50 Equal States

[smurphy]

What the U.S. map would look like if each state had the same population
By Dylan Stableford, Yahoo! News | Yahoo! News

Ever wonder what America would look like if each state were equal in population?
An artist and urban planner has redrawn the map of the United States to show what it would look like if the same number of people occupied each state.

Neil Freeman's "United States redrawn as Fifty States with Equal Population" takes a radically simple stab at Electoral College reform, preserving its structure and function while simultaneously ending the overrepresentation of small states and underrepresentation of large states in presidential voting by eliminating small and large states altogether.

Using data from the 2010 U.S. Census, Freeman says his map's redrawn boundaries "more closely follow economic patterns, since many states are more centered on one or two metro areas." It also would end varying representation by population in the U.S. House.

"Currently, the population of House districts ranges from 528,000 to 924,000," Freeman writes. "After this reform, every House seat would represent districts of the same size."

Each state in Freeman's redrawn America has a population of roughly 6,175,000.

Many state capitals were maintained in Freeman's configuration; otherwise, large or central cities were chosen. Suggested names of the new states, he adds, were taken mainly from geographical features, including mountain ranges (Adirondack, Blue Ridge, Ozark), peaks (Mammoth), rivers (Susquehanna), lakes (Salt Lake), plants (Yerba Buena) and even caves (Shiprock).

For those interested in Freeman's methodology, he explains:
The map began with an algorithm that grouped counties based on proximity, urban area, and commuting patterns. The algorithm was seeded with the fifty largest cities. After that, manual changes took into account compact shapes, equal populations, metro areas divided by state lines, and drainage basins. In certain areas, divisions are based on census tract lines. The District of Columbia is included into the state of Washington, with the Mall, major monuments and Federal buildings set off as the seat of the federal government.
The map, published in 2012, has received renewed interest in the wake of northern Colorado's upcoming vote to secede from the rest of the state.

"Keep in mind that this is an art project, not a serious proposal," Freeman added. "So take it easy with the emails about the sacred soil of Texas."

 

[ImFeklhr]

I love the names he chose. I do think Hawaii should be included in one of the California states, rather than the Oregon centered one.

 

[smurphy]

I love the names he chose. I do think Hawaii should be included in one of the California states, rather than the Oregon centered one.

Yeah that doesn't make any sense, given that Hawaii is further south than any other state.

 

[dawgball]

very cool

 

[Mr. Poon]

Yeah that doesn't make any sense, given that Hawaii is further south than any other state.

:bsflag


Both Texas and Florida are further South and even possibly Louisiana.

 

[smurphy]

:bsflag


Both Texas and Florida are further South and even possibly Louisiana.

You are joking with that, right?

 

[MadJack]

Most northern, most eastern, and most western, is Alaska.

Thanks for the post, Smurph, I learned something that'll win me a few bar bets. :0008

 

[Mr. Poon]

You are joking with that, right?

what?

 

[MadJack]

opcorn2

 

[smurphy]

what?

That lil map you showed has Hawaii a couple thousand miles closer to the mainland than it really is.

 

[smurphy]

 

[Mr. Poon]

Just because you drew yours on graph paper doesn't make yours right.

 

[smurphy]

Just because you drew yours on graph paper doesn't make yours right.

My skills have become obsolete. But if I can help the world one poon at a time, then at least maybe I'm not totally worthless yet.

 

[ppabart]

Cartography!!!!

:00hour :00hour :00hour

 

[Mr. Poon]

My skills have become obsolete. But if I can help the world one poon at a time, then at least maybe I'm not totally worthless yet.

There's a clip from Outside Providence that explains my reasoning perfectly, however I can't locate it on the interwebs. Oh well.

 

[Trampled Underfoot]

"Keep in mind that this is an art project, not a serious proposal, so take it easy with the emails about the sacred soil of Texas."

:mj07: :mj07: :mj07:

 

[kickserv]

Mr. Poon needs a little help with Geography:facepalm:

Hawaii is way south of any other US State.

Sheesh:facepalm:

 

[kickserv]

Poon....just so you know......


27 U.S. states are at least partly north of the southernmost part of Canada.



But really Poon.......you didn't know Hawaii was the furthest south:shrug:

I mean come on dude:facepalm:

 

[The Joker]

My skills have become obsolete. But if I can help the world one poon at a time, then at least maybe I'm not totally worthless yet.

"One Poon at a time."


New Madjack slogan for 2014

 

[UGA12]

Most northern, most eastern, and most western, is Alaska.

Thanks for the post, Smurph, I learned something that'll win me a few bar bets. :0008

:shrug: