I want to propose that the existing structure of the United States Senate - based on Section 3, Clause 1, of the U.S. Consititution, which states
The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, chosen by the Legislature thereof, for six Years; and each Senator shall have one Vote
is fundamentally unfair and chould be changed. I propose that the major metropolitan areas be allowed their own Senators, who would be part of an expanded Senate.
Right now, both Dakotas (North and South) have a combined population of 1.4 million people; that's less than the combined population of Brooklyn and the Bronx (currently estimated to have a population of 3.8 million people). So, 1.4 million people in the Dakotas get 4 Senators and 3.8 million people in two densely populated boroughs of a large metropolitan area get a lot less senatorial representation per persons. And, we can see the real world consequences of this, in that the Senate, which skews rural based on this structural feature, moves our politics from the left/center to the right.
Incidentally, the Dakotas' four senators are all center-right: Kent Conrad, Byron Dorgan, Tim Johnson and John Thune. All are white males. If Brooklyn and the Bronx, as terratories larger than the Dakotas were to have their own senators, the odds are that they would unlikely all be center/right white males; the odds are that there would be at least some addditional progressive senators within this mix.
I would like to propose, then, that the major metropolitan areas of one million people or more be given their own additional 1-2 senators, depending on size. The top 15 cities would include;
1 New York New York
2 Los Angeles California
3 Chicago Illinois
4 Houston Texas
5 Phoenix Arizona
6 Philadelphia Pennsylvania
7 San Antonio Texas
8 Dallas Texas
9 San Diego California
10 San Jose California
11 Detroit Michigan
12 San Francisco California
13 Jacksonville Florida
14 Indianapolis e[›] Indiana
15 Austin Texas
I would start by giving NYC, LA, Chicago, Houston, Phoenix, and Philly each at least 2 senators of their own and the remaining cities one, and thenm take it from there. I would still want the Senate to be a smaller and more delibative body than the House, just with a more dynamic, less conservative structural bias.
Of course, I realize that this idea is probably never going to materialize, given that the non urban states would likely fight against it with all their might. But it would be a much fairer arrangement, in my opinion.
Anyway, comments? Ideas? Suggestions? or refutations of this very idea?