THE CENSUS: REAPPORTIONMENT/REDISTRICTING VERSUS EXPANDING THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

NYTimes:

The Census Bureau will announce later this month that New York State’s Congressional delegation will shrink to the smallest it has been in 200 years, continuing to erode the state’s clout in Washington.

The 435 seats in the House of Representatives are apportioned every decade on the basis of population.

As a result of the steady tilt to the South and West, New York’s 29-member delegation will lose at least one seat and possibly two, continuing an inexorable slide that began after World War II.

The loss of two seats appeared to be a little less likely because migration from the Northeast lagged during the recession.

YUP: IN SOME PLACES THE POPULATION GOES UP, BUT REPRESENTATION GOES DOWN. AND DISTRICTS ARE TOO BIG. A CONGRESSMAN IN NY REPRESENTS MORE PEOPLE THAN THE CONGRESSMAN FROM DELAWARE OR RHODE ISLAND OR NORTH DAKOTA OR ALASKA AND SO ON. BUT EACH HAS JUST ONE VOTE.

• THIS IS NOT FAIR - AND IT'S NOT WHAT THE FOUNDING FATHERS HAD IN MIND.

• IN FACT, THE ORIGINAL PURPOSE OF THE CENSUS WAS TO PROVIDE FOR AN ORDERLY EXPANSION OF CONGRESS - IN PERPETUITY.

• IT WASN'T UNTIL 1929THAT THE SIZE OF THE HOUSE WAS CAPPED AT 435 - VIA AN ACT OF CONGRESS, NOT BY A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.

IT'S TIME WE UNDID THAT MISTAKE AND ADDED SEATS TO THE HOUSE.

• THE HOUSE SHOULD HAVE 500 SEATS; THE ADDITION 65 SEATS SHOULD BE DISTRIBUTED BY USING THE CENSUS.

• THESE SEATS WOULD BE OPEN SEATS WOULD PROVIDE OUR NATION WITH AN UNPARALLELED OPPORTUNITY TO REINVIGORATE OUR REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT.

PREVIOUS POSTS HERE AND HERE. EXCERPT:

Having more Representatives would make each district smaller and reduce the committee responsibilities of each representative and thereby allow her/him to do more constituent work - BE MORE RESPONSIVE.

The number of representatives was capped -BY STATUTE - in 1929:

The Permanent Apportionment Act of 1929 capped the Membership at that level, creating a procedure for reapportioning state delegations in the House under “the then existing number of Representatives” (see Act of June 18, 1929, ch. 28, 46 Stat 21).

It can be undone by statute. A simple majority vote by each body of Congress and a signature by the POTUS.

A body with 600 members is much more manageable now than a body with 420 in 1929. Many representative bodies in the USA and around the world have 600 members and function fine.

This change would also have the added benefit of making the electoral college more representative and more accurately reflect the wishes of the people.