I spent about 10 months or so in NJ (Livingston).
Ho hum — sorta boring. Took a (Winter) drive up the Jersey Coast — nice but no great shakes. California coast is a lot prettier and more interesting.
I think we can cut NJ loose with no great loss. Pennsylvania gets more coastline.
In fact, a lot of us would like to vote Philadelphia out of the Commonwealth and force them on New Jersey.
It is a pissant sized state anyway. Merge them with the part of Delaware/Maryland north of the canal. Give Delaware the Eastern Shore south of the canal. And give Pennsylvania the Maryland panhandle to compensate us for the loss of Philadelphia and a couple of the collar counties.
Back in colonial times, we actually fought a brief war with Maryland over the panhandle. It is weird shaped (only 1 mile wide at Hancock) and the people in the panhandle vote more like Pennsylvania anyway.
And while you are at it, merge Rhode Island with Connecticut! If a state doesn't have at least 7500 square miles, it doesn't deserve two senators.
In fact, a lot of us would like to vote Philadelphia out of the Commonwealth and force them on New Jersey.
It is a pissant sized state anyway. Merge them with the part of Delaware/Maryland north of the canal. Give Delaware the Eastern Shore south of the canal. And give Pennsylvania the Maryland panhandle to compensate us for the loss of Philadelphia and a couple of the collar counties.
Back in colonial times, we actually fought a brief war with Maryland over the panhandle. It is weird shaped (only 1 mile wide at Hancock) and the people in the panhandle vote more like Pennsylvania anyway.
And while you are at it, merge Rhode Island with Connecticut! If a state doesn't have at least 7500 square miles, it doesn't deserve two senators.