ag & energy. They're less populated, so their priorities would be overrun by the coasts essentially dragging them along for the ride.

The current bicameral arrangement is elegant in tempering majority opinion. It's why the Senate is the more sedate of the chambers.


I hear constantly about the damage Trump is doing to norms, and institutions. And it's a real concern that I share. Yet I can't get past some loud voices making that point while simultaneously wanting to upend the structure of our government for political expediency. Congress forfeited their oversight of military under Bush. Under Obama, the filibuster was abandoned by Reid, and executive orders became a common end run around the legislative process. We should think long and hard before swapping to 51% majority rule, and expanding the SCOTUS. The battles unleashed by that kind of upheaval would make the current dysfunction look innocent, and as usual, little heed is being paid to potential unintended consequences.

As an independent, I look at the parties, being wagged around by their tails, and see similar threats to stability with each focused on short term ways to grab power, and little regard for their fellow citizens who don't agree. Democrats won back a lot of power by nominating moderates in the midterm. I'd suggest continuing that effort rather than seeking ways to avoid dealing with conservative voters.