Eventually, Democrats will regain control of the U.S. House and the U.S. Senate and the Presidency. I'd like to hope 2005, but maybe 2007 or 2009. :)
When we do, we wouldn't have to play fair. Imagine the following agenda, which could be enacted entirely without constitutional amendments, or approval from any Republican leaning state legislature. And, virtually all have a negligble revenue effect or out of pocket cost.
(1) Give the District of Columbia statehood. Result: Two new Democratic Senators and a new Democratic Representative, plus Democratic party self-rule for D.C.
(2) Hold a referrendum in Puerto Rico where they are required to choose between statehood and independence without a commonwealth option. Result: Puerto Rico votes for statehood, producing two new Democratic Senators and several representatives most leaning more towards Democrats than Republicans.
(3) Offer immediate citizenship to all illegal aliens and green card holders. Result: Ten to fourteen million new voters, many Democrats.
(4) Prohibit disqualification of felons who have served their time from voting in federal elections. Result: Millions of new, overwhelmingly Democratic voters in the South.
(5) Require states to permit election day voter registration. Result: Millions of new voters, many of whom are young or mobile Democrats.
(6) Split California into a Northern California State (Golden) and a Southern California State. Result: Two new Democratic party Senators.
(7) Increase the size of the Supreme Court from 9 to 13 judges. Result: Four liberal leaning justices to end the conservative court majority.
(8) Add dozens of new federal appellate and district court judgeships. Result: Liberal federal courts.
(9) Prohibit companies or management employees of companies that bid on federal contracts from making campaign contributions for federal office. Result: Significantly impairs the lobbying power of the military industrial complex. Probably constitutional since it is narrowly tailored to cases where there is a particular appearance of impropriety.
(10) Require broadcast radio and TV stations to provide a certain amount of free political advertising to candidates for public office.
Result: Public financing without a monetary tax.
(11) Make election day a national holiday. Result: Increases voter turnout.
(12) Require states to elect members of the U.S. House statewide on a proportional representation basis. Result: Eliminates possibility of gerrymandering, prevents splinter parties from harming large parties, increases voter turnout since every vote really would count (unlike gerrymandered district results).
(13) Downsize the service academies, and filling those officer slots with through the ranks candidates (OCS) instead. Result: Reduces conservative bias in the officer corps.
(14) Dismantle the CIA in an administrative reorganization. Result: Displaces the most hardline conservatives in the bureacracy.