TOCQUEVILLE TALKS: A FAREWELL TO JOHN DINGELL. “Eet says ’ere, that, in ’eez book, Monsieur Dingell advocated the abolition of the Senate. Is this a popular opinion in the United States today?”

“But Congressman Dingell took issue with more than just the pace of the Senate — he also saw great danger in how unrepresentative it has come to be of the American people.”

“’ow so?

“Oh, his district in Michigan alone boasts a greater population than say, the entire state of Vermont.”

“And so he says…”

“How can the Senate address the needs of his constituents when they enjoy a fraction of the voice per capita compared the people of Vermont?”

“Ah, but surely they understand that the Senate does not exist for this purpose? To address their needs, and wield their power, les Michiganders ’ave the state government of Michigan. Through this tool they can craft their little society, without a care for the whims of the ’ill people of Vermont. The Senate exists to treat the issues from the perspective of the states themselves, not the individuals who live in them. Recall, as I wrote, that the ‘Federal system was created in order to combine the various advantages of large with those of smallness.’”

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