Anaya Nolan
If you could create any law, what would it be? This question has been posed to the public, with interesting results. Some responses include eliminating the electoral college, banning first-past-the-post voting, and granting citizens personal, immediate, and direct access to federal funds. Others focus on copyright reform, such as making it mandatory to provide lossless digital copies of copyrighted works, which would aid archiving efforts. These answers highlight the diverse perspectives on what legal changes people prioritize and the underlying issues they care about.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Copyright reform | Mandatory lossless digital copies of copyrighted works |
| Incentives-based reform with linear growth in cost over time | |
| Electoral reform | Eliminate the electoral college |
| Ban first-past-the-post voting | |
| Direct access to federal funds without oversight |
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What You'll Learn
Eliminating the electoral college
The Electoral College has been a topic of debate for many years, with over 700 proposals introduced in Congress to reform or eliminate it. The Electoral College is a body that was created as a compromise at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia between large and small states. The institution ensures that large states do not dominate small ones in presidential elections, and that power between Congress and state legislatures is balanced.
However, in recent years, the Electoral College has come under increasing scrutiny, with many calling for its elimination. One of the main arguments for eliminating the Electoral College is that it no longer serves its intended purpose due to income inequality, geographic disparities, and discrepancies between the popular vote and Electoral College results. Additionally, there have been several contested elections, such as the 1800 election between Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr, and the 2000 and 2016 elections, where the winner of the popular vote did not secure enough Electoral College votes to win the presidency.
Another argument for eliminating the Electoral College is that it does not accurately represent the will of the people. In the 1824 election, Andrew Jackson received the most popular votes but lost the presidency due to a "corrupt bargain" between John Quincy Adams and Henry Clay. More recently, in the 2020 election, Joe Biden won the popular vote by over 7 million votes, but his Electoral College victory came down to fewer than 50,000 votes in a few close states. As a result, there is a growing sentiment that the Electoral College should be replaced with a popular vote system, ensuring that the winner of the popular vote becomes the president.
Public opinion also supports eliminating the Electoral College, with 63% of U.S. adults agreeing that the way the president is elected should be changed. While Republicans are more divided on the issue, with 53% favoring the current system, the majority of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents favor replacing the Electoral College with a popular vote system.
In conclusion, there are strong arguments and public support for eliminating the Electoral College and moving towards a direct popular election of presidents. While the Electoral College was initially designed to balance power between states, it has become a source of contention and has led to outcomes that do not reflect the popular vote. By eliminating the Electoral College, the United States can take a step towards ensuring that the president is elected by the will of the majority of the American people.
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Banning first-past-the-post voting
First-past-the-post (FPT) voting is a system where the candidate with the highest number of votes wins the election. While this may seem like a fair and simple system, there are several issues with this approach that can lead to an undemocratic outcome.
One of the main problems with FPT is that it can result in a "winner-takes-all" scenario, where the winning candidate or party may not have received the majority of votes. This can lead to underrepresentation of minority views and smaller parties, as they are often viewed as "spoilers" and find it difficult to gain enough support to win. This, in turn, can result in a less diverse representation in the legislature, with only a handful of large parties dominating the political landscape.
FPT also encourages "strategic" voting, where voters are forced to support larger parties or candidates that may not align with their beliefs or preferences. This is because voters do not want to "waste" their votes on smaller parties or candidates that are unlikely to win. As a result, the winning party or candidate may not truly represent the interests of the majority of voters.
In addition, FPT can contribute to political polarization and divisiveness. Candidates are incentivized to appeal only to their base and may even discourage others from voting, as they only need to secure more votes than their competitors. This can further marginalize minority groups and viewpoints, leading to a government that fails to address the needs and represent the voices of all its citizens.
To address these issues, alternative voting systems such as Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) or instant-runoff voting have been proposed and implemented in some regions. These systems allow voters to rank candidates in order of preference, ensuring that their vote counts towards their next choice if their top choice does not receive enough support. RCV has been well-received by voters in various cities and states, with many finding it simple and easy to understand.
By banning FPT voting and implementing alternative systems such as RCV, we can create a more democratic and representative political landscape that encourages the inclusion of diverse viewpoints and promotes fair and inclusive elections.
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Access to federal funds with no oversight
If I could enact any law, I would propose a law that grants citizens personal, immediate, and direct access to federal funds to use as desired with no oversight. This law would empower citizens by giving them the freedom to allocate government funds towards their individual needs and priorities.
