This gerrymandering HAS GOT TO STOP! ( The 20 Most Gerrymandered Congressional Districts)

The President was Begging his voters to return to the polls.

Nope.

his base before bowing down before Wall Street and the corporatocracy.

given control of the redistricting that happens after every census. The struggle to return the House to Democratic control will be long, hard and expensive.

of voting stupid or not voting. Their "principles" lead them to do stuff that it takes a fucking decade or more to clean up. We are still cleaning up after Florida 2000, 12 fucking years later.

The mess we are still trying to clean up was created in 1998, an off-year election that ushered Jeb Bush into the FL State House...just in time for the census of 2000 and then the manipulation of the 2000 presidential election. I am haunted by a news clip of an interview with GWB just prior to the election, he was on a plane and was asked about FL...he said, I am not worried about FL, Jeb is taking care of FL.
Voter rolls purged, polling places moved without prior notice, closed without prior notice and no notification as where the voters could go...
the hanging chads crap was just a smoke screen cover for the real voter suppression that went on quietly and behind the scenes. Meanwhile, everything was redistricted in the state, including state legislative districts....Jeb was the first Republican governor to EVER win a second term in FL...now look....2 terms for him, then Crist and now Scott....

I have no respect for anyone who sits out an election...in fact I rather despise them.

They are going to do whatever they are determined to do, and the reaction of 2010 was perfectly predicted.

The Party and the President are solely to blame for 2010, no matter how much it upsets DU. Just like this election was perfectly predicted when the republicans put forth their clown car of candidates in the primaries. This isn't rocket science, one of my very first posts here accurately predicted this year's outcome.

Voting is mandatory in Australia, they also have a $15.51 an hour minimum wage...Gee, I wonder if there is any correlation. 2-year-olds think they should get everything they want, when they want it. Voting is a right and like every other right it carries a responsibility...frankly, if someone is too irresponsible to vote in one election, perhaps they shouldn't be eligible to vote in the next. This recession would be almost a thing of the past if prima donnas hadn't skipped the election of 2010....

of government chief among them. If you want to vote for the Communist, there are Communist candidates at every level to vote for, if you want to vote for Labour you can do that as well, or Conservative, or Socialist, or Green, or...

The result, and primary reason we don't get those choices, is that the political system is forced to respond to the voters, and that's why they get a better standard of living and more stable society (and why Rupert Murdoch left). And Australia is one of the more conservative countries.

But we have what we have and blaming the voters, right or wrong, isn't going to change that.

We have a "representative" form of government as well...and if more people participated we would have more choices. I'm less interested in blame than in waking them up.

Have you listened to the 1981 Atwater tape yet? He talks about how you can't use the word N - - - - - anymore so they have to use things liked "forced busing" and then says something far more insidious....He talks about how the republicans push tax cuts which hurt Blacks more than whites....

I can personally attest to that.

I have never, not even for one day in the last 50 years, been represented by my government. I have always had a choice between authoritarian pro-business candidate #1 and even more authoritarian pro-business candidate #2. Gore Vidal is just one of the hundreds of thinkers that have pointed out the indisputable fact that America has one political party with two right wings. There have been a few liberals that found their way into office from time to time, but I've never been lucky enough to be one of their constituents.

From the perspective of tens of millions of Americans, we have, and have never had any voice in our own nation.

Even if every single eligible citizen voted in every single election, we would still not have any say in how our nation is run because the game is rigged. Only two players are allowed to play and both players are paid by the same owner. American politics is the Harlem Globetrotters and the Washington Generals but the teams swap uniforms every few years.

I can personally attest to that.

I have never, not even for one day in the last 50 years, been represented by my government. I have always had a choice between authoritarian pro-business candidate #1 and even more authoritarian pro-business candidate #2. Gore Vidal is just one of the hundreds of thinkers that have pointed out the indisputable fact that America has one political party with two right wings. There have been a few liberals that found their way into office from time to time, but I've never been lucky enough to be one of their constituents.

From the perspective of tens of millions of Americans, we have, and have never had any voice in our own nation.

Even if every single eligible citizen voted in every single election, we would still not have any say in how our nation is run because the game is rigged. Only two players are allowed to play and both players are paid by the same owner. American politics is the Harlem Globetrotters and the Washington Generals but the teams swap uniforms every few years.

something the politicians have been able to 'capitalize' on for years.

