Hi all. I've never posted a diary before, so I hope you don't mind my weighing in on
this extremely compelling idea.
The only major problem I see is that Congress would need to approve such a measure, thereby eroding the power each individual House member currently enjoys. The Senate might go for it, but I can't see the House ever enacting such a plan. I think this idea would die a quick death, much like meaningful campaign finance reform.
This being said, dramatically increasing the number of seats in the House should pass constitutional muster, as the document appears to be silent as to the actual number of House members.
Article I, Section II states as follows:
Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union, according to their respective Numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole Number of free Persons, including those bound to Service for a Term of Years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of all other Persons. The actual Enumeration shall be made within three Years after the first Meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within every subsequent Term of ten Years, in such Manner as they shall by Law direct. The Number of Representatives shall not exceed one for every thirty Thousand, but each State shall have at Least one Representative; and until such enumeration shall be made, the State of New Hampshire shall be entitled to choose three, Massachusetts eight, Rhode Island and Providence Plantations one, Connecticut five, New York six, New Jersey four, Pennsylvania eight, Delaware one, Maryland six, Virginia ten, North Carolina five, South Carolina five and Georgia three.
Article II of the XIV Amendment changed Article I, Section II in this manner:
Representatives shall be apportioned among the several States according to their respective numbers, counting the whole number of persons in each State, excluding Indians not taxed. But when the right to vote at any election for the choice of electors for President and Vice-President of the United States, Representatives in Congress, the Executive and Judicial officers of a State, or the members of the Legislature thereof, is denied to any of the male inhabitants of such State, being twenty-one years of age, and citizens of the United States, or in any way abridged, except for participation in rebellion, or other crime, the basis of representation therein shall be reduced in the proportion which the number of such male citizens shall bear to the whole number of male citizens twenty-one years of age in such State.
There is nothing I can see that would prohibit tripling the seats in the House. In fact, the only restriction would seem to be that the number of constituents in each district be no less than 30,000 individuals of voting age. Of course, this would leave us with over 5,000 House seats, which would be a touch unwieldy, so 100,000 constituents would seem to be a good number.
Great idea. Don't hold your breath.