The Blaze:
MSNBC host Joy Reid made waves over the weekend when she tweeted that the voting power of rural Americans was the ‘core threat to our democracy.’
I’m sorry, what did she say?
The exchange began when MSNBC producer Kyle Griffin tweeted a Wall Street Journal piece that claimed that by the year 2040, over 70 percent of Americans will live in the largest 15 states, meaning that 70 percent of Americans will be represented by 30 senators, and 30 percent of Americans will be represented by 70 senators.
By 2040, about 70% of Americans are expected to live in the 15 largest states. They will have only 30 senators representing them, while the remaining 30% of Americans will have 70 senators representing them. https://t.co/f1SibnIGHv
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) November 25, 2017
Reid responded to this tweet by noting that this disparity was a threat to American democracy:
This is the core threat to our democracy. The rural minority — the people @JYSexton just wrote a long thread about — have and will continue to have disproportionate power over the urban majority. https://t.co/fzBHaZ9kzR
— Mkay (@JoyAnnReid) November 26, 2017
Does she have a point?
The Wall Street Journal’s analysis says it is based on a prediction by David Birdsell, dean of the school of public and international affairs at Baruch College in New York City. However, Birdsell’s prediction does not appear to have been based on an actual scientific study. Birdsell’s prediction has been frequently quoted online, but it appears to be based on nothing more than a guesstimate from a political science professor, as opposed to any rigorous social analysis.
However, even if it were based on an actual scientific analysis, analyses of population migration trends are fickle. Previous historical predictions about migration to inner cities were foiled when suburban migration began. Then, unexpectedly, predictions about the continuing pace of suburban migration were foiled when Americans began moving back into cities in the last decade.
The truth is that no one can accurately predict the future of population distribution.
But even if Birdsell’s prediction is correct, it isn’t a new phenomenon or something the founders were unaware of. As of the 1790 census, 74 percent of America’s population lived in the seven largest states, which means that America’s population has always been concentrated in larger states, since the time of its founding.
Stupid flatlander and blabbering jerk the kind of idiot who would look at a pile of Milk Bottles and say LOOK A COWS NEST just some dim-bulb who have probibly never left their urban or suburban sroundings or who lives in a NYC Apartment STUPID CITY SLICKER
@Spurwing Plover: .
I near wet myself!
Ignorance is our greatest threat and MSNBC is the center of gravity for that.
Kyle Griffin’s projection and observation are accurate. Given current trends, 30 percent of the nation’s total population would be represented by 70 percent of all Senators, while 70 percent of the total population would be represented by only 30 percent of all Senators.
What you don’t like is the fact that someone has pointed that out.
@Greg: Delegates are set by census numbers so each area is properly represented. Iffin da city folk is worried let dem fix thangs so dem peoples want to stay put. They keep electing dem crooks dat let er get all shabby n stuff.
@Greg:
Really. As accurate as predictions of flooded cities, disappearing ice and famine? How the HELL can you even imagine you know that?
@Bill… Deplorable Me, #5:
Given current trends, the projection is accurate.
projection (n.) – an estimate or forecast of a future situation or trend based on a study of present ones.
What the words mean is that current trends support his projection. It’s an accurate projection, as opposed to an inaccurate projection. It doesn’t mean he’s claiming to be a fortune teller.
@Greg: Projections aren’t “accurate” until the end point of the projection is reached and compared to the prediction.
Another half brain halfwit for A-Mess-NBC dumb people like her who’s only view of rural folk is as dumb hicks the rural places which produce the food they stuff their fat bloated faces with while running dumb stories of animal rights idiots like K.D. Lang the lesbian who kisses cows or the usial PETA jerks blocking up McDonalds Drive Thrus dressed as cows,chickens and pigs She needs a less in her own Flatlander Stupidity
A projection that a pig equipped with plastic wings will remain on the ground is likely accurate. An inaccurate projection could also be made.
