Political math: 37 > 63

Crabtownboy · Jan 22, 2010

I was taught that in a democracy the majority leads. It seems this is not true when you look at the math.

As I point out in my article in the current issue, the combination of three forces:
- The original Constitutional compromise giving two Senate seats to every state, large or small;
- The post-Constitutional patterns of population growth, which leave California with nearly 37 million people and Wyoming with just over half a million; and
- The very recent practice of subjecting almost every Senate action to the threat of filibuster, which requires 60 votes to surmount...

.. means that in theory Senators representing only 12% of the U.S. population could block efforts that Senators representing the other 88% support.

In reality, the pattern is not that extreme. The Republican minority in the Senate includes some from highly-populated states -- two from Texas, one each from Florida and Ohio. The Democratic majority includes some from low-population states -- both from Delaware and West Virginia, one each from Alaska and Nebraska.

So in reality, what's the population balance? Counting the new Republican Senator Scott Brown from Massachusetts, the 41 Republicans in the Senate come from states representing just over 36.5 percent of the total US population. The 59 others (Democratic plus 2 Independent) represent just under 63.5 percent. (Taking 2009 state populations from here. If you count up the totals and split a state's population when it has a spit delegation, you end up with about 112.3 million Republican, 194.7 million Democratic + Indep. Before Brown's election, it was about 198 million Democratic + Ind, 109 million Republican.)

Let's round the figures to 63/37 and apply them to the health care debate. Senators representing 63 percent of the public vote for the bill; those representing 37 percent vote against it. The bill fails.

http://jamesfallows.theatlantic.com/archives/2010/01/political_math_36_64.php

Click to expand...

FR7 Baptist · Jan 22, 2010

Crabtownboy said: ↑

I was taught that in a democracy the majority leads. It seems this is not true when you look at the math.

Click to expand...

The thing is our country is not a pure democracy. Each state has 2 senators to preserve Federalism.

Jerome · Jan 22, 2010

If one has grave concerns about democracy, why not just simply look at what polls say the public actually thinks about the health care scheme?
Anyone know of any poll showing 63% of Americans favoring the plan?

NaasPreacher (C4K) · Jan 22, 2010

Senators were never intended to represent the people - they represent states. Whats the problem with that?

Some folks keep thinking that the US is the great 300 million member democracy. It is still a federation of states.

windcatcher · Jan 22, 2010

Crabtownboy said: ↑

I was taught that in a democracy the majority leads. It seems this is not true when you look at the math.

Click to expand...

Silly! This is not a democracy. This is a republic form of government.

The discrepancies you note in the article you quoted are the very factors of protection and bringing into some form of balance the ability of a miniority to successfully oppose the oppression which could be represented by the special and selfish interest of a majority and particularly loaded concentration of population.

It's amazing our founders had this foresight!:wavey::godisgood:

windcatcher · Jan 22, 2010

Paul3144 said: ↑

The thing is our country is not a pure democracy. Each state has 2 senators to preserve Federalism.
Click to expand...

+1 for Paul! :love2:

Political math: 37 > 63

Crabtownboy Well-Known Member
Site Supporter

FR7 Baptist Active Member

Jerome Well-Known Member
Site Supporter

NaasPreacher (C4K) Well-Known Member

windcatcher New Member

windcatcher New Member

Political math: 37 > 63

Crabtownboy Well-Known Member Site Supporter

FR7 Baptist Active Member

Jerome Well-Known Member Site Supporter

NaasPreacher (C4K) Well-Known Member

windcatcher New Member

windcatcher New Member

Crabtownboy Well-Known Member
Site Supporter

Jerome Well-Known Member
Site Supporter