The first results of the 2020 U.S. census was released yesterday – showing the US population at 331 million and a general decline of the population growth. These are the less controversial figures. It’s what remaining create the so called “winners” and “losers”.
As background, the US census is conducted every 10 years, and it counts everyone. Why? You may ask. The answer: it is required by the Constitution [Article I Section 2] to apportion representation and taxation among the states. Notably is its impact on the House of Representatives.
You see, the number of House seats is set at 435. So, more representations from one state means less for others. A zero sum game. Needless to say, a food fight will ensue when states lose their portions. And this cycle repeats, you guessed it, every 10 years.
The Constitutional intent behind the census is for a truer representation of its people. But of course what falls out from the census is, the numbers aside, all politics.
Did you fill out your 2020 census?
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