Rural America > Urban America

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NYTimes The Upshot

Critical Analysis

1. According to the data from the graph above, in 2015 what is the minimum percent of the U.S. population necessary to elect a Senate majority?

2. Describe one trend in the data from the graph above.

3. Why does each state get two U.S. Senators anyway and how does this mechanism explain the data in the graph above?

4. Democracy is based on the idea of each person having equal political power and representation. The state of Wyoming (pop. 584,153) has the same Senate representation as California (pop. 38,800,000). Does the fact that a state that is 68 times larger than another gets the same number of Senators as the other sound democratic?

5. What are 2 policies that are the result of the over-representation of rural (mostly old and White) America?

6. Why do you think rural America is more conservative than urban or suburban America?

7. The Fourteenth Amendment guarantees, among other things, equal protection of the law. Does the way we elect a Senate guarantee equal protection for all?

8. What other parts of the US electoral system disproportionately empower rural (White, old, and conservative) America?

9. What are two specific powers that are unique to the U.S. Senate?

10. Imagine the United States had a unicameral legislature based on population (every person was equal in political power) and did not have a U.S. Senate. How do you think that would impact American politics today?

Learning Extension

Check out the website for “Sizing Up the Senate" by Frances E. Lee and Bruce I. Oppenheimer and then browse the Upshot article on the disproportionate power of rural America.

Action Extension

The more urban America becomes, the less political power it will have in the Senate. If you live in an urban state, move to a rural state and empower yourself!

Visual Extension

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