yeah let's elect TWO separate but equal legislatures to jerk each other off over what legislation to pass, great idea western man

no I'm not mad I just learned that Virginia would have had recreational marijuana sales in 2022 if it were up to their senate, BUT WOOPS

  • quiet [she/her]
    ·
    2 years ago

    in the us, madison was pretty mask-off about this, in what wikipedia calls "among the most highly regarded of all American political writings:"

    A rage for paper money, for an abolition of debts, for an equal division of property, or for any other improper or wicked project, will be less apt to pervade the whole body of the Union than a particular member of it...

    the literal stated purpose of the senate is to be a roadblock to protect the status quo from the "passions" of the masses

    • Rem [she/her]
      ·
      2 years ago

      Lol in high school we were taught its to protect to uwu smol bean states from the 😳 big strong muscle daddy states, and that never made any sense to me

      • 420blazeit69 [he/him]
        ·
        2 years ago

        That was probably a fair part of it, but that was 250 years ago, too. Now, the balance has shifted in favor of small states to a comical degree, and the inherent differences in state policies matter less than ever.

        • Rem [she/her]
          ·
          2 years ago

          They haven't mattered since the articles of confederation, and even then not really

      • Frank [he/him, he/him]
        ·
        2 years ago

        It was pretty explicitly to protect the slave states from the free states.

    • CTHlurker [he/him]
      ·
      2 years ago

      Turns out the masses are pretty pasionate about not starving to death or getting maimed in an industrial accident at work.