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Here are some state lines I think should be redrawn. (This is NOT a place to discuss which states should be split/merged - I have another thread for that.)
Give the Upper Peninsula of Michigan over to Wisconsin. It would simply make much more sense geographically.
Give that one part of Virginia far-flung across the Chesapeake Bay to Maryland. Again, it would make more sense geographically.
Redraw the state lines along certain rivers periodically. The situation along the Mississippi (and probably several other rivers) is EXTREMELY messy - the Kentucky bend belongs in Tennessee rather than Kentucky or Missouri, there's that one part of Tipton County, TN that belongs in Arkansas after being separated by a meander cutoff, etc.
For that matter, I also believe the lines should be redrawn along certain man-made lakes. The TN/KY border gets extremely messy along Dale Hollow.
And don't even get me started about Georgia's border dispute with Tennessee and North Carolina... They should have settled that LONG ago, and I think the constitution should just declare that Tennessee and North Carolina rightfully own that land (as it would otherwise be an extremely messy situation for the Chattanooga metro area).
As for county level in Tennessee, here are some things I think they need to do with that:
Redraw Putnam County. Like, for real. There's that one part of DeKalb County not attached to any county besides Putnam (thanks, Center Hill!), more parts of DeKalb County on Putnam's side of that big, deep, steep-beached lake, areas around Buffalo Valley (including Gentry, Donald and Pekin) that would make more sense to be in Smith and were taken illegally to begin with, and Monterey and a few disconnected mountain areas definitely fit in more with Cumberland than Putnam.
Clay County, I believe, should be split between Overton, Jackson and Macon counties. There does not seem to be any one largest geographic region within the county, all three largest fit in well with those other three, and Clay can't sustain themselves properly anyways.
There are also parts of the Trousdale County/Wilson County border that absolutely DO NOT follow the river/lake neatly. They should.
There's one part of Franklin County on the WRONG SIDE of Tims Ford Lake. They should be forced to hand that over to Moore or Coffee.
And not to mention, commuting patterns don't just change over time regionally, which we have metro/micro areas to measure already. They also change locally in some places, hence multiple points of mine about Putnam County and its neighbors.
So basically get rid of all the unique intricacies and quirks that make American geography so interesting? No thanks. Btw if you think OUR borders are funky, dont even look at Europe's maps.
I love our state shapes. They are unique and have charm to them. Let them be. You have no idea how annoying updating maps can be, eh?
I think it makes sense that we do congressional districts t this way. I wouldn't be against using those (or similarly temporary boundaries) for the Electoral College as well.
Having permanent state and county boundaries, though, has a whole host of benefits. It makes it possible for them to set their own laws and try out different policies. It makes it easier to collect data on different places over time to see the effects of policies and how demographics, health, income, population growth, etc. have changed over time, which is important for finding evidence for national policies.
So basically get rid of all the unique intricacies and quirks that make American geography so interesting? No thanks. Btw if you think OUR borders are funky, dont even look at Europe's maps.
I love our state shapes. They are unique and have charm to them. Let them be. You have no idea how annoying updating maps can be, eh?
Rand McNally updates North American atlases (U.S., Canada, Mexico) every year. I get your point of view, but you don't even believe they should be updated as rivers forming old borders change course?
The federal government of Canada forced Quebec to redraw all county lines, and Quebeckers hated it. They still, after decades, identify with the historic comte they are from or live in, and many of the parliamentary constituences are still identified by the historic county names.
I never lived in another state before, so I would not have any proper reasoning for state lines to be redrawn, but I feel that NJ's counties could use some adjustments. There is a town in western Morris County (Lake Hopatcong) that does even seem like a Morris County type of town. It's way too rural for it to be part of the county. It should end up belonging in Sussex County, NJ, which the town borders and Sussex County towns a typically rural to slightly semi-rural.
I was SHOCKED to find out that Newark, NJ and Kearny, NJ are in two different counties. I honestly think Kearny, NJ belongs in Essex County with Newark, because a typical Hudson County city is better looking than Kearny.
Rand McNally updates North American atlases (U.S., Canada, Mexico) every year. I get your point of view, but you don't even believe they should be updated as rivers forming old borders change course?
This would be updated maps forced on across the board. Very different than Rand McNally.
And no. Rivers will do what they do. I find it fascinating actually, because it's a way to know how the river once looked.
You can't tell "periodically" that they live in a different state now, and have to get a new drivers license, and write a new will, and their property tax just doubled, and they can't fish anymore where they used to.
Everyone in that county on Medicaid would need to re-apply
Things banned in one state are free in another. What do you do there?
Decades of local court cases based on State Supreme Court rulings suddenly become in flux. How are local administrators supposed to know canon of law in their new jurisdiction?
Sales and property taxes differ - massive tax collection headaches.
Parents wanting their kids to go to University of Virginia now have to settle for West Virginia University.
Every document put out by a county has to be rewritten to make sure it aligns with the new state's regulations.
It's much harder than it seems.
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