THE CORE

Fruits & Votes is the Web-log of Matthew S. Shugart ("MSS"), Professor of Political Science, University of California, Davis.

Perspectives on electoral systems, constitutional design, and policy around the world, based primarily on my research interests.

Also experiences with growing many varieties of fruit (always organic) and other personal interests. Please see the Mission Statement for more. (There is also an explanation of the banner.)

Other "planters" have been invited to contribute. Please check the "Planted by" line to see the author of the post you are reading.

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Core principles:

Henry Droop on the "moderate non-partisan section"

Madison on "dangers from abroad" and "the fetters... on liberty"

The Head Orchardist's other sites:

PRESERVED FRUIT

Dikes and Votes: Consensus government and flood control

The 2008 candidates on political reform

More fundamental than the climate

The radical middle in US democracy

Re-sizing the House

If the USA had PR

MMP and dual candidacy

Canada's dysfunctional electoral system

The Hamas sweep: The electoral system did it

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    • 22 January 2008
    Great minds

    Planted by MSS
    Planted in: Blogging; FRUITS

    This is almost eerie. Today I stumbled upon a blog called Orchards Forever, while looking into web sites with reference to Tu Bishvat. (There was nothing there on our New Year for Trees, but that’s neither here nor there. Besides the blog is identified as pagan.)

    In addition to a list of favorite apple varieties, the blog has a statement about its author, Peg, that is headed, “My Core.” The archives are headed by “Harvests Past.”

    But it gets even closer to home, or rather to the finca. Posts are indicated as “planted by Peg” and those who leave comments are “Johnny Appleseeds.”

    And there is a link to a Virtual Orchard (a separate site that I also did not previously know.) Linked blogs are referred to as “Blog Branches.”

    Seems like my kind of (virtual) fruitfulness!

    Propagation: Seeds & scions (1)

    1 idea sprouting »

    1. hi–thanks for visiting and linking to my blog! Yours is cool; much more political than mine! ;)

      Seed planted by peg — 07 March 2008 @ 04:00

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    AMERICAN POLITICAL REFORM

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    PROPAGATION
    Recent comments.

  • Does STV have anything to do with absence of “free votes” in Ireland? (11)
    • Tom Round: JD, because a government body has an electoral roll stating that “These people are registered supporters of the Democratic Party,...
    • JD: Tom, I’m not sure I understand why primaries the secret ballot. Alan, how is that different from a (closed) primary?
    • Alan: I’m not a fan of primaries, for the reasons Tom states. I am a fan of requiring parties to nominate candidates by a ballot of all party...
    • Tom Round: It would indeed be ironic if one reason discouraging parties from allowing free votes was an electoral system that could enable voters...
    • MSS: And, yes, the larger irish parties do publish recommended rankings, and rotate them in different areas of the constituency. (The small parties...
  • BC election 2013 (8)
    • Chris: The federal Liberal party hate the Conservatives more than they hate the NDP. They think Trudeau fil will get them a majority government,...
    • Ed: Its been explained to me that BC politics seems complicated, but is actually pretty simple: everyone gangs up against the NDP, but the...
    • MSS: I am struck by the degree of malapportionmen t in BC. For instance, the Peace River South winner’s 46.4% was only 3,904 votes, whereas...
    • MSS: The Green Party won the Oak Bay-Gordon Head seat, with 40.1%. It was not close, with incumbent Liberal Ida Chong having only 29.7% and the NDP...
    • MSS: I guess this is why they still have actual elections with actual voters casting actual ballots! How could the pollsters be so wrong?
    • Vasi: Well that was surprising! Once again, the polls in a Canadian election were off, and the incumbents do much better than expected.
    • Tom Round: BC: where a 39% sub-plurality is enough to elect a government for five years (absolute majority of seats, no upper house) but a 57%...
    • JD: Oh, how different (and more interesting) things would have been had STV been approved…
  • Final MMP Review report is out (11)
    • Suaprazzodi: Perhaps they should put the amended version of MMP to a referendum. They should ask questions like do you want the list percentage...

    • CROSS-POLLINATION

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    morn_blms_corralito.jpg

    The Fruit Blog (Fruit & fruit breeding)
    Daley's Fruit Tree Blog
    Orchards Forever
    The Orchard Keeper
    The Ethicurean
    The Jew and the Carrot
    Small farms ("real people & real food")
    Life begins at 30 (Farmers markets, etc.)
    Banana
    Festival of Trees
    Rare Fruit News Online
    Cloudforest Cafe


    VOTES

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    Comparative democracy

    Psephos (Adam Carr's data archive)
    Electoral Panorama
    World Elections
    African Elections Database
    M. Herrera's Electoral Calendar
    Electoral Geography (Data archive)
    Michael Gallagher's data archive
    Election Finance (Blog, data archive)
    IFES
    Election Law (Rick Hasen)
    VoteLaw (Edward Still)
    Ballot Access News

    Electoral and Political Reform

    The FairVote Blog (US)
    Make my vote count (UK)
    Wilf Day (Canada)
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    Citizens Assembly Blog (dormant)


    POLITOLOGY

    Blogs of political analysis

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    Frontloading HQ (Josh Putnam)
    FiveThirtyEight
    Vote View (Keith Poole)
    The Monkey Cage
    A Plain Blog About Politics (Jonathan Bernstein)
    Political Arithmetik (dormant)
    Polls & Votes
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    Polysigh
    Reflective Pundit
    Rustbelt Intellectual
    Simon Jackman
    The semi-presidential one
    Josep Colomer
    Chapel Hill Treehouse (dormant)
    Political Behavior (dormant)
    Dart-Throwing Chimp
    Countries at the Crossroads (Freedom House blog)
    Jacob T. Levy

    REGIONAL ANALYSIS

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    Dr Sean's Diary
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    ORGANIZATIONS

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    California Rare Fruit Growers

    Center for Voting and Democracy

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    Southerly Buster
    Jon Swift
    Two Weeks Notice
    We move to Canada
    Davka
    Frustrated Progressive

    HARVESTS

    If by my laws you walk, and my commands you keep, and observe them,
    then I will give-forth your rains in their set-time,
    so that the earth gives-forth its yield
    and the trees of the field give-forth their fruit.
    --Vayikra 26: 3-4

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    ORCHARD SERVICES

    F&V time: This blog's date function is so set as to start a new day at approximately local sunset. (Why, if we have "day" and "night," should a new "day" start in the middle of the night?)

    FRUITS: Support your local, organic growers; and, plant vines and fig trees and pomegranates for the generations to come...

    VOTES: For democratization and full representation, for environmental sustainability, social justice, and peace, always sincerely...

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