US Senate Representation for States
Discussion—The US Senate Representation for States
When the US Constitution was written, the larger states wanted representation in both the House and the Senate to be proportional to the population. Smaller states wanted a single legislative chamber with equal representation for each state. As a compromise, the current structure of proportional representation in the House and two Senators per state was created. This structure has led to great inequalities in Senatorial representation among citizens in different states. At the extremes, Wyoming has one senator for every 260,000 residents, while California has one senator for every 18,000,000 residents.
In this context, share your opinion on whether this level of unequal representation in the US Senate is appropriate.
To help you in this discussion, you can conduct a Web search on unequal representation in the Senate.
To participate in the discussion, complete the following tasks:
- Discuss and share your preference for the current system of the Senate representation or for an alternative system, such as proportional representation based on population.
- You should explain your preference by references to general principles (such as one person, one vote) or practical considerations (such as small-state versus large-state interests).
- You should clearly state your preferences and explain the rationale for your views.
Solution Preview
Each state in the US has two representatives in the Senate. This may look fine on the surface, but take a moment to consider the “one person, one vote” principle, and you will realize that there is…
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