Could population increase have degraded US government?

Question

The founding fathers had no idea that our population would expand to 300 million and many could not have known that we would own so much land (from California to NY for instance). It seems to me that they set down a perfect government which would work for the relative size and population at that time, and maybe a doubling or tripling of that population, but...since then, the representational elements of the old system have been bent to mold to the ever increasing population which is now in the hundreds of millions...Would the forefathers approve? Take a look at this chart to get a better idea: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/02/Population_of_the_United_States%2C_1790-2000.png

To AdamKadmon: The House of Representatives has 435 members, each representing a congressional district and serving a two-year term.

"The only constitutional rule relating to the size of the House says "The Number of Representatives shall not exceed one for every thirty Thousand." (see Article I, Section 2) As the population of the United States increased, Congress regularly increased the size of the House after the census to account for growth; but the limit became obsolete when Congress fixed the size of the House at 435 seats in 1911"

How do you explain that?

To my responders: I don't see how there is no logic in my question, being that the house of representitives is set at a fixed rate of 435 people. The higher the population increase, the smaller the representation is relative to the population. Right now, for roughly every 690,000 people there is only one representitive (at least in the house of representitives)...I don't think this is what the forefathers envisioned and I don't see how this is illogical.

Answer 1

Your right and Americas representation has gotten farther away from the peoples issue with this. It's the same result of a school teacher trying to teach 20 students per class room, and 50 students per class. Something is always lost in the communication, and the leader normally runs on his own agenda. This for sure was something that our forefathers were trying to prevent from happening.

Answer 2

Sorry Allan, there seems to be no logic in your question!With a rapidly increasing ageing population, the increase in population which is 300 million as of October 2006 should be a welcome trend rather than degrading the US government, though of course we do not know what per centage of that growth accounts for an increase in birth rate within the country!

Answer 3

Lol, no way. Along with population increase comes more REPRESENTATIVES, thus states like California have more. This WAS planned for by the founding fathers, sorry.

Answer 4

The separation of powers of our government remain constant and continue to function well. There obviously been a degrading of politicians, probably due to trying to reach out to minorities and sub cultures.