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Map of the US if 50 states were formed by equal population and split by parallel longitude.
(sopuli.xyz)
We need some state names for these. A few -stans would be appropriate as well.
This still has the representative issue that each of the narrow bands are narrow due to a huge metropolis within them, and the rural population of that band will always live with rules created by the metropolis for the metropolis.
It's a pretty map, though.
And is still makes more sense than "carefully negotiated by powerful ultra rich a few hundred years ago to protect each of their giant egos."
I agree wholeheartedly about the problem. But blind highest count vote on every topic is one of the big dividers between rural and urban folks.
Rural folks will simply never have the numbers to influence outcomes in a pure vote count scenario. They're aware of this, and it leads to animosity.
Incidentally, I agree that financial decoupling would be ruinous for both, as well.
The real solution is represtational seats that give everyone a voice - no matter how the voting zone is divided.
I suspect that requires doing away with first-past-the-poll. The winner of that race will almost always be a city person, by raw numeric chance. That's fine, city folks have some good ideas. The problem is when there's no rural voice at the negotiation, at all.
And I think any sensible person realizes we also have to put a stop to all gerrymandering.
Also, we need to give seats to what remains of all of the first nations, while we're at it.