(06-26-2013 10:36 AM)Smaug Wrote:  Democrats don't gerrymander to maintain control?

Gerrymandering is bad. But it is much worse when one gerrymanders to remove the ability of minority groups to prevent them from having proportional representation.

It creates groups of persons that don't have any stake in the political process. And having massive numbers of people with no stake in democracy is a very bad thing.

So, what motivates Democrats to gerrymander?

Surely their motives are not completely altruistic.

(06-26-2013 10:47 AM)Smaug Wrote:  So, what motivates Democrats to gerrymander?

Surely their motives are not completely altruistic.

Their motives certainly aren't. But again, when the impact of that legislation creates situations where there large communities cannot participate in representative democracy, it becomes more than political games and moves into disenfranchisement.

In other words, rather than campaign for the votes of minority communities, the GOP simply dilutes their voting strength to the point that their concerns can be ignored without consequence.

Oh, I get you.

I live in Jefferson County, Alabama, after all.

I've learned two things over the years:

1. No high school football team from JeffCo can get a call outside Jeffco.
2. Birmingham can't get a call in Montgomery.

(06-26-2013 10:55 AM)Smaug Wrote:  Oh, I get you.

I live in Jefferson County, Alabama, after all.

I've learned two things over the years:

1. No high school football team from JeffCo can get a call outside Jeffco.
2. Birmingham can't get a call in Montgomery.

I grew up in Mobile County, Alabama. I learned two things over the years

1. Mobile can't get a call outside of the city limits of Mobile
2. The state is run pretty much for the benefit of the Montgomery to Birmingham corridor.

(06-26-2013 10:45 AM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  

(06-26-2013 10:36 AM)Smaug Wrote:  Democrats don't gerrymander to maintain control?

Gerrymandering is bad. But it is much worse when one gerrymanders to remove the ability of minority groups to prevent them from having proportional representation.

Slapping me because I am white is just as bad as slapping me because you don't like my shirt... There is no room here so say some discrimination is better than other discrimination.

Quote:It creates groups of persons that don't have any stake in the political process. And having massive numbers of people with no stake in democracy is a very bad thing.

You're making the assumption that only people of your own race give you a state in the political process...

(06-26-2013 10:36 AM)Smaug Wrote:  Democrats don't gerrymander?

Nah, never...

(06-26-2013 10:30 AM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  They'll try to ensure that no African American or Hispanic grouping in Texas will be able to elect a representative of their choosing.

So much for democracy. It bodes extremely poorly for our democracy when 46% of the population has no representation. The entire point of representative democracy such as the House and state legislatures is that different groups would have their representation and a diversity of viewpoints could be advocated.

The situation is even more heinous in the US House where 53% of the population votes for Democrats, but the GOP holds control. This isn't a situation the GOP wins votes by running appropriate candidates that win Democratic votes in certain districts. It is a case where the Democrats win more votes, yet due to gerrymandering, lose control. I fully expect the GOP in Texas to now attempt to apply overt racially based gerrymandering. I fear for democracy.

But these voter supression attempts and gerrymandering and attempts to dilute votes is really an admission by the GOP. That they can't win on the issues. So they are concentrating on vote dilution, stealing, and suppression.

Cry me a river bro. There were no complaints from the left when the votes of 7 million Californians were supressed over Prop 8,in fact there were cheers. Do you still fear for democracy?

(06-27-2013 12:17 AM)RaiderATO Wrote:  

(06-26-2013 10:36 AM)Smaug Wrote:  Democrats don't gerrymander?

Nah, never...

So, that includes people who live under the interstate?