00.000-07:00This section is known as 'The Great Compromise'. ...This section is known as 'The Great Compromise'. There was a struggle between the large states and the smaller states regarding representation in the federal legislature. Smaller states favored equal representation; large states favored proportional representation. Dividing the legislature into two bodies, one with equal representation and one with proportional representation was the compromise. Without it, we may not have had a Constitution.<BR/><BR/>So, originally, the People chose Representatives and the State Legislatures chose Senators. The Representatives represented the People and the Senators represented the separate States.<BR/><BR/>This was part of the division of powers - the People electing Representatives, the Legislatures electing Senators, and the Electoral College electing Presidents.<BR/><BR/>This was undone later (we'll get there). And there's a push now (every time a conservative president wins) to abolish the electoral college. I hope to read George Grant's book about the college before push comes to shove.<BR/><BR/>Interesting aside: In Arizona, the state legislature was originally set up in the same way: the House was apportioned by population and each district had two senators. The Supreme Court ruled that this populational apportionment of the House was unconstitutional. <BR/><BR/>Not sure where they got that (nor where the Supreme Court's authority to rule on that came from since Congress is given explicit permission to meddle in the states in this way - I know, keep reading and maybe I'll figure it out), but now we have two senators and one representative from each district, which puts the larger districts at a disadvantage.Lynnehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02931430192454854432noreply@blogger.com