redrawing all 50 states

[Lyon Wonder]

What would the United States look like if all 50 states are redrawn to make their population numbers equal?



http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/govbeat/wp/2013/11/25/the-50-states-redrawn-with-equal-population/

[hotdogPi]

Why did every single state name change? Can some stay the same?

[Alps]

Why did every single state name change? Can some stay the same?

Out of fairness and political reality. Do you call "Phoenix" Arizona? If so, how does New Mexico feel? If "Tampa Bay" becomes Florida, what about Miami or Canaveral (but ask Georgia first)? Or "Rainier", which is entirely inside Washington - but now you've just taken Washington and thrown Spokane out of it. How does Spokane feel about that?

[Scott5114]

I think we can all agree that "Nodaway" is a shitty name.

"Muskogee" wouldn't work, since it's favoring one of the tribes over the others (most of which would be in the proposed state). Better to revive the old Sequoyah name.

[Jardine]

I think the nation divied up around the top 100 or so DMAs might actually be an improvement.

[Stephane Dumas]

Between that and 38 states.... http://www.tjc.com/38states/

[english si]

Out of fairness and political reality. Do you call "Phoenix" Arizona? If so, how does New Mexico feel?

Phoenix is one of the really silly names, Tampa Bay another - they should be named after Presidents or some important American (cf King) rather than a city - it's not as if they are a one-Met area state. Nodaway, etc could take similar options to get a better name.

Or "Rainier", which is entirely inside Washington

Except for the majority of the area, which is currently known as Alaska. Also Washington is taken by a state on the other coast...

[NE2]

Wait until Elbridge Gerry gets his fingers in this.

[Brandon]

Good, Chicago gets its own fucking state and leaves us (in "Gary") alone.

[sammi]

Why did every single state name change? Can some stay the same?

New York.

[brad2971]

Denver would be...very unhappy at having to be in the same Ogallala state as the likes of Cheyenne, Rapid City, Colorado Springs, and Bismarck. They would, essentially, have no Senate representation. Likewise, a fairly moderate Des Moines would go spastic over being in the same Nodaway state as Omaha, Sioux Falls, and suburban Kansas City.

Mercifully, this is but a mere exercise. An exercise that, if you were to think about comparing this redrawing with the current Senate makeup, would probably end up a little bit in the Republicans' favor.