The disproportionate power enjoyed in the Senate by small states is playing
a growing role in the political dynamic on issues as varied as gun
control, immigration and campaign finance.
The Constitution has always given residents of states
with small populations a lift, but the size and importance of the gap has grown
markedly in recent decades, in ways the
framers probably never anticipated.
What is certain is that the power of the smaller states is large
and growing. Political scientists call it a striking exception to the
democratic principle of “one person, one vote.” Indeed, they say, the
Senate may be the least democratic legislative chamber in any developed nation.
There is a widening demographic split, too, with the larger
states becoming more urban and liberal, and the smaller ones remaining
rural and conservative, which lends a new significance to the disparity in
their political power.
No comments:
Post a Comment