Articles keep ignoring this point - yes, gerrymandering happens. Yes, mid-cycle gerrymandering has happened.
This is different. Rs drew the maps. They want to draw them again. This sets a precedent for those in power to consistently redraw lines to maximize power. Politicians picking voters.
I want every TX story on redisctricting to point out that what's different here is that it's a mid-cycle gerrymander by the same party that did the original gerrymander.
The one and only rule of national political coverage is "thou shall not disagree with conservatives"
Tom DeLay did this back in 2003. That may have been the first off-season (not the year after the census) gerrymandering.
Any meaningful redistricting reform needs to include a ban on this sort of cheating. Once every ten years, in a year ending in “1”, as in the year after the census only.
Why dont we just forget the Eletoral College and straight up use the popular vote? Screw gerrymandering.
Please cite the state(s) where there was mid cycle (intra decade ~ decennial) FEDERAL redistricting. And since apportionment and census data are mutually inclusive, I'd like to learn how this is in fact with precedent. This is obscure.
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Read more here.
Typically gerrymandering becomes weaker later in the census cycle because demographics can and do change over the course of a decade (or even more). This is attempting to refine previous anti-democratic actions, but along even more anti-democratic lines because they know the court is as bent as them
No mystery here. The 2020 redistricting maps were drawn under prior law/norms (or at least the uncertainty re the bounds of legality). Obviously Rucho changed that. SCOTUS has unleashed and emboldened MAGA legislatures: “go for it, there are no rules.” So they are.
I’m holding my breath. Being a democrat in Texas is hard and I’m proud of my 52 representatives who’ve decided to fight for our country.
and according to them, the original maps they drew weren’t too racist at the time but also the maps are based on race and no longer allowed 🤔
They are relying on special Census rules that allow this based upon notable increases to population. This is due to influx of COVID anti-mask/vax transplants & blue state immigrants forced into red state/district prisons/camps & counting them there, incl. the pass-thru expulsions. 1/2
That, and also the fact that thanks to Donald Trump's big mouth, the intention is clear and explicit – and should be presented as such to the ignorant or politically unplugged.
i’m pretty informed and “mid-cycle” doesn’t mean anything to me, to be honest. i don’t know when gerrymanders usually happen. def needs more explaining!
It’s easy to win elections if you get you to pick your voters (Ted Cruz seems like exhibit 1)
Gerrymandering is institutionalized corruption— just like unlimited political contributions & industry lobbying. Wife-beating & slavery were once legal too. And jurists like the Roberts court were mostly responsible.
We see where it leads. If you don’t want dictatorship, time to stop it is NOW.
When the TX GOP redistricted after the Census, they played it safe.
GOP needs to Buttress their small majority in the US House, so TX GOP is making a hard push to take as many seats as possible.
Rather than adjust Policies to make most Voters happy, they gerrymander to give MAGA more Voting power.
I am more alarmed that current SCOTUS is not consistent, so some maps have to go because they were adopted 220 days before election, but other maps that were drawn 15 days before election period have to stand. It is just a weird dynamic for me to watch.
Besides that, and its a BFD since they could just redistricting every couple years to keep voters from building power, they didn't dare break up VRA act districts in 2021. Now they specifically are doing that, citing "new law" (Petteway)
We are in unprecedented times.
Georgia Republicans did this kind of re-gerrymandering last decade with their legislative map around the time they packed their Supreme Court, which generated next to no national media attention.
Maybe this time will be different given it's congressional & how much more salient the issue has become
and I think when I'm quoting myself, it's a good sign that it's time to step away and get some work done;)
