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U.S. | Government & Elections

If US Senate Were More Democratic, Democrats Would Hold Fillibuster-Proof Majority in 2009
by dave id
Tuesday Feb 3rd, 2009 4:26 PM
Doing a little sorting of data readily found online*, one can see that, by percentage of population, Democrats clearly represent over 60% of the U.S. in the Senate today, and yet they fall a few seats short of holding an actual fillibuster-proof majority. Hence, Republicans are over-represented -- and with the simple threat of a fillibuster they are able to thwart the will of a clear majority of the populace.

While one might appreciate the thinking of the founders in assuring that smaller states have stronger representation in the Senate than they do in the House of Representatives -- thereby preventing outright large-state bullying -- perhaps a more fair system might allot more than two Senators to a state such as California with 36 million residents and just one to a state like Alaska with not even 3/4 of a million people. Solid red Texas with 23 million would have more than the currently blue Montana with less than one million.

Of course, it would take a Constitutional amendment to modify this arrangement, and given the undemocratic nature of the Senate, and inertia and apathy across the nation regarding any structural changes to our government whatsoever, improvements seem unlikely on even a limited scale such as tinkering with the U.S. Senate.

In the meantime, Republicans, without much effort, can foil or water down any Democratic attempts at passing meaningful legislation in the Obama age, legislation that might socialize healthcare or massively invest in infrastructure such as schools and public transit, or significantly push our economy toward green technologies without it getting mucked up by Republican priorities like tax cuts, big business hand-outs, and warmongering. Of course, that assumes that Democrats would be interested or brave enough to make such radical moves in the first place if they were free of Republican constriction.

