State Boundary Pipe Dream

We could, and perhaps in some cases, we could redraw state lines. A few of the more interesting proposals I present here:

1. The Northwest Transfer. Remove Eastern Washington and Oregon (roughly east of the Mountains) from those states and merge them into Idaho.

This would leave all three states far more politically homogeneous, while leaving the balance of power in Washington largely unchanged. Rural Oregonians and Washingtonians would no longer be shut out politically by Pacific Coast cities, while the coastal states remaining would not be held back to the same degree.

2. Split Northern and Southern California.

The state is unmanageably large and as a result also receives too little representation in the U.S. Senate.

3. Merge North and South Dakota.

The states are too small, leaving them overrepresentated in the Senate, and have only modest differences culturally.

4. Merge Wyoming and Montana.

These states are too small in population and have very similar economies.

5. Cede the San Juan River Basin and Rio Grande River Basin to New Mexico.

Nex Mexico's government is more in touch with the needs of the San Luis Valley than Colorado's government. It would also unify some Indian Reservations.

6. Cede the Rio Grande and Pecos River Basins of Texas to New Mexico.

This part of Texas often isn't too keen on what is going on in the rest of the state. It would also turn over more of the Mexican Border to a state that is more immigration friendly.

7. Cede Colorado North of the Colorado River and West of the Continental Divide to Wyoming.

This would take an area isolated from Colorado and introduce it to a state more focused on an extraction and ranching economy with a smidgen of tourism thrown in.

8. Merge Kansas and Nebraska.

This territory was divided based on slavery politics that are irrelevant today.

9. Cede Colorado East of the 104th parallel of longitude to Kansas and Nebraska respectively (until you hit the Arkansas River basis).

The Great Plains should be united.

10. Transfer the Upper Penninsula of Michigan to Wisconsin.

States ought to be contiguous. There is a closer cultural bond to Wisconsin and Canada than to Michigan as well.

11. Split Illinois into a Northern and Southern part, roughly along I-80.

Chicago and its economic periphery should have the ability to have one set of laws, while rural Southern Illinois should be able to have another.

12. New York City and its suburbs should be split from the rest of New York, roughly along the line of the Catskill Mountains.

This would let New York be New York, and allow Upstate New York to develop its own identity, and control its own destiny.

13. Pennsylvania should be split into East and West portions, roughly along the line of the Blue Mountains.

Philadelphia and Pittsburg should be allowed to go their separate ways.

14. New Jersey should be parceled between the portion of New York State with New York City in it, and th portion of Pennsylvania with Philadelpia in it.

New Jersey is a state comprised almost entirely of out of state suburbs.

15. The bulk of D.C. should either be granted statehood or merged with Maryland.

Taxation without representation is wrong.

16. Virginia should cede to Maryland the entire penninsula on the East side of the Chesapeake Bay.

From an access point of view, this just makes sense.

17. The portion of the Florida Panhandle to the South of Alabama should be ceded to Alabama.

Florida is too big, Alabama could use more coast line.

18. Let South Florida leave the rest of the state.

South Florida needs tourism, other arts pf the state apare to dicourage it.

19. Give Puerto Rico full Congressional representation and a say in Presidential elections.

This would take a constitutional amendment.

20. Give one representative and electoral vote each to the Caribbean and Pacific nioatla affliates.

This would take a constitutional admendment.