How Much is Your Vote Worth? Great graphic from NYT.

How democratic is the US System?

We came across this graphic in my Ethnic conflict class today--it's from several years ago but is definitely thought provoking.

NOTES:

The Senate?

            Places not people

            The 17^th Ammendment (1913)—more or less democractic

            *But Senate is partially there to protect the unique states’ rights

The Judiciary

            Override impossible

Suffrage

            State prerogatives

            Franchise and enforcement

Incumbent Advantage:

- In most countries, voting is a national holiday.  Why not in the US?  Cynical answer is because one can exclude the lower class this way. 

- # of days you can advertise prior to an election

Review/Summary of Dahl's exposition on US Democratic System.

LINKS:

http://www.complete-review.com/reviews/legal/dahlra.htm

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/02/opinion/02cowan.html