The number of federal representatives to the House is not magic, nor Constitutionally dictated

It’s time for a numbers change, again.

The present number of representatives to the House is 435. That number was prescribed by a public law in 1911 passed by the Congress and signed by the President. In 1911 there were about 98 million of us Americans. Now this number is reportedly just over 300 million of us Americans. Back in 1911, there was still no federal income tax as the 16th Amendment beginning the income tax came a few years later. Even the women’s right to vote did not come until the 19th Amendment about 1920. And the size and responsibility of the federal government was less back in 1911, though Congressmen still had to provide constituent services. They still have to do this, but the numbers of constituents are many more.

A management consultant, or a common voter, might suggest we the voters need to spread the load on our poor congressmen and congresswomen. The Constitution requires the use of the census to apportion the number of representatives, but leaves the total number up to us. And it is a matter of public law as to what that number might be.

It’s time to change that number, again. And while we are at it, it is time for Congressional Term Limits for both the House and the Senate. We already have a Presidential Term Limits done by the 22nd Amendment ratified in 1951. The key point is to make the federal government more responsive to the voters in America. And the other key point is to make this federal government more manageable than the 1911 law allows.

The Electoral College is tied to all this idea, so the repercussions will get interesting.

Our Country has many problems. One of them is the present limit on the number of members to the House of Representatives. This voter cannot be the first to see this. This problem is hiding in plain sight.