Question

Imagine the U.S. government and society in the year 2025. What structural and policy changes would you like to see? For example, would you expand the number of justices on the Supreme Court? Would you eliminate the filibuster, gerrymandering, or the Electoral College? Would you change the way campaigns are financed? What are the political obstacles to getting the changes you would like to see? What can we do, individually and collectively, to overcome these obstacles?

Answer 1

From now until 2025, the structure and policy of the United States government should remain largely the same. For instance, the number of justices on the Supreme Court should remain the same from now to 2025, as it has since 1869. Nine justices work because there are enough to keep each other in check but not too many that the justices are inefficient. (Or at least as inefficient as they would be if more were added.) Filibustering should continue to be allowed. While it is arguably a waste of time, filibustering helps the parties keep each other in check. Gerrymandering should be adjusted if not removed because it takes away the importance of voters in certain districts because they are either so much a majority that they will win either way or so much of a minority that they will lose either way. If gerrymandering was taken away, then the people would have a greater voice in who represents them. Campaign financing is tricky, but I think it may be best if the restrictions were loosened as to who can donate how much but if more transparency was required. There may be political opposition to removing gerrymandering because it allows many politicians to stay in power for a long time without many significant challengers. What we can do, as young citizens, is vote for people who believe in making these changes and petition/lobby for these changes to be made.