Can U.S. Politics Be Reformed With A Few Electoral Fixes? | HuffPost

The 3 Fixes Our Government Needs Most

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The 114th Congress in this country's history begins this week with little support behind it and the American political system as a whole. The Republican-led faction is destined for more battles with President Obama in the coming days, increasing the frustration of all parties involved, including the American people.

With government at a perpetual standstill, a HuffPost Live panel wondered aloud a simple question Monday: is there a way to fix it?

A four-person roundtable — Zaid Jilani, a contributing writer for AlterNet; Seth Masket, an associate professor of political science at the University of Denver; Drew Spencer, a staff attorney at FairVote; and HuffPost Politics reporter Jason Linkins — discussed the query with host Josh Zepps, focusing on three specific areas: gerrymandering, filibustering and voting rights.

Watch the discussion above, and catch the full HuffPost Live conversation here.

Sign up here for Live Today, HuffPost Live's new morning email that will let you know the newsmakers, celebrities and politicians joining us that day and give you the best clips from the day before!

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Before You Go

New Congress Members

Rep. Alma Adams (D-N.C.)(01 of74)

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Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.)(02 of74)

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Rep. Rick Allen (R-Ga.)(03 of74)

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Rep. Brad Ashford (D-Neb.)(04 of74)

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Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.)(05 of74)

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Rep. Mike Bishop (R-Mich.)(06 of74)

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Rep. Rod Blum (R-Iowa)(07 of74)

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Rep. Mike Bost (R-Ill.)(08 of74)

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Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-Pa.)(09 of74)

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Rep. Dave Brat (R-Va.)(10 of74)

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Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.)(11 of74)

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Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.)(12 of74)

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Rep. Barbara Comstock (R-Va.)(13 of74)

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Rep. Ryan Costello (R-Pa.)(14 of74)

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Rep. Carlos Curbelo (R-Fla.)(15 of74)

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Rep. Mark DeSaulnier (D-Calif.)(16 of74)

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Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.)(17 of74)

Congresswoman-elect Debbie Dingell addresses supporters during an election night rally in Detroit, Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2014. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Rep. Bob Dold (R-Ill.)(18 of74)

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Rep. Tom Emmer (R-Minn.)(19 of74)

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Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa.)(20 of74)

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Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.)(21 of74)

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Rep. Gwen Graham (D-Fla.)(22 of74)

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Rep. Glenn Grothman (R-Wis.)(23 of74)

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Rep. Frank Guinta (R-N.H.)(24 of74)

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Rep. Cresent Hardy (R-Nev.)(25 of74)

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Rep. Jody Hice (R-Ga.)(26 of74)

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Rep. French Hill (R-Ark.)(27 of74)

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Rep. Will Hurd (R-Texas)(28 of74)

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Rep. Evan Jenkins (R-W.Va.)(29 of74)

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Rep. John Katko (R-N.Y.)(30 of74)

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Rep. Steve Knight (R-Calif.)(31 of74)

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Rep. Brenda Lawrence (D-Mich.)(32 of74)

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Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.)(33 of74)

CORRECTION: This slide has been updated to reflect Lieu represents California, not Hawaii. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-Ga.)(34 of74)

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Rep. Mia Love (R-Utah)(35 of74)

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Rep. Tom MacArthur (R-N.J.)(36 of74)

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Rep. Martha McSally (R-Ariz.)(37 of74)

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Rep. John Moolenaar (R-Mich.)(38 of74)

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Rep. Alex Mooney (R-W.Va.)(39 of74)

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Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.)(40 of74)

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Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.)(41 of74)

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Rep. Don Norcross (D-N.J.)(42 of74)

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Sen. David Perdue (R-Ga.)(43 of74)

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Rep. Bruce Poliquin (R-Maine)(44 of74)

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Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-Texas)(45 of74)

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Rep. Kathleen Rice (D-N.Y.)(46 of74)

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Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.)(47 of74)

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Rep. David Rouzer (R-N.C.)(48 of74)

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Rep. Steve Russell (R-Okla.)(49 of74)

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Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.)(50 of74)

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Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.)(51 of74)

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Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska)(52 of74)

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Rep. Mark Takai (D-Hawaii)(53 of74)

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Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.)(54 of74)

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Rep. Norma Torres (D-Calif.)(55 of74)

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Rep. Dave Trott (R-Mich.)(56 of74)

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Rep. Mark Walker (R-N.C.)(57 of74)

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Rep. Mimi Walters (R-Calif.)(58 of74)

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Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.)(59 of74)

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Rep. David Young (R-Iowa)(60 of74)

FILE - This undated file photo provided by Young for Iowa, shows Iowa Republican candidate for U.S. House, David Young. Young, a former top aide to Iowa Sen. Charles Grassley, is the first Republican to declare publicly his candidacy for the U.S. House seat now held by U.S. Rep. Tom Latham. Latham said last month he would not seek re-election after 10 consecutive terms. (AP Photo/Young for Iowa, File) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-N.Y.)(61 of74)

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Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-Mont.)(62 of74)

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Rep. Buddy Carter (R-Ga.)(63 of74)

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Rep. Gary Palmer (R-Ala.)(64 of74)

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Rep. Brian Babin (R-Texas)(65 of74)

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Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.)(66 of74)

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Sen. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.)(67 of74)

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Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.)(68 of74)

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Garret Graves(69 of74)

UNITED STATES - SEPTEMBER 23: Garret Graves, candidate for Louisiana's 6th Congressional District, is interviewed by CQ Roll Call, September 23, 2014. (Photo By Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call) (credit:Tom Williams via Getty Images)

Rep. Gary Peters(70 of74)

UNITED STATES - NOVEMBER12: Senator-elect Rep. Gary Peters, D-Mich., does a television interview in the Cannon rotunda on Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2014. (Photo By Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call) (credit:Bill Clark via Getty Images)

Sen. James Lankford (R-Ok.)(71 of74)

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Sen. Shelly Moore Capito (R-W.Va.)(72 of74)

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Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.)(73 of74)

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Rep. Ralph Abraham (R-La.)(74 of74)

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