Don't you guys need more congree critters?

Dr Grump

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Apr 4, 2006
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I know most of you righties like smaller govt, but Art 1 sect II of your constitution said there should be 1 congressman/woman for every 30,000 constituants. Currently its 1 for every 700,000. At home (NZ) we have 1 MP for every 33,000 citizens.

Forget the big govt aspect of it, what about getting some time with your congress critter in order to put forward your concerns and arguments? Hard to do with so many other voice around, no? or do you get enough representation at state level?
 
I know most of you righties like smaller govt, but Art 1 sect II of your constitution said there should be 1 congressman/woman for every 30,000 constituants. Currently its 1 for every 700,000. At home (NZ) we have 1 MP for every 33,000 citizens.

Forget the big govt aspect of it, what about getting some time with your congress critter in order to put forward your concerns and arguments? Hard to do with so many other voice around, no? or do you get enough representation at state level?

actually, it says that the number of reps shall not exceed one for every 30,000.
 
I know most of you righties like smaller govt, but Art 1 sect II of your constitution said there should be 1 congressman/woman for every 30,000 constituants. Currently its 1 for every 700,000. At home (NZ) we have 1 MP for every 33,000 citizens.

Forget the big govt aspect of it, what about getting some time with your congress critter in order to put forward your concerns and arguments? Hard to do with so many other voice around, no? or do you get enough representation at state level?

actually, it says that the number of reps shall not exceed one for every 30,000.

i think his point is that one per 30,000 is probably a reasonable number. i know i don't necessarily have the same interests as someone who lives in say... queens.
 
I do think we should expand congress up to 500 or so, but one for every 30,000 would result in 10,365 congresscritters. Which would be too many.
 
I do think we should expand congress up to 500 or so, but one for every 30,000 would result in 10,365 congresscritters. Which would be too many.

fair assessment... but i do have to wonder if it's correct that it's not possible to address the concerns of that many constituents.

i also have to wonder how many people really avail themselves of the things that members of congress are able to assist their constituents with.
 
I think the divisor right now is around 700,000. that is just too many and it makes for too much separation.

I am pretty sure the UK does like 700 MPs. It results in a divisor smaller than for a state rep here in Oregon.
 
I think the divisor right now is around 700,000. that is just too many and it makes for too much separation.

I am pretty sure the UK does like 700 MPs. It results in a divisor smaller than for a state rep here in Oregon.

i'm sure that's correct. and it's probably reasonable. we're larger than the UK, and us having fewer than 700 congress members is probably totally insufficient. as you saw, even NZ has 1 MP per 30,000. i know from having talked to grump about it, that there are MPs who specifically fill Maori seats so they can address the concerns of that community.
 
I know most of you righties like smaller govt, but Art 1 sect II of your constitution said there should be 1 congressman/woman for every 30,000 constituants. Currently its 1 for every 700,000. At home (NZ) we have 1 MP for every 33,000 citizens.

Forget the big govt aspect of it, what about getting some time with your congress critter in order to put forward your concerns and arguments? Hard to do with so many other voice around, no? or do you get enough representation at state level?

actually, it says that the number of reps shall not exceed one for every 30,000.

i think his point is that one per 30,000 is probably a reasonable number. i know i don't necessarily have the same interests as someone who lives in say... queens.

i don't think we need 1000+ reps.

most of them do nothing and the rest of them steal
 
actually, it says that the number of reps shall not exceed one for every 30,000.

i think his point is that one per 30,000 is probably a reasonable number. i know i don't necessarily have the same interests as someone who lives in say... queens.

i don't think we need 1000+ reps.

most of them do nothing and the rest of them steal

i'd disagree with that assessment. every member of congress offers constituent services. every one of them has people on staff to help whether you have a problem with the gas company or your landlord... they can't always help.. but if it's within their purview, they actually do good work. most of the ones i've met take their obligation pretty seriously... even if it's just a way to maintain a relationship with voters.
 
I know most of you righties like smaller govt, but Art 1 sect II of your constitution said there should be 1 congressman/woman for every 30,000 constituants. Currently its 1 for every 700,000. At home (NZ) we have 1 MP for every 33,000 citizens.

Forget the big govt aspect of it, what about getting some time with your congress critter in order to put forward your concerns and arguments? Hard to do with so many other voice around, no? or do you get enough representation at state level?

actually, it says that the number of reps shall not exceed one for every 30,000.

Isn't it amazing how many people have trouble reading?
 
Nobody can effectively represent 700,000 people. We definitely need more members in the House, but there is little will to do it. More representatives means a dilution of power for each member and they don't want that.
 
I know most of you righties like smaller govt, but Art 1 sect II of your constitution said there should be 1 congressman/woman for every 30,000 constituants. Currently its 1 for every 700,000. At home (NZ) we have 1 MP for every 33,000 citizens.

Forget the big govt aspect of it, what about getting some time with your congress critter in order to put forward your concerns and arguments? Hard to do with so many other voice around, no? or do you get enough representation at state level?

actually, it says that the number of reps shall not exceed one for every 30,000.

i think his point is that one per 30,000 is probably a reasonable number. i know i don't necessarily have the same interests as someone who lives in say... queens.

That would give us 10,000+ congresscritters. That should set anyone back, even progressives.
 
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i think his point is that one per 30,000 is probably a reasonable number. i know i don't necessarily have the same interests as someone who lives in say... queens.

i don't think we need 1000+ reps.

most of them do nothing and the rest of them steal

i'd disagree with that assessment. every member of congress offers constituent services. every one of them has people on staff to help whether you have a problem with the gas company or your landlord... they can't always help.. but if it's within their purview, they actually do good work. most of the ones i've met take their obligation pretty seriously... even if it's just a way to maintain a relationship with voters.

then expand their staffs.

i see no upside to more media crazed egomaniacs yapping much and accomplishing nothing of worth to anyone who doesn't grease their palm in the form of campaign cash
 
I think the divisor right now is around 700,000. that is just too many and it makes for too much separation.

I am pretty sure the UK does like 700 MPs. It results in a divisor smaller than for a state rep here in Oregon.

It is actually around one rep for every 16 thousand people. That explains why they don't care about anyone who is not rich.
 
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I think the divisor right now is around 700,000. that is just too many and it makes for too much separation.

I am pretty sure the UK does like 700 MPs. It results in a divisor smaller than for a state rep here in Oregon.

It is actually around one rep for every 16 million people. That explains why they don't care about anyone who is not rich.

your math is way off
 
United States House of Representatives - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The only constitutional rule relating to the size of the House says: "The Number of Representatives shall not exceed one for every thirty Thousand."[4] Congress regularly increased the size of the House to account for population growth until it fixed the number of voting House members at 435 in 1911.[1] The number was temporarily increased to 437 in 1959 upon the admission of Alaska and Hawaii (seating one representative from each of those states without changing existing apportionment), and returned to 435 four years later, after the reapportionment consequent to the 1960 census.
Besides, The conservative (Republican) Robert$ Court said, inre: Citizens United, that corps & lobbyists can represent us :) :rolleyes:
 
I think the divisor right now is around 700,000. that is just too many and it makes for too much separation.

I am pretty sure the UK does like 700 MPs. It results in a divisor smaller than for a state rep here in Oregon.

It is actually around one rep for every 16 million people. That explains why they don't care about anyone who is not rich.

your math is way off

That it is, so I fixed it.

Thanks for the catch.
 
Nobody can effectively represent 700,000 people. We definitely need more members in the House, but there is little will to do it. More representatives means a dilution of power for each member and they don't want that.

you've asked?

Politicians cling to power like barnacles to a sunken ship.
 

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