@Greg: Uh…yeah, this was understood at the founding of the country. That’s why we have the Congress, you twit. Two Senators per state to be equal. As many congresspeople needed per the population of the state. One President.
How has the Left become the uneducated, backward mass of wandering idiots it claims to fight against?
Amazing.
Trump won, so let’s set up the government to simply allow for majority-rules, major step backward in democracy…because it favors us (we’ve spent decades building a false base of imported primitives and naive youth), not because it’s right.
@Nathan Blue, #10:
In 1790, the population of the United States was 94.9% rural, and only 5.1% urban.
As of 2015, the population of the United States was only 19.3% rural, and 80.7% urban.
A system originally designed to moderate the concentration of political power to the most populace states isn’t always having its intended effect. It could eventually come to have an effect that’s the exact opposite. Is that not worth thinking about?
It’s not as if the people the minority keeps electing are acting in their constituents’ best interests, either. They just repeatedly tell them whatever they think they want to hear, and then blame the broken promises on their political opponents.
At the very least, we need to eliminate the rigging of the system that results from gerrymandering. The drawing of district boundaries needs to be done to equalize the power of individual voters.
The election of Donald Trump demonstrates the urgency of that project. The man is a clear and present danger. He’s a demonstration of our system’s failure, not it’s success. He’s attacking our most basic values as a nation. Somehow his supporters don’t seem to get this. The man has more than a few loose screws. I don’t trust him not to start serious trouble with a Twitter account, to say nothing of our nuclear launch control.
If this ungreatful rabid dingo want to show his munch graditute to those that for those who produce the food she stuffs into her fat bloated face with then i suggest that she eat bugs and worms
So, if most of the population moves into the 15 largest states, then they’ll have a helacious advantage in the House of Representatives. Did they all flunk high school civics?
@Greg: Clear and present danger? Trump hasn’t pulled any Libya actions like Obama and Clinton. How did that work out? Something about slave trade I just read about.
So far we’ve had 2 quarter of 3% GDP growth, in his first year. Stock market has set 60+ new highs. If you have a 401k or IRA you should be happy. Unemployment continues to drop to very low levels. Looks like wall street , which is full of democrats, doesn’t see the danger you do, otherwise the markets would be tanking. Which is what people like Steve Rattner (an Obama advisor) and Paul Krugman (NYT puke) predicted would happen if Trump won. Just his winning would trigger the crash. So did you expect it to crash as well if Trump won? Notice no one in media is out asking these guys why they were so wrong.
Just how many quarters of 3% or more GDP growth did we get under Obama in 8 years? Try ZERO. In fact we were told over and over Obama’s sub 2% growth was the new normal and to get used to it.
Put down mother jones and turn off maddow for awhile.
@Greg:
Sheesh, you just keep digging deeper and deeper to try and repair a dumb remark. You have no way of KNOWING that projection is accurate; no way to know the data is correct, that the population will continue to migrate as predicted or stay where they migrate; economic factors play an enormous role and accurate projections of THAT cannot even be made.
He defeated the danger. Hillary is a criminal; corrupt, lying and incompetent in addition to being a criminal. The media supported her election because they are liberal and so is she. She caused damage to our intelligence and national security. How she even became a candidate indicates what the REAL problem is; that the left is corrupt, the media is corrupt and the minority that desires socialism in the United States wields far too much power and influence.
Trump’s election demonstrates the success of the American consciousness. It proves that the left wing media does not yet fully control the minds of the majority of the citizens. The system worked exactly as it is supposed to and, by the grace of God, kept a liar and thief out of the White House.
Trump is restoring and reinforcing American values. Rule by fascism has been averted. The march towards socialism has been halted.
@Mully: We were lucky if we had a 3% GDP YEAR under Obama’s “booming” economy.
Wasnt it projected that a Trump win would crash the market? Hmmmm Yes Mully is correct my retirement funds far exceeded my taken allowance this year by 3 times, at this rate I can live forever!