Gerrymandering, redistricting so as to give one party or group a political advantage over another, has been a part of the US political landscape since the time of the founding fathers. It is named after MA Gov. Eldridge Gerry who signed a redistricting bill in 1812. One of the contorted districts in Boston resembled a salamander. Both parties do it, but Republicans have made it an art form. They gained five House seats by redistricting Texas. The citizens of California have put an end to the practice, and I think the rest should too.
For Douglas Johnson, the number six says it all. That was how many California Hispanics were in Congress in 2000, accounting for 11 percent of 53 U.S. House seats, and that’s how many are there today.
“There was a bipartisan effort to keep all the incumbents safe and the emerging populations quiet,” said Johnson, a Rose Institute of State and Local Government fellow at Claremont McKenna College in Claremont, California. “And it worked.”
It may be different in the next Congress. Voters in November took the job of redistricting away from politicians and gave it to a citizen panel, meaning lawmakers in 2012 will have to compete in constituencies not designed to keep them in office. The state didn’t grow enough between 2000 and 2010 to earn another House seat, so some districts may have to be consolidated to accommodate population shifts.
The most sweeping gains in census data released yesterday – – by Hispanics and Asians, and by counties far from the Pacific Ocean — may send political power eastward.
“Latinos are moving into the suburbs,” said Tony Quinn, an editor of the California Target Book, a nonpartisan political guide. “It’s going to affect Republican seats that have been safe for a decade.”… [emphasis added]
Inserted from <Bloomberg>
I could not find a good map for California, but look at the strange shapes of Michigan districts, especially the red one.
If California voters did this why not voters in all states? It benefits everyone to have districts drawn fairly.
6 Responses to “Lets Ungerry Our Mander”
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Michigan will be redistricting again after having lost a house seat or two and you can believe that the red portion which already is inaccurate according to the way people vote will be greatly expanded. In Mi the East half of the state tends towards liberal although it contains the home of the famous Reagan Democrats and the west half is the bible thumping belt conservatives. I think they will try to shorten up one or two eastern districts to make the conservative districts expanded.
Mark, if you remember, send me the new map when it’s done, please.
k
TYVM. 🙂
Florida voters overwhelmingly voted for a constitutional amendment last election that would help establish fair districts, but teabagger governor Rick Scott has been delaying the implementation of the amendments. The Republican-controlled house have signed on in a lawsuit against the amendments, claiming they violate voting rights laws while the Democrats have pledged to protect the constitutional amendments.
Republicans are just fearful because they have given themselves a majority in both chambers, they stole the governorship with millions of corporate dollars and lies, and now they don’t want to give up power – power that is derived from the people…
Kevin, that’s foul! It seems Republican governors thing nothing of disobeying the law.