1/ In 1790, the population of the US was about 4 million people. The most populated state, Virginia, had about 750,000 people. Of those, at most 111k *could* vote. The least populated state, Delaware, had 60k people with 12k people who could vote. ≈ 9.4 : 1
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2/ Senators weren't elected by popular vote until 1913. By 1920, - The population had grown to 106 million. - Women secured the franchise (kinda). - Black people could vote (not really). The most populated state (NY) had 10.4 million people; the least, (NV) had 77k. ≈ 134 : 1
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3/ By the 2010 Census, the US population was 308 million. California had 37.2 million people. Wyoming had 563k people. ≈ 66 : 1
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4/ These ratios are pretty anti-democratic. But, it was never meant to be a democratic institution. The thing is, even if you defend the rosiest perspective of its original purpose, these oft-cited ratios miss something important.
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5/ The US grew from 4 million people to 308 million. Outside of statehood adding a few more seats, the table has not grown... ...and most things don't scale well 77x growth.
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6/ That's not to say I think adding Senators is a solution to anything. (I haven't thought about it.) But, just keep these numbers in mind any time someone makes a bullshit argument about the Founding Fathers or spouts some originalist nonsense.
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7/ Things have changed a lot. Institutions have also -- but not as much. And, there's no reason to think that any particular configuration should retain its function in perpetuity. Adapt or die -- or fracture.
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