Congress Needs to Be Way, Way Bigger

Desp erate for information on the state of nearby hospitals, requirements for small-business loans, or even just the nearest source of hand sanitizer, Americans are calling Congress as never before—and, more often than not, they can’t get through. It’s not for lack of trying. Across the country, representatives and their staff are working feverishly to reply to calls and emails. But with the country in crisis, members of Congress literally cannot adequately respond to their constituents. And for good reason: On average, each of them represents 740,000 people.

How could this happen? The answer lies in a quirk of American government long thought to be a matter of political theory, but one that, in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, has become a matter of life and death. The House of Representatives is way too small. Read Full Article »