As I wrote yesterday, the Constitution we created over 200 years ago stands in the way of solving the problems faced by a modern nation like the United States.

One major change that has occurred since 1817 is the rise of cities. Well over half of the population in 1817 lived in rural areas. Today, that number is around 20%. However, the distribution of voting power in our Senate and Electoral College and in the mis-configuration of our Congressional districts is largely stuck in the rural past.

A real majority of Americans are being held hostage by a rural minority, and to solve that problem, the country has to go through a constitutional process created with the same pre-industrial society in mind, one in which rural voters also hold disproportionate power, which means that may be impossible.

However, a truly democratic solution exists if we want it badly enough!

We should hold a national referendum on the question “Do we want to amend the Constitution to provide for a new distribution of voting power everywhere to reflect the actual majority of the population eligible to vote?

I know of no obstacle for having such a referendum other than that there is no explicit authorization in our Constitution.

Of course, such a referendum could not be binding unless it was given force of law by Congress, but the idea could catch on with enough Americans to force their Congressional representatives to act and/or create a private nonpartisan referendum.

If we want the majority to truly rule in America, we must first show that there is a serious majority who truly wants that change!

And the time to do that is NOW.

The ballot box is the best bottom line that can exist.