Is "Red State" America Under Respresented in the House of Reps.?

Last weeks Senate Vote to give D.C. and Utah each a house seat, which could be held up in court for years, reminds us of how the growth in the Conservative West is being ignored, by the more liberal Beltway Eastern States, and the Left Coast.

The Senate voted last week 60-37, to give Washington D.C. a Seat in the House of Representatives. Utah is to get one more seat, so that there will be one Republican and one Democrat, seated at the same time. The vote has been criticized by some Republicans in Utah who would most certainly gain one more party seat in the house. Bob Bennet (R,UT) called the bill unconstitutional. Why? Because Utah has been fighting for this seat for over 10 years and has been ignored. The District of Columbia is, on the other, hand not a state. The Capital has no Senate representation, nor should it. So the D.C. seat in the house will not be realized for years, due to court challenges. So While Washington's seat is not a reality, neither is Utah's.

This is the second time that this silly, one for one, seat sharing idea has been brought up for Utah and D.C. The vote was blocked in 2002 due to fears of court challenges. Now we are trying the same stupid idea, but this time it's law. Next year is a census year. Utah has been the fastest growing state, by percentage, for the last couple years. So when the census is completed the growth in population will show that Utah, again, is due for another seat. The Beehive State won't get it because the Senate Already voted to give it another seat. When the vote from last week is stuck in court Utah will remain one representative short. If the law from last week is found unconstitutional then Utah simply loses out.

Is it just Utah that is in this predicament? No, in fact, many Mountain West states are getting the Representative shaft. Arizona is the second fastest growing state, by percentage, and the fifth by population. Still, Arizona is significantly under represented. Colorado is in the same boat, along with Montana and Idaho. Not all of these states are all red states but Conservatives would be much better represented if the Representative seating were to be apportioned by population as they should be. Incidentally, the area of the country where the the conservative seats are properly divvied up is the old 'Grain Belt' i.e, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. These states have not seen the growth of the Mountain West.

The following chart shows how many Mountain West states are largely under represented. I also took the liberty of coloring the states Red or Blue showing how those states voted in the 2008 Election. Each population number shown is from the Census Bureau site as of 2007.

Click here to see our breakdown of Reps. per state

Perhaps the only way that all states can have adequate seating in the House of Representatives is to consider more seats. No state would like to see seats taken from one state to be given to another. Most Governors, and I would hope that all in that state, would fight ruthlessly to see their respective seats left alone.

The seating system, as it stands, is simply disproportionate. In the case of Utah, Montana, and Nevada, House Seats have been over due since the last Official Census nearly 10 years ago. Can there be any doubt that the Mountain States are greatly in need of Congressional Seats. When the Official Census comes up next year these states have to be represented.

Beyond the states in the Rocky's or their bordering states, Texas has 1 rep. to every 750,000. Delaware also deserves better representation. So, not all seats would be conservative. Not all of the seats would be in the west, but every one of these states deserves a voice in our Republic. If we are attempting to expand the house beyond the states to Washington's D.C's 588,000 citizens then we had better make sure that all states are properly represented at the Republic's table. If this poor representation continues, then we will be imposing the very thing from which our Founding Father's fought to liberate us; Taxation without Representation. Posted by Rhant at www.realityslate.com