re: #28 KGxvi

I think we overplay the idea of “systematic imbalance” in the Senate. The ten smallest states by population are:

Idaho, Hawaii, New Hampshire, Maine, Montana, Rhode Island, Delaware, South Dakota, North Dakota, Alaska, Vermont, and Wyoming. The partisan breakdown in those states is: 11-12-1 (D-R-I)

Actually, there are twelve states there, and the partisan breakdown of Senators is 10-12-2 (D-R-I). Which given the views of those (I) Senators, is pretty much even.

But the “structural imbalance” I was talking about was related to ideology/partisanality rather than population. What I was thinking about (and will do some back-of-the-envelope calculations for when I get back from shopping) was what the irreducible minimum number of Republican Senate seats is likely to be given present political realities; i.e. in how many states is it unlikely/long odds/impossible to imagine a Democratic (never mind “liberal”) Senator ever being elected.

I don’t have a number yet, but I’m pretty sure it is going to be depressingly high.