Smith: By the numbers: Arguing the wrong point

Robin Smith

After witnessing the recent dysfunction in Washington, D.C., a few facts must be understood.

1. In the U.S. House of Representatives members represent Congressional districts drawn to favor one partisan stripe over the other. Most districts favor a solid conservative base or a solid liberal base with fewer and fewer “swing” districts. Therefore, the House is comprised of more politically polarized members.

2. In the U.S. Senate, members represent an entire state. The Senate, by its very nature, is less polarized, less partisan.

3. Natural conflict between the two legislative chambers will exist if the two bodies are under opposite partisan control.

The U.S. House has 232 GOP members, the Democrats have 200 members with three vacancies. In the Senate, there are 52 Democrats, two independents who caucus with the Democrats, and 46 Republicans. Don’t you agree the math adds up to natural opposition?