california splitting into 6 californias would not yield much change in power in the house where representatives are apportioned due to population.
but it makes a big difference in the senate where each state gets 2 senators. that would be a BIG problem for other states, and you would find Texas and NY and other states with large populations immediately consider doing the same thing. it’s basic self-interest.
it doesn’t matter what parties they belong to either. the simple existence of 12 california senators would piss off the 2 from NY or the 2 from TX or the 2 from FL. there are issues that all 12 senators from california would find common cause on that other states would not. that’s a problem. that’s what i mean by dilution. for example, water issues. there’s no way AZ and NM and CO and UT and WY and NV would want to see their 12 current senate votes marginalized by turning 2 CA senators into 12. let’s say there is a dispute about the amount of water that flows from colorado river to california to meet the exploding needs of illegals in california. right now, california has some say in federal policy with 2 senate votes, but nobody would be happy to give them final say with 12 votes. water rights in arid western states is a big issue, as you no doubt already know.
just one of many examples. don’t think about it in terms of national policy... think about it in terms of the balance of power between neighboring states.
Why are you stuck on this 12 California
senators thing? Would “State of North Eastern
California” senators necessarily side with
“State of Southern California” senators
in a Colorado River water dispute with Arizona?
Hell no! New states are independent of each other.
Let me state that again...New states are INDEPENDENT
OF EACH OTHER. California will NOT have 12 senators
any more than Dakota has 4 senators or Carolina has
4 senators. In terms of regional disputes then, yes,
you may have a minor point. Increasing Western States
senatorial representation could effect the East. But
just how many of the nation’s issues are regional in
nature? We certainly don’t hear about them as much as
we hear about big, national issues.