Posted on 04/18/2005 4:48:14 AM PDT by TitanicMan2003
A bipartisan group plans to launch a petition drive this summer to place a proposed state constitutional amendment before voters to eliminate the state Senate, creating a a one-chamber Legislature.
The group, Unicameral Michigan, wants the measure on the 2006 ballot, the Lansing State Journal reported Saturday.
"There's simply no reason for two chambers," said Bob Dwyer, of Hastings, who is a leader of the effort. "It's a luxury we can't afford and don't need."
Supporters say the change is needed to reduce government size and cost. But arguments against moving to a unicameral system include that such a system removes a layer of checks and balances from government.
The group would need more than 317,000 valid petition signatures for the measure to appear on the ballot. Petitions would have to be turned in by July 2006. Dwyer said the goal is to gather 450,000 signatures.
They won't get my signature.
Nebraska has a unicameral legislature. Anyone from Nebraska who can comment?
Nebraska's system works well, but it only works if you have a responsible population.
How about doing away with the courts? The Kansas Supreme Court told the legislature how to finance schools. What happened to "checks and balances"? Or do we have a tr-camaral system?
fingers aren't awake yet
Instead of doing away with checks and balances, how about achieving that goal by reducing spending?
One way to reduce spending would be to eliminate checks and just keep the balances ;-)
I'd like to see how a unicameral legislature in Michigan will act. I'd also suggest an increase in the number of representatives, so that ordinary people can afford to run and win office. Let's put power back into the hands of the citizenry and out of the professional politicians.
A bicameral Legislature exists to make the legislature itself more responsible, and not so beholden to the temporary and often unConstitutional desires of the populace.
Zolton Ferency, a wacky leftist prof at MSU, had a unicameral legislature as one of his platform planks each time he ran for governor (mostly as an independent). AFAIK, there's only one state with a unicameral legislature, if any at all.
Leftists don't like checks and balances unless they need something (like a packed Florida Supreme Court) to twist to their interests. Checks and balances are there to protect us from despotism.
Where have you been? The system IS broke. In almost every Michigan community newspaper almost every single day there are headlines of teacher, police and firemen layoffs, 22 Sec of State offices to close, increased fees (taxes) on every public service, I could go on. Mich has the 3rd highest paid legislators in the US and they only are required to be in session 90 days per year. After terming out after 6 yrs as Rep and 8 yrs Senate, they get full benefits for life once they reach age 55. They are part of Mich's structural deficit.
Checks & balances will remain with the firing of the state senate. You have the courts and the governor, but, more importantly, the people themselves will serve as the other house. One post mentioned the finger pointing between the house and senate. This is exactly what they did over the 40% pay raise they gave themselves, they blamed each other then walked away unscathed and unaccountable to anyone with a 40% pay increase.
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