How can we have democracy when half the population holds 20% of the Senate?

[Laelth]

214. Our Senate was a compromise.

Last edited Tue Apr 22, 2014, 05:47 AM - Edit history (1)

Generally speaking, representatives at the Constitutional Convention from high-population states disliked the idea of the Senate (because it doesn't work on the one person, one vote principle). Nevertheless, representatives from the low-population states insisted upon the current structure of the Senate. Keep in mind, there would be no United States without this compromise. The smaller states would not have joined. Like most things political, our Constitution was the result of a compromise, and it's not ideal. Although we like to think of it as being perfectly-designed, the truth is that the Constitution was the product of a messy political process and it was not considered "ideal" by the people who were voting on it. Nevertheless, it was ratified and became the law of the land (much like the ACA--the product of a lot of compromise--far from ideal, but the law of the land, regardless).

Our Senate (as currently configured) may have outlived its usefulness ... perhaps ... but nobody's convincing Wyoming, North Dakota, and all the other low-population states to agree to change it.

-Laelth