With the 2020 census fast approaching, many of you will be having Government employees coming to your homes to issue a survey for the 2020 Census. The Census actually serves a VERY important role within our Constitutional Republic. That role is to distinguish how much Representation the people of each State are to receive in Congress and the Electoral College. In Article I Section 2, Clause 3, it lays forth the foundation of a census every 10 years, determining the whole number of free Persons. This was to serve 3 crucial purposes. 1. To determine the number of Representatives that the people of each State shall receive according to their respective numbers. 2. To serve as a means to direct Taxes based on apportionment among the several States within the Union according to their respective numbers. 3. The distribution of Electoral College points are determined by the combination of US Senators and US House Representatives. This Clause within our Constitution is one of the most important clauses to help maintain a healthy Republic. Our Founding Fathers used a Census which throughout history was typically used solely for the purpose of a Draft and Taxes, as a means to shift power to the governed. This representation was very crucial to allow for the People to have adequate Representation within the Federal Government. Our Founding Fathers agreed that the number of Representatives shall not exceed one for every 30,000 residents. Now, this isn't an absolute number required by our Founders, just a fair number in which they determined could be a starting point to work with. Currently, our representation is so diluted, that we have 1 Representative for every 752,183 residents. This diluted representation puts each district in danger of mob rule. With 1 for every 750,000 residents, it stands to reason that the largest part of the representatives constituents are catered to, while the minority within the district go unheard. When is the last time our Representative numbers has been altered in the US House? Sadly, we have been locked at 435 since 1929, after the United States passed the "Permanent Apportionment Act" of 1929. While this act is not necessarily "unconstitutional" it totally distorts the original intent of our Representation in Congress, while simultaneously diluting the power of our Representation and rendering the Census obsolete and useless. Remember also, that the Electoral College is determined by the number of Representatives for the People of the State + the number of Senators for the State. By having these skewed numbers, We The People's representation for the Election of the President is not properly adhered to. As our population continues to grow, our Representation will continue to be diluted more and more over time. If we ran by 1 for every 30,000 representatives, we would have nearly 11,000 representatives in congress! While I find this number to probably be a bit excessive, it goes to show how far off base from the original intent we are.
Even if we fixed it to be closer to 1 Representative for every 200,000 that reduces it to 1,636 Representatives. With a larger body in Congress to Represent the People, it would be much more expensive and difficult for corrupt lobbies to bribe the entire body. With the representatives being more local to the people, it would also be easier for the people to hold their representative accountable. In my opinion, it is time that We The People ask ourselves if we are being properly Represented in Congress. The Permanent Apportionment Act needs to be revoked, and strong consideration in to a fair and justifiable number of Representatives and Apportionment reconsidered. |Jessie Rude
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