Worksheet:
Total Represented by Dems**: 182,201,000 Total Represented by Repugs: 111,972,000 Dems 61.9%
**add almost 5 million to Dem total if you include Sanders, Lieberman, and Franken for 62.5% of total
State Population (Jul '06) population median Party (Jan '09) Name
Alaska 670,000 335,000 Democratic Begich, Mark
Arkansas 2,811,000 1,405,500 Democratic Lincoln, Blanche
Arkansas 2,811,000 1,405,500 Democratic Pryor, Mark
California 36,458,000 18,229,000 Democratic Feinstein, Dianne
California 36,458,000 18,229,000 Democratic Boxer, Barbara
Colorado 4,753,000 2,376,500 Democratic Udall, Mark
Colorado 4,753,000 2,376,500 Democratic Bennet, Michael
Connecticut 3,505,000 1,752,500 Democratic Dodd, Chris
Delaware 853,000 426,500 Democratic Carper, Tom
Delaware 853,000 426,500 Democratic Kaufman, Ted
Florida 18,090,000 9,045,000 Democratic Nelson, Bill
Hawaii 1,285,000 642,500 Democratic Inouye, Daniel
Hawaii 1,285,000 642,500 Democratic Akaka, Daniel
Illinois 12,832,000 6,416,000 Democratic Durbin, Dick
Illinois 12,832,000 6,416,000 Democratic Burris, Roland
Indiana 6,314,000 3,157,000 Democratic Bayh, Evan
Iowa 2,982,000 1,491,000 Democratic Harkin, Tom
Louisiana 4,288,000 2,144,000 Democratic Landrieu, Mary
Maryland 5,616,000 2,808,000 Democratic Mikulski, Barbara
Maryland 5,616,000 2,808,000 Democratic Cardin, Ben
Massachusetts 6,437,000 3,218,500 Democratic Kennedy, Ted
Massachusetts 6,437,000 3,218,500 Democratic Kerry, John
Michigan 10,096,000 5,048,000 Democratic Levin, Carl
Michigan 10,096,000 5,048,000 Democratic Stabenow, Debbie
Minnesota 5,167,000 2,583,500 Democratic
-Farmer-Labor
Klobuchar, Amy
Missouri 5,843,000 2,921,500 Democratic McCaskill, Claire
Montana 945,000 472,500 Democratic Baucus, Max
Montana 945,000 472,500 Democratic Tester, Jon
Nebraska 1,768,000 884,000 Democratic Nelson, Ben
Nevada 2,496,000 1,248,000 Democratic Reid, Harry
New Hampshire 1,315,000 657,500 Democratic Shaheen, Jeanne
New Jersey 8,725,000 4,362,500 Democratic Lautenberg, Frank
New Jersey 8,725,000 4,362,500 Democratic Menendez, Bob
New Mexico 1,955,000 977,500 Democratic Bingaman, Jeff
New Mexico 1,955,000 977,500 Democratic Udall, Tom
New York 19,306,000 9,653,000 Democratic Schumer, Chuck
New York 19,306,000 9,653,000 Democratic Gillibrand, Kirsten
North Carolina 8,857,000 4,428,500 Democratic Hagan, Kay
North Dakota 636,000 318,000 Democratic Conrad, Kent
North Dakota 636,000 318,000 Democratic Dorgan, Byron
Ohio 11,478,000 5,739,000 Democratic Brown, Sherrod
Oregon 3,701,000 1,850,500 Democratic Wyden, Ron
Oregon 3,701,000 1,850,500 Democratic Merkley, Jeff
Pennsylvania 12,441,000 6,220,500 Democratic Casey, Bob, Jr.
Rhode Island 1,068,000 534,000 Democratic Reed, Jack
Rhode Island 1,068,000 534,000 Democratic Whitehouse, Sheldon
South Dakota 782,000 391,000 Democratic Johnson, Tim
Vermont 624,000 312,000 Democratic Leahy, Patrick
Virginia 7,643,000 3,821,500 Democratic Webb, Jim
Virginia 7,643,000 3,821,500 Democratic Warner, Mark
Washington 6,396,000 3,198,000 Democratic Murray, Patty
Washington 6,396,000 3,198,000 Democratic Cantwell, Maria
West Virginia 1,818,000 909,000 Democratic Byrd, Robert
West Virginia 1,818,000 909,000 Democratic Rockefeller, Jay
Wisconsin 5,557,000 2,778,500 Democratic Kohl, Herb
Wisconsin 5,557,000 2,778,500 Democratic Feingold, Russ
Vermont 624,000 312,000 Independent Sanders, Bernie
Connecticut 3,505,000 1,752,500 Independent Democratic Lieberman, Joe
Alabama 4,599,000 2,299,500 Republican Shelby, Richard
Alabama 4,599,000 2,299,500 Republican Sessions, Jeff
Alaska 670,000 335,000 Republican Murkowski, Lisa
Arizona 6,166,000 3,083,000 Republican McCain, John
Arizona 6,166,000 3,083,000 Republican Kyl, Jon
Florida 18,090,000 9,045,000 Republican Martinez, Mel
Georgia 9,364,000 4,682,000 Republican Chambliss, Saxby
Georgia 9,364,000 4,682,000 Republican Isakson, Johnny
Idaho 1,466,000 733,000 Republican Crapo, Mike
Idaho 1,466,000 733,000 Republican Risch, Jim
Indiana 6,314,000 3,157,000 Republican Lugar, Richard
Iowa 2,982,000 1,491,000 Republican Grassley, Chuck
Kansas 2,764,000 1,382,000 Republican Brownback, Sam
Kansas 2,764,000 1,382,000 Republican Roberts, Pat
Kentucky 4,206,000 2,103,000 Republican McConnell, Mitch
Kentucky 4,206,000 2,103,000 Republican Bunning, Jim
Louisiana 4,288,000 2,144,000 Republican Vitter, David
Maine 1,322,000 661,000 Republican Snowe, Olympia
Maine 1,322,000 661,000 Republican Collins, Susan
Mississippi 2,911,000 1,455,500 Republican Cochran, Thad
Mississippi 2,911,000 1,455,500 Republican Wicker, Roger
Missouri 5,843,000 2,921,500 Republican Bond, Kit
Nebraska 1,768,000 884,000 Republican Johanns, Mike
Nevada 2,496,000 1,248,000 Republican Ensign, John
New Hampshire 1,315,000 657,500 Republican Gregg, Judd
North Carolina 8,857,000 4,428,500 Republican Burr, Richard
Ohio 11,478,000 5,739,000 Republican Voinovich, George
Oklahoma 3,579,000 1,789,500 Republican Inhofe, Jim
Oklahoma 3,579,000 1,789,500 Republican Coburn, Tom
Pennsylvania 12,441,000 6,220,500 Republican Specter, Arlen
South Carolina 4,321,000 2,160,500 Republican Graham, Lindsey
South Carolina 4,321,000 2,160,500 Republican DeMint, Jim
South Dakota 782,000 391,000 Republican Thune, John
Tennessee 6,039,000 3,019,500 Republican Alexander, Lamar
Tennessee 6,039,000 3,019,500 Republican Corker, Bob
Texas 23,508,000 11,754,000 Republican Hutchison, Kay Bailey
Texas 23,508,000 11,754,000 Republican Cornyn, John
Utah 2,550,000 1,275,000 Republican Hatch, Orrin
Utah 2,550,000 1,275,000 Republican Bennett, Robert
Wyoming 515,000 257,500 Republican Enzi, Mike
Wyoming 515,000 257,500 Republican Barrasso, John
Minnesota 5,167,000 2,583,500 To Be Determined
sources:
http://www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0004986.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_current_United_States_Senators#Senate
*For the purposes of this excercise, each Senator was considered to represent the median number of people in their state.