A Unicameral Legislature For Hawaii? (house, cost, horses)

[Tulemutt]

Thought provoking article. Personally, as one who hates ALL aspects of ‘party politics’ (well ok, I just plain despise politics in general, too), unicameral might be somewhat an improvement.

https://www.civilbeat.org/2022/04/le...re-for-hawaii/

[prospectheightsresident]

Not that I think that partisanship will improve with a unicameral legislature (even if folks are required to run officially non-partisan elections), I think there are some key benefits to a unicameral legislature, to include the reduction of redundancy and cost savings. I don't support such legislators serving 4 year terms, though, as it would leave with with too much time to muck things up in between elections. I think that politicians--especially legislators--should be pretty consistently uncomfortable knowing that the public will have a quick turn to choose to vote them out if need be.

[Magic Qwan]

Originally Posted by prospectheightsresident

Not that I think that partisanship will improve with a unicameral legislature (even if folks are required to run officially non-partisan elections), I think there are some key benefits to a unicameral legislature, to include the reduction of redundancy and cost savings. I don't support such legislators serving 4 year terms, though, as it would leave with with too much time to muck things up in between elections. I think that politicians--especially legislators--should be pretty consistently uncomfortable knowing that the public will have a quick turn to choose to vote them out if need be.

I agree-- 2-year terms are ideal. As far as fixing partisanship, something like MMP would work well:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QT0I-sdoSXU
Especially if we modernize it using the suggestions in this article:
https://clayshentrup.medium.com/amer...p-11e0713e4478

[TAM1972]

Originally Posted by Tulemutt

Thought provoking article. Personally, as one who hates ALL aspects of ‘party politics’ (well ok, I just plain despise politics in general, too), unicameral might be somewhat an improvement.

https://www.civilbeat.org/2022/04/le...re-for-hawaii/

There is no end to the devastation a unicameral legislature, run by the DemocRATS, no less, would wreak upon your island home.

Repeat after me:

"Checks and Balances"

[Tulemutt]

Originally Posted by TAM1972

There is no end to the devastation a unicameral legislature, run by the DemocRATS, no less, would wreak upon your island home.

Repeat after me:

"Checks and Balances"

I guess you don’t understand what unicameral is.

[TAM1972]

Originally Posted by Tulemutt

I guess you don’t understand what unicameral is.

What would cause you to make such a foolish, misguided and just plain erroneous mis-statement like that. Perhaps abject ignorance on your part.

FYI unicameral is only one body, i.e. the entire legislature, as opposed to the checks and balances provided by a bi-cameral legislature such as House of Reps, and Senate.

Care to make another blind stab at it?

[whtviper1]

The time to form a unicameral legislature was in 1959.

The Senate and Legislature would never come to agreement to form one now.

[TAM1972]

Originally Posted by whtviper1

The time to form a unicameral legislature was in 1959.

The Senate and Legislature would never come to agreement to form one now.

I also suspect there would be some federal issues since the state was granted statehood based on the State Constitution which provided otherwise. I don't think you could change horses in mid-stream unilaterally (that means one-sided, TMutt).

[prospectheightsresident]

Originally Posted by TAM1972

I also suspect there would be some federal issues since the state was granted statehood based on the State Constitution which provided otherwise. I don't think you could change horses in mid-stream unilaterally (that means one-sided, TMutt).

There wouldn't be a constitutional issue. For this matter, the only reason why a state constitution was required upon admittance was to ensure that the would-be-state was meeting federal constitutional requirements of having a republican form of government. States have changed their constitutions numerous times and for various reasons since they were admitted. Hawaii changing from a bicameral to a unicameral legislature wouldn't violate the republican government guarantee. There wouldn't be an issue.

[TAM1972]

Originally Posted by prospectheightsresident

There wouldn't be a constitutional issue. For this matter, the only reason why a state constitution was required upon admittance was to ensure that the would-be-state was meeting federal constitutional requirements of having a republican form of government. States have changed their constitutions numerous times and for various reasons since they were admitted. Hawaii changing from a bicameral to a unicameral legislature wouldn't violate the republican government guarantee. There wouldn't be an issue.

Thank you for that info and opinion.

In any case, whether it passes Constitutional muster or not, I feel it is a bad idea. A step in exactly the wrong direction.