The Constitution says “the number of representatives shall not exceed one for every thirty thousand.”

In 1830, Maine had seven representatives in the U.S. House out of a total of 213; in 1910, it was four representatives. Now the state has two representatives for 1,328,000, apportioned at a rate of 1 per 700,000 and growing.

The United States seem to be missing a constitutional amendment or is lacking 438 representatives.

We should demand that Congress reapportion the House according to the constitutional mandate. This mandate of “shall” was placed so that what has happened would not. It is time to replace professional politicians with a citizen-based legislature, where democracy rules, not rules designed to increase personal power and wealth of individual representatives and their cronies.

The Senate is the place for power plays, the House is for the people’s discontent to be satisfied by making new law. That is why the House impeaches wrongdoers, not the Senate. If our discontent is not satisfied, we can discuss our issues with our representative.

We should have citizen government and a citizen military. Instead, we have a de facto government and a mercenary military with corporate and bankers controlling all.

All those people sworn to uphold our Constitution should do so. The preamble tells us why.

Bruce Clark

Clinton