SAM SMITH, NY PRESS, 2000 - What does New York City have more of than
New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Montana, South Dakota, Delaware, North
Dakota, Alaska, Vermont, and Wyoming, all put together?
People.
What do New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Montana, South Dakota, Delaware,
North Dakota, Alaska, Vermont, and Wyoming have that New York City
doesn't have?
Eighteen US Senators.
New York City gets to share two senators with the residue of New York
state, which is also larger than all these other states put together. In
fact, there are 16 states with a combined population less than New York
in its entirety.
This discrimination is, of course, not unique to New York. The larger
states of California and Texas have it worse. And the capital colony of
Washington DC lacks even partial representation in the Senate.
The results of this constitutional but crazy apportionment of America's
upper house means, among other things, that ethnic minorities are
underrepresented in a manner officially permitted hardly anywhere else
in American culture. If the Senate had been a school district it would
have been under court-ordered bussing for the past few decades. If it
were a private club, you'd want to resign from it before running for
public office.
In fact, the malapportionment of the Senate is perhaps the most
important, undiscussed issue in the country today for there is hardly a
matter of political importance that would not be affected if that body
were to reflect 21st century rather than 19th century demographics.
New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Montana, South Dakota, Delaware, North
Dakota, Alaska, Vermont, and Wyoming, all put together?
People.
What do New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Montana, South Dakota, Delaware,
North Dakota, Alaska, Vermont, and Wyoming have that New York City
doesn't have?
Eighteen US Senators.
New York City gets to share two senators with the residue of New York
state, which is also larger than all these other states put together. In
fact, there are 16 states with a combined population less than New York
in its entirety.
This discrimination is, of course, not unique to New York. The larger
states of California and Texas have it worse. And the capital colony of
Washington DC lacks even partial representation in the Senate.
The results of this constitutional but crazy apportionment of America's
upper house means, among other things, that ethnic minorities are
underrepresented in a manner officially permitted hardly anywhere else
in American culture. If the Senate had been a school district it would
have been under court-ordered bussing for the past few decades. If it
were a private club, you'd want to resign from it before running for
public office.
In fact, the malapportionment of the Senate is perhaps the most
important, undiscussed issue in the country today for there is hardly a
matter of political importance that would not be affected if that body
were to reflect 21st century rather than 19th century demographics.
http://prorev.com/sthdurban.htm
FIELD GUIDE TO DEVOLUTION
http://prorev.com/devolution.htm
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