# Think Tank > U.S. Constitution >  Unicameral vs Bicameral

## Conat

Well, I have done a debate about the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution in the past, and in the end favored the Articles of Confederation. However, there is only one thing that I do not know, and never really bothered to figure out: is a unicameral better than a bicameral? 

I know there are AoC supporters here so I wanted some opinions.

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## heavenlyboy34

If those were my only 2 choices, I would take unicameral, put many strong limits on what they can/can't do, plus limit terms to 2 years.  I may change my mind when I think about it more, but that's what I think right now.

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## nate895

It depends on the setup of the legislature. It would have to be setup like the Senate or the original Confederation Congress for me to favor it. One house run by the rule of the simple majority would not be a good thing. 

I would only support unicameral legislatures on the Federal level, because their powers are very strictly limited. State legislatures should be bicameral.

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## Conat

Yes, I'm talking about the Confederation unicameral legislature. What makes you favor this over the Constitution's bicameral legislature?

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## nate895

> Yes, I'm talking about the Confederation unicameral legislature. What makes you favor this over the Constitution's bicameral legislature?


A bicameral legislature is just a bunch of red tape if it isn't really protecting anything. The US Constitution gives the power to levy duties (tariffs), which directly effects the average person, while the Articles of Confederation would probably only be amended to tax member states.

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## Isaac Bickerstaff

Originally, the Senate was appointed by the state governments. (17th amendment changed that) This gave the state governments some representation in the federal government, and was to preserve some semblance of states' rights. Now, with the Senate elected by the popular vote, the Republic has shifted to democracy which is destroying itself--it's what democracies do.

Senator was supposed to mean something. It was supposed to be a state's ambassador to the federal government. Instead, we get two branches filled with elected officials that only care about telling the right lies to get elected. State's rights are gone because the concept of the bicameral legislature has been ignored.

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## WRellim

> Originally, the Senate was appointed by the state governments. (17th amendment changed that) This gave the state governments some representation in the federal government, and was to preserve some semblance of states' rights. Now, with the Senate elected by the popular vote, the Republic has shifted to democracy which is destroying itself--it's what democracies do.
> 
> Senator was supposed to mean something. It was supposed to be a state's ambassador to the federal government. Instead, we get two branches filled with elected officials that only care about telling the right lies to get elected. *State's rights are gone because the concept of the bicameral legislature has been ignored.*


I would only amend that by saying it was *actively undermined and purposefully subverted* rather than simply "ignored."

Likewise, the second "foundation" to a truly _federal_ system (in the original meaning of the word) -- the Constitutional limitations of Federal power (plus the Bill of Rights, and the requirement for 2/3 state approvals of amendments) -- were also undermined and subverted by the Supreme Court's abandonment of those principles. (the amendment process was also a "states rights" barrier in that it was supposed to prevent any and all _major_ revisions to the original constitutional "federal" structure).

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## forsmant

In Nebraska we have a unicameral and it sucks for the less populace counties.  They are out numbered and they pass too many laws.  I would want three or more houses of legislatures in order to limit the laws passed.  Couple that with a time limit on legislation of 20 years and they will have to re pass all good laws and let bad ones die.

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## Kludge

As many as we can have, with as many representatives as possible. We aren't going anywhere I'd like to be any time soon, but we can at least slow the bastards down -- well, actually, I doubt we can... but.... Y'know...

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