California
In reply to the discussion: OH, HELL TO THE FUCKING NO!!!! [View all]FrankTC
(210 posts)Keeping California as is means that Californians have as much clout in the US Senate as Wyoming and less than the great state of Dakota, which was divided into north and south and given twice as many senators. If California becomes three states, it will have six senators instead of two. It's entirely possible that one of the Californias will be red (South California?) and the others decisively blue. It's therefore possible that the three Californias will produce four senate seats for Democrats and two for Republicans -- a net gain of two Democrats in the US Senate. Along with new senators from Puerto Rico and the area formerly known as the District of Columbia (if they become states), the increased representation will make Democratic control more likely. Rural areas have too much power in the federal government in part because their citizens -- who lean much more Republican than people in real America -- elect more senators than they deserve. This disparity affects the Electoral College calculus also. One way to redress the unfairness is to create more blue states. And remember: As goes the Senate, so go the courts.