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=== Irony of political history ===

=== Irony of political history ===

In the 1960s one of the most powerful U.S. Senators was Everett Dirksen, who represented Illinois and served as its floor leader.  A Senate office building in D.C. bears his name today, in reflection of how well-liked and influential he was.

In the 1960s one of the most powerful U.S. Senators was Everett Dirksen, who represented Illinois and served for more than a decade as the Republican floor leader in the U.S. Senate.  A Senate office building in D.C. bears his name today, in reflection of how well-liked and influential he was.

The colorful Senator Dirksen personified the U.S. Senate to the American public, as he had a charm and flair far greater than any politician today, as described by the Senate archives:<ref><small>http://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/minute/Senator_Everett_Mckinley_Dirksen_Dies.htm</small></ref>

The colorful Senator Dirksen personified the U.S. Senate to the American public, as he had charm and flair far greater than any politician today, as described by the Senate archives:<ref><small>http://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/minute/Senator_Everett_Mckinley_Dirksen_Dies.htm</small></ref>

{{cquote|His physical appearance, his dramatic flair, his cathedral-organ voice: all these attributes made him the personification of [a famous fictional senator in radio entertainment].  He was the grand marshal of the Tournament of Roses parade; he pioneered a televised weekly  press conference with his House counterpart; and, with a narrative album entitled Gallant Men, he became a recording star.  The hordes of admiring tourists who flocked to his leader’s office in the Capitol forced him to remove his name from its door.  ... He gained national attention in 1950 when he unseated the Senate Democratic majority leader in a bitter Illinois contest.  ... [A]s a supremely creative and resourceful legislator, Dirksen routinely influenced the agenda of the majority-party Democrats.  ... Cautioning that federal spending had a way of getting out of control, Dirksen reportedly observed, 'A billion here, a billion there, and pretty soon you're talking real money.'}}

{{cquote|His physical appearance, his dramatic flair, his cathedral-organ voice: all these attributes made him the personification of [a famous fictional senator in radio entertainment].  He was the grand marshal of the Tournament of Roses parade; he pioneered a televised weekly  press conference with his House counterpart; and, with a narrative album entitled Gallant Men, he became a recording star.  The hordes of admiring tourists who flocked to his leader’s office in the Capitol forced him to remove his name from its door.  ... He gained national attention in 1950 when he unseated the Senate Democratic majority leader in a bitter Illinois contest.  ... [A]s a supremely creative and resourceful legislator, Dirksen routinely influenced the agenda of the majority-party Democrats.  ... Cautioning that federal spending had a way of getting out of control, Dirksen reportedly observed, 'A billion here, a billion there, and pretty soon you're talking real money.'}}

{{cquote|the forces of our national life are not brought to bear on public questions solely in proportion to the weight of numbers. If they were, the 6 million citizens of the Chicago area would hold sway in the Illinois Legislature without consideration of the problems of their 4 million fellows who are scattered in 100 other counties. Under the Court's new decree, California could be dominated by Los Angeles and San Francisco; Michigan by Detroit.}}

{{cquote|the forces of our national life are not brought to bear on public questions solely in proportion to the weight of numbers. If they were, the 6 million citizens of the Chicago area would hold sway in the Illinois Legislature without consideration of the problems of their 4 million fellows who are scattered in 100 other counties. Under the Court's new decree, California could be dominated by Los Angeles and San Francisco; Michigan by Detroit.}}

But Democrats opposed Dirksen's proposed amendment, and in Illinois (Dirksen's home state) they added a special provision to the Illinois (State) Constitution to require a 3/5th majority in order to ratify any constitution.  By increasing the threshold for ratifying constitutional amendments from 51% to 60%, Democrats hoped to block Dirken's constitutional amendment to overturn ''Reynolds v. Sims''.

But Democrats opposed Dirksen's proposed amendment, and in Illinois (Dirksen's home state) they added a special provision to the Illinois (State) Constitution to require a 3/5th majority in order to ratify any amendment to the U.S. Constitution.  By increasing the threshold for ratifying constitutional amendments from 51% to 60%, '''''Democrats hoped to block Dirken's constitutional amendment to overturn Reynolds v. Sims'''''.

Dirksen's constitutional amendment never passed the U.S. Senate, which was heavily controlled by Democrats.  But the 3/5th requirement remains in the Illinois Constitution, and a few years later Illinois became the key battleground State for the proposed Equal Rights Amendment, which did pass Congress and 35 States.  Democrats were then unable to attain the 60% threshold, which they insisted upon to block Dirksen's proposed amendment, in order to ratify the proposed Equal Rights Amendment, which they wanted.

But Dirksen's constitutional amendment never passed the U.S. Senate, which was heavily controlled by Democrats.  Instead the 3/5th requirement had the effect of helping block attempts in Illinois to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment, which Democrats wanted.  In attempting to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment in Illinois, Democrats were unable to attain the 60% threshold, upon which they had insisted in order to block Dirksen's proposed amendment to overturn ''Reynolds v. Sims''.

== The Voting Rights Act of 1965 ==

== The Voting Rights Act of 1965 ==