America has been a majority-urban country since 1920. But, as The New York Times reports, this country’s political process has always been intentionally tilted to favor rural votes.
When it comes to national elections rural citizens hold disproportionate power. In two of the last five presidential elections, the candidate who won the popular vote did not move into the White House two months later. And that’s because the rural voters selected the opposing candidate.
As it stands now, the way the American electoral system works results in a distinct and consistent advantage for the Republicans. And the advantage isn’t just visible in the electoral college. Rural states containing just 17 percent of the American population can now elect a majority to the Senate. And the bias of the system also shapes the House of Representatives.
The question now becomes, if rural voters hold so much power, why aren’t rural Americans reaping economic advantages?