# What happend to one man one vote? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 9, 2008, 9:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happend-to-one-man-one-vote/467133 "2008-10-09T09:09:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![SlowMindThinking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@SlowMindThinking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlowMindThinking)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2008, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happend-to-one-man-one-vote/467133/41 "2008-10-15T15:04:03Z")
> [@WoodenTaco](#): > > This argument assumes that there is something about rural groups that entitles them to special protection and less protection for urban populations. I don’t get why that is true. Right now, the rural areas constantly pass legislation that benefits them at the expense of urban areas. The massive amount of pork in the Highway Bill is the most striking example, and agricultural subsidies come to mind as well. > Is there really something about living in a rural area that means you should have additional rights? I’d add that the framers thought this was just as ridiculous: Here is an example. The population of Colorado is largely urban. Virtually everyone lives along the Front Range. Geographically, the state is largely rural. The Denver metro area controls the state. State and federal highway money already primarily goes where the Denver area wants it to go: highways in their area and along the routes to the ski resorts. Without highways, the rural eastern and western parts of the state will cease to exist. It is a positive feedback cycle. Low population density leads to lack of representation which leads to lack of investment which leads to fewer jobs which leads to lower population density … I also disagree with your claim that the Connecticut compromise was all about slavery. It was about small states versus large. One problem, for example, with the Articles of Confederation was the treatment of New Jersey. PA and NY controlled the ports. It was in their interest to raise costs for New Jersey. New Jersey was screwed, and could do nothing about it. The Senate helped prevent that. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2008, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happend-to-one-man-one-vote/467133/42 "2008-10-15T16:19:43Z")
> [@](#): > > by **ascenray** > Furthermore, if we were to reform the presidential election system by amendment to the Constitution, the only logical reform would be a pure popular vote. We can just ignore the damn states and base the election on the actual individual votes of the people. That’s the crux of the matter. **ascenray** considers himself a citizen of the USA first , and and a citizen of his state second. It was the other way around for the founders. ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2008, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happend-to-one-man-one-vote/467133/43 "2008-10-15T16:24:36Z")
> [@iamthewalrus\_3](#): > > That sounds sort of dumb, considering that California is the state with the most agricultural exports, about twice the next highest state, [according to the USDA](http://www.ers.usda.gov/Data/StateExports/) And IL is also a biggie in food production. I think they were trying to find a nice way to say “fly over country”. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![kidchameleon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@kidchameleon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidchameleon)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2008, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happend-to-one-man-one-vote/467133/44 "2008-10-16T01:13:05Z")
> [@WoodenTaco](#): > > Other way around in New York, and federally. The [return on tax dollars](http://www.nemw.org/taxburd.htm) decreases almost directly with degree of urbanization. The more people you have, the less money you get back out of tax dollars. Upstate New York gets around $1.35 for every dollar it gives in taxes, while New York City gets closer to $0.65. Power isn’t necessarily tax benefits. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2008, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happend-to-one-man-one-vote/467133/45 "2008-10-16T14:36:20Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally Posted by **WoodenTaco** > Other way around in New York, and federally. The return on tax dollars decreases almost directly with degree of urbanization. The more people you have, the less money you get back out of tax dollars. Upstate New York gets around $1.35 for every dollar it gives in taxes, while New York City gets closer to $0.65. Urban areas tend to be wealthier than rural areas. Shouldn’t they share the wealth, to help out the less fortunate? 😃 (No, I don’t really believe that. I’m just paraphrasing Obama’s response to Joe the Plumber.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happend-to-one-man-one-vote/467133.md?page=2)