The advantages of such a law are numerous. Firstly, it promotes trust in the government by demonstrating a commitment to transparency and citizen engagement. Secondly, it streamlines the fund allocation process, bypassing bureaucratic delays and ensuring funds reach those who need them directly. This law also fosters a sense of civic responsibility, as citizens become actively involved in shaping their communities and nation.
However, there are also potential challenges and risks associated with unrestricted access to federal funds. One concern is the lack of accountability and oversight, which could lead to misuse or abuse of funds. To mitigate this, safeguards could be implemented, such as requiring citizens to provide justifications for their fund usage, with penalties for misuse. Additionally, there may be a need for guidelines or educational initiatives to ensure citizens make informed and responsible decisions regarding fund allocation.
Another potential challenge is the risk of unequal fund distribution, with certain individuals or groups receiving a disproportionate amount of funds. This could be addressed by implementing a cap or limit on the amount of funds accessible to each citizen, ensuring a more equitable distribution. Furthermore, measures could be put in place to prioritize funding for those with greater needs or vulnerabilities, ensuring that the allocation of funds remains aligned with societal values of fairness and equity.
While the law may face opposition due to its unconventional approach to fund allocation, it represents a bold step towards empowering citizens and transforming the relationship between the government and the people.
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Reforming copyright law
The current copyright system, with its varying laws and requirements across different countries and media types, can be confusing and burdensome, especially for smaller authors and publishers. Reform should focus on simplifying the process and levelling the playing field for all creators. This could involve standardising copyright laws internationally, or at least among major trading partners, to reduce complexity and ensure that creators are protected and rewarded fairly for their work regardless of where it is published.
One proposal is to require mandatory submission of lossless digital copies of copyrighted works. This would facilitate archiving and preservation, ensuring that content is not lost or degraded over time. Such a system could be funded by the copyright holders themselves, with reasonable costs that increase incrementally over time. If they choose not to pay, the work would enter the public domain, allowing free access and use by the public. This reform would incentivise proper archiving and ensure that valuable cultural works are not lost due to neglect or financial constraints.
Additionally, the reform should address the issue of large corporations taking advantage of the system. For example, major media companies like Disney can easily afford to renew copyrights for a nominal fee, perpetuating their control over iconic characters and stories. The reformed law should include provisions to prevent this, such as setting fees relative to the size of the company or limiting the number of renewals for a single work.
To ensure the public has access to a diverse range of creative works, the reform could also establish a "people's library". This institution would function similarly to the Library of Congress, but with a focus on digital media. Any party seeking copyright for a digital work would be required to submit a lossless version to this library, making it accessible to the public while also preserving the work for future generations.
Overall, these proposed reforms aim to simplify the copyright process, encourage proper archiving, and prevent large corporations from taking advantage of the system. By adapting copyright law to the digital age, we can better support creators and ensure a vibrant and accessible cultural landscape for all.
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Creating a 'people's library'
Creating a people's library is a proposal for a new law that centres around copyright reform. The law would require any party seeking copyright of a digital work to submit a lossless version of the work as part of the mandatory copyright process. This would create a "people's library" of digital content that could be accessed and archived by the public.
The law would incentivise copyright holders to pay an annual fee to retain their copyright, with the cost increasing linearly each year. This would ensure that only those who value their copyright enough to pay the fee would keep it, and works that are not worth the cost would enter the public domain. For example, a movie studio would likely be willing to pay $100 a year to retain copyright of a major motion picture, but a smaller independent studio may not be able to afford the same amount, and their work would enter the public domain after a few years.
This law would also address the issue of archiving digital content. Currently, there is no easy way for archivist groups to access and archive digital content, and this law would create a "pipe" for them to do so. It would ensure that digital works are preserved for future generations and easily accessible by the public.
The people's library would be a valuable resource for the public, providing access to a wide range of digital works, from albums to movies to written works. It would also help to level the playing field between smaller and larger copyright holders, as the larger companies would have to pay more to retain their copyrights over time. This law would likely face opposition from large corporations with significant copyright holdings, but it could be a significant step towards making digital content more accessible and preserving it for the future.
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Frequently asked questions
I would create a law that makes providing a lossless digital copy of works mandatory for copyright registration.
I'd create a law that makes it easier for archivist groups to pipe in and archive digital content.
I would support a law that incentivizes copyright reform with linear growth, making it more expensive to maintain copyright over time.
I propose eliminating the electoral college to improve the voting system and reduce negative unintended consequences.
I wish I could enact a law that grants personal, immediate, and direct access to federal funds with no oversight, allowing individuals to use the funds as they desire.
