The Senate is not representitve

[insanity]

If we assume that every Senator represents all of their constituents and that Senators from the same party and same state do not doubly represent their state and by using 2008 population estimates we can say Republican's can claim to be the representatives to about 47.15% of the American population.

If we decide to cancel out the Senate delegations held by both parties to see where the solid Republican votes lie (instead of split-vote delegations), it is about 24.62% of the population and totals 28 Senators or about 70% of the votes needed to block legislation from moving out of debate.


I'm all for minority rights, but 25% of the population should not hold 70% of the influence on ending debate.

[Captain Hilts]

1. BINGO! Absurdly wealthy, white, male, lawyers, etc. nt

[depakid]

2. Sure isn't

which is something to laugh about next time someone calls America a "democracy."

In many respects, it's an even more elitist body than the House of Lords.

[brendan120678]

3. I don't think it was ever the intention of the Founders...

to make the Senate "representative." That's what the House of Representatives is for.

[floridablue]

4. The House is one man one vote

The Senate is give small states the same representation to larger or richer states. Except Minnesota of course. They are like "February all alone"

[Glorfindel]

5. Sure it is. The senators represent the states, not the people

It's just not democratic. The UK's House of Lords is far more "democratic," and they're all either "to the manner born" or appointed to it. :evilgrin:

[Strawman]

6. The Senate never has been a friend of progress

And has mostly failed as an firewall against reactionary demagogues and hysteria when it hasn't been the epicenter of it.

[onenote]

7. isn't this just another way of saying you don't think wyoming should have the same number

of Senators as California?

And if so, I think your issue is with the founding fathers.

The Senate was never intended to be "representative" in the way you describe.

[insanity]

9. My issue is with the inclusion of a lot of small states that has made the Senate unbalanced

Quite frankly I don't think Wyoming should be a state, as odd as that might sound.

[onenote]

10. then, I guess your issue is with the founding fathers

After all, they let Delaware in as one (i.e., 7.6 percent) of the original 13 states even though its population represented only around 1.7 percent of the total non-slave population of the original 13.

[insanity]

11. Both the founders and the slavery debate.

[EFerrari]

8. The Senate reminds me of Uncle Teddy in "Arsenic and Old Lace".

America's crazy uncles.