The United States Redrawn with 50 Equal-Population States

This map is the creation of Neil Freeman, who noted that the current 50 states have populations ranging from a half million to 33 million.
This Electoral Reform Map redivides the territory of the United States into 50 bodies of equal size - 281,421,906 divided by 50 is 5,616,997. This map shows one possible way to redraw the fifty states... The map was laid out with no political orientation or wealth. As a result, states may be favor one or the other parties.

In a U.S. Senate based on this map, each Senator would represent the same number of constituents.

Link, via James Fallows.

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from the link:
"The electoral college is a time-honored system that, has only broken down three times in over 200 years."
--It has only broken down from the perspective of the losing party. Instead, just as John Ferrier says, it has worked exactly as designed.

"States could be redistricted after each census - just like house seats are distributed now."
--The link posits this as an advantage! Imagine having your neighborhood change states multiple times, having to learn what new state laws apply to you. Imagine the burden to small business, changing employment laws and tax codes. And, over the long term, would we not have to do away with some state capitals (and capitols), and appoint new ones in areas of growing population?

Interesting map of population density, but shoddy rationalization. Why keep the notion of states at all? Or the Senate?
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One commentator put the finger on the problem: the direct election of Senators.

Senators were supposed to be the emissaries of State Governments, while Reps. were supposed to emanate from the people. This was thought to provide a useful tension. With direct election of senators, this tension is greatly diminished.

H'ever, direct election was allowed, even demanded, because of some serious scandals, including the Teapot Dome thing, involving the purchase of seats from legislatures.

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This is poinless. It doesn't give insight into anything really--nothing more than a population density map shows. It is at least a little comforting that the commentors understand the constitution and the whole purpose of the Senate and House of Representatives. Ever hear of the Great Compromise? Or did we stop teaching that in school because it isn't PC or something?
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The population of the United States is 307 million plus, not 281 million.

We grow by 1 person every 14 seconds for about 2.2 million increase every year.
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I'm betting readers from around the world are looking at this and sighing a collective WGAF, but I like that the state called the Willamette, which was a race of natives that liked to give names to rivers that white men had trouble pronouncing. (Will AM it)
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