While it is undeniable that the Democratic Party has moved right since Nixon and his "southern strategy", there are still major differences in the two parties. I was thinking, just this morning, after listening to Bobby Jindal who is firing the first shots of his national campaign, that it we may be witnessing a real sea change as the republican party appears to be moving left....It will be fascinating to watch the base react.

Neither party has perfectly represented me, but I am not convinced that my views, needs and wants are the exact same as a majority of the nation. I am a fiscal conservative who believes in the need for a true social safety net. I believe that once we are past this recession, we need to raise taxes for everyone... right after we increase the minimum wage to a "living" wage. People get the government they deserve when they don't vote and don't want to pay for that government. I know that welfare was designed to keep poor people complacent and in their place and not to help them achieve productive independence. I know that one of the greatest failures of the Democratic Party is that they never really worked to make that a better system of support. Conversely, I also know that the last thing we need is more conservatives on the Supreme Court or the election of more politicians who would gleefully turn this country into a theocracy. So while the choice may be between a reddish purple and a bluish purple, I prefer the bluish.

As I've said before, the nation lives in the middle of the political spectrum. It is the responsibility of the "left" to keep the Democratic Party to the left of center. It is self-defeating to pack up one's teepee and go home....Only 62+ million of the 72 million registered Republicans turned out to vote or voted for Obama...Meanwhile Romney had 59+ million votes with just 55 million registered republicans nationwide....and just under 2 million cast their votes for a third candidate. We could have a Democratic House if more Dems had shown up. We would have a stronger voice in that House if we were as loud as the Tea Party has been.

1 Australian dollar = 1.0343 US dollars

I lived in Australia for several years. The mandatory voting thing is great there! You get young people voting early (instead of waking up at age 40) & there is NONE of this registration and vote suppression nonsense. NONE. It's not oppressive--you can leave your ballot blank if you want. You just have to show up. The fine for non-compliance is not severe.

But then in Australia people still have the idea that govt works for the people, not only big corporations.

in Australia, no need for coercion, persuasion, calling people "irresponsible" and "prima donnas." Guilt-tripping is NOT a way to get people on your side.

House.
And this attitude was backed up my kissing up to Wall St and ignoring labor. So why should a person who's been lead to believe one set of policies was in place not feel betrayed when he/she has been ignored?

I voted, always have since 1968 but I can't blame any progressive for not. No one likes being lied to.

And: Gore won Florida even with the few votes Nader got: Gore was robbed by the Supreme Court and his decision to surrender as soon as possible.

republican governments? LOL. The President is not the one who suffers.

And he got re-elected to boot.

God that attitude is so self defeating. Obama did not suffer one bit. Who did? You and the rest of us!

reasons people don't like the Democratic party.

And BTW I voted, just as I have in every election except the one in the 90's when I was moving.

Republican? That's what they got.

which is another reason off-year elections are so important. Here in Oswego County, the Republicans have even gerrymandered the districts for the county legislature!

When Texas's Republicans redistricted in 2003, just two years after the post-census 2001 redistricting, it went to court, and eventually to the U.S. Supreme Court, which issued an opinion saying states may redistrict as often as desired.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2003_Texas_redistricting#2006_Supreme_Court_review
http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=US&vol=000&invol=05-204

In other words, unless it would violate a state-specific law or constitution, states don't have to wait until the next census to redistrict. (Thanks, Republicans....)

Personally, I would love to see a national law requiring districts to be drawn by computer to meet Voting Rights Act standards and be as compact as geography allows, using software whose source code is open for any and all to review. That'd nip gerrymandering in the (wildly overgrown) bud.

It was catastrophic when we lost in 2010, because of the gerrymandering possibilities.

just outside of Philly is a disgrace snaking through 6 counties and now is rethug Pat Meehan's district.



And in its earlier configuration, this was once rethug Curt Weldon's District then Sestak's and looked like this -



And ironically, I recall all the court cases about redistricting focused on the changes in the state legislative boundaries vs the Congressional boundaries.

It is amazing that they got away w/cutting it up like that.

Way too approving, even in Southern states like NC. And the Fed courts are still heavily Republican.

If you look at the top picture, the right part looks kind of like a T-Rex. I live in the T-Rex's eye.

I was before the gerrymander in PA-13.

I looked at that picture for over five minutes trying to figure out where the T-Rex looking part is. I'm just not seeing it , but it was entertaining to try.

the left side looks like the shape of New Jersey, sort of

How effin' obvious.

After I heard about the change I went looking for the map and my head exploded.

Insanity. This shit should not be legal.

since the beginning of time. Larry Couglin for about 100 years. Used to send out a newletter. Then we went into the 6th, now we are part of the 7th. I had a similar head exploding experience when I went in search of what district I was actually in. A disgrace, that district, but certainly Exhibit A for some political malfeasance somewhere. Funny in a sick comedy sort of way. A good parlor game is to count the broad demographics actually included. From the Main Line to the skin heads an hour north.

since I started voting I was in PA-13, that would be since 1976. Even when I moved from Cheltenham Twp to Upper Gwynedd Twp I remained in the district.

PA-13 is now a short walk down the street for me, less than 1/2 mile.

I was very surprised to wind up in PA-7.

If you can't win on issues, win by cheating the system.

the evidence it "stopped" it is still open to time to see how the new system works.

As far as I can tell she got a LOT more "less-than-white" people dumped into her new version & Boom she's gone ..Raul Ruiz is our new one

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1112/83664.html

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/members/TX/10

http://maps.lcra.org/getPDF.aspx?ID=33&MapPath=Congressional%20District%2010.pdf

and hundreds of thousands of like residents...and this is my district, with the right wing burbs and sticks between austin and west of houston, hundreds of square miles of affluent suburbs and rural communities...now tell me how it makes any sense??

Hope you don't mind AAO?. Perhaps we all need to raise hell about it?

http://signon.org/sign/an-end-to-gerrymandering?source=mo&id=57727-9316713-jdVtcRx

NC is an obvious victim of gerrymandering.

Go to Signon.org to this petition ... http://signon.org/sign/an-end-to-gerrymandering

Opposition to gerrymandering seems to be widespread. Over 1000 people have signed in the past 24 hours.

Please spread the word.

Thank you.

Mike

I just signed the petition. We are now very close to 3000 signatures.

Gerrymandering is especially dangerous with today's powerful computers. It is undemocratic to allow political parties to manipulate elections in this way. Both parties would benefit in the long run by putting an end to gerrymandering.

NY needs to adopt a non-partisan districting commission as well. Our districts got totally rigged by the PUKES and sadly our Democratic Governor did not challenge it as IMHO he should have.

This petition will be presented to folks in DC as well as in Raleigh. If enough people in other states sign it, I hope that people will deliver those names to other state capitals. Could be quite an event.

to change the effects of the 2010 election. Regardless of whether we are happy or not with a democratic administration, we must contest State and Local elections vigorously.

The question is, are they specifically programming those computers to look for Republican advantage? I'll bet they are.

... rigging states' congressional districts to favor republicans. A story in the Atlantic tells all about about it ... http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2012/10/the-league-of/309084/

We need away to eliminate people who unfairly manipulate the electoral process and the will of the people to obtain an unjust advantage. The responsible parties needed to be Nuremberged.

I agree 100%. EVERY Congressional district should be redrawn based solely upon geography. But it ain't going to happen. Not as long as the rigged districts guarantee seats, for Dems or GOP.

it was voted down because no one understood the language on the ballot.

they also did`t run any candidate in one of the biggest districts.

...are from California, Massachusetts, and Maryland; Democratic-controlled states where, presumably, the districts were drawn to benefit Democrats.

"no taxation without representation" start to hold true? The idea that a single congressional representative can adequately represent the will of people in his/her district is basically dead given that the average district now has 1.5M people. Then, to add on gerrymandering to the idea of the what a district consists of is appalling. It's remarkable that we still even use the word "Representative" to describe the position.

depending on the population/rep count and let the chips fall where they may.

For example, a district with Fresno and Independence or a district with Crescent City and Yreka might look reasonable on paper but in practice they'd be madness.

Other than that, I totally agree.

They were bad before, now they are ten times worse.

but the Repuke-controlled state legislature decided to largely ignore it

Granted, we now have Alan Grayson back in the House but the districts still favor the GOP overwhelmingly.

one party(the Dems)=eternal happiness

and YES, more gerrymandering in 2020 with the Dems leading the way (and with 100% amnesty and citizenship, and Puerto Rico as the 51st. state)

Too bad all this gerrymandering along lakefront property owners, NW Buffalo and SW Rochester wasn't enough to unseat Louise Slaughter...

I would like to see what they say, but not that way.

I can't believe I blew the whole thread like that. I hope people will see this again, but probably not!

and yet Democrats got more Congressional votes than Republicans and still Republicans control the House?

I am guessing that for each of those Democratic "most gerