Should the congress or senate be bigger?

[RandRevolution]

Seems like it would make sense to increase the number now that the population has increased.

 

[Smart3]

Increasing the number of Senators is pointless.

Increasing the number of Congressmen to 600 or 1000 would be a major improvement. A more important improvement would be proportional representation, which should end the two-party system permanently.

 

[tod evans]

I'm loath to increase any portion of government.........Look what's happened with what we have.

 

[Dr.3D]

I'm loath to increase any portion of government.........Look what's happened with what we have.

Yep, just more bodies to pay sitting there. We are trying to cut costs. Maybe there should be half as many to pay.

 

[LibertyEagle]

No. There is NOTHING in government that should be bigger. DOWNSIZE, DOWNSIZE, DOWNSIZE. Heck, with the downsize, SLASH out big parts of it.

 

[FrancisMarion]

I don't consider it a numbers problem. I consider it a problem of not following the document.

Would an increased House dilute the "purchasing" power of the lobbies?

 

[Kotin]

No. There is NOTHING in government that should be bigger. DOWNSIZE, DOWNSIZE, DOWNSIZE. Heck, with the downsize, SLASH out big parts of it.

THIS

 

[CaptUSA]

Senate = NO!

2 per state. If you screw that up, you might as well end the states and make it one big government.

Congress? There is a case to be made that shrinking district sizes will allow more direct representation. I'd tread carefully, but I'd be willing to entertain the idea.

 

[FrancisMarion]

Strength in numbers could be a good defense to cronyism.

 

[VIDEODROME]

What if we just got rid of Congress?

Instead have 1 Senator appointed by the Governor and State Legislator, the other Senator voted for by the State citizens in the general election.

 

[FrancisMarion]

What if we just got rid of Congress?

Instead have 1 Senator appointed by the Governor and State Legislator, the other Senator voted for by the State citizens in the general election.

More cronyism. Less interest in the people.

Make the House bigger. Pay them well (small expense % wise). We can't have only the rich who can afford to represent.

 

[VIDEODROME]

I tend to want to have things small and simple. I think the way things already are is like trying to have your voice heard in a stadium and what speaks loudest is money.

I have heard the complaints about how Senators were appointed before the 17th Amendment, that's why I suggest a compromise where 1 is appointed and the other is elected.

 

[Brian4Liberty]

2 per state. If you screw that up, you might as well end the states and make it one big government.

More States would be an improvement, which would result in more Senators. The huge western States should be broken up into smaller States.

 

[matt0611]

The house should be bigger. Each congressman will represent less people and there will be more districts. It should be at least doubled or tripled in size.

There should be a larger amount of states as well. States need to be broken up.

 

[CaptUSA]

More States would be an improvement, which would result in more Senators. The huge western States should be broken up into smaller States.

Interesting.... You may be on to something. That may be a way to get better representation for limited government in the Senate. I bet Jefferson would approve.

Damn, Brian, I have to give you rep for that! I hadn't even considered this before. Imagine East Texas and West Texas... Imagine how many states we could get in Alaska... It would seem our government would have a new flavor, wouldn't it?

 

[Brian4Liberty]

Interesting.... You may be on to something. That may be a way to get better representation for limited government in the Senate. I bet Jefferson would approve.

Damn, Brian, I have to give you rep for that! I hadn't even considered this before. Imagine East Texas and West Texas... Imagine how many states we could get in Alaska... It would seem our government would have a new flavor, wouldn't it?

There are a lot of divisions that would make sense. East and West Washington. State of Jefferson which would be part of Oregon and California. California should probably be five different States. Same with Texas.

 

[Smart3]

There are a lot of divisions that would make sense. East and West Washington. State of Jefferson which would be part of Oregon and California. California should probably be five different States. Same with Texas.

I would prefer the 'state of Lincoln' (google it)

I don't think breaking up Texas is a good idea, because it's impossible to draw a good map. I think the same problem exists with California, although there are a few possibilities. I'd be more interested in giving Nevada some parts of Cali - like Inyo, and the parts that border Washoe.

 

[Brian4Liberty]

I would prefer the 'state of Lincoln' (google it)

I'd still call it East Washington.

 

[Voluntarist]

xxxxx

 

[John of Des Moines]

The Founders saw the problem with representation since the First Congress in sending to the States the very first amendment (unratified) would set the representation at one to 30,000 so today the House would be around 10k in membership. A larger representative body results in a smaller government (sound like an oxymoron) see thirty-thousand.org. This would allow for multi-subcapitals so a foreign military against the federal leadership would have to hit several places at once.

Several improvements could be made without increasing the size of Congress.

1) No political parties on ballots. An individual runs on his/her record, not under some party umbrella.

2) Eliminate single member districts - for example California has 57 representatives, have five - 10 member districts and the remaining 7 elected statewide.

3) Repeal the 17th Amendment and prohibit the legislatures from using voter polls to elect Senators (before the 17th amendment several legislatures would rubber stamp the voter approved candidates for Senate). Allow Senators to be elected by a 40% plurality of the legislature, allow the legislature to remove a Senator by a 2/3 vote. Require the legislature to sit in joint continuous session until they elect a Senator (no other business allowed).