For those who think about issues like our odd quirk of a weirdly unrepresentative Senate – or those who enjoy thinking about historical what-if’s – this is a short, fun (albeit whimsical) read. The author asks should we redraw the State lines and he says it’s not a new question.
How about States based on geography? Or population? Or cultural similarities? Or watersheds? Perhaps invite Canada to the party?
Here’s a possible 50-state map based on population. (Would someone please explain to Sarah Palin where most Americans live? Thank you.)
Here’s one that contemplates State borders based on shared history and culture.
The author of this ‘cultural’ map notes that:
Ohio is the quintessential swing state because, Woodard says, it’s partitioned. The state’s northeast was once part of Connecticut, so it’s populated by Yankee settlers who did things like found Oberlin College. Moving south, there’s a strip of peaceable Midwesterners living in what Woodward calls The Midlands, and then farther south you get to Appalachia, the political opposite of Yankeedom. “Those two things do not work together at all, and yet they both ended up in the same state,” he said
You can have wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, or democracy. But you cannot have both.
Whatever Works 
As a part time resident of Greater Appalachia, I agree that it stretches west into Texas…which is seldom recognized. Not so sure about all of Florida being part of Deep South. SE Fla should be North Cuba and Gulf Coast should be part of the Midlands. (Do the new states have to have contiguous territory?)
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Pat – I had the exact same thought about FL – only N and Central FL are the old South. Even though there’s still plenty of it around here, it’s a minority population. SE? North Cuba works.. But as for Gulf Coast, it’s heavily mid Western. I question his including the midWest as part of Yankeedom – doesn’t feel true.
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I read the Midlands as the Midwest…. so we’re in total agreement. That settles it!
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The second map seems to presume we annex Canada as well.
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I did a post on this a while back….
American IS a land of different cultures, economics and population to say nothing of politics….
We seldom acknowledge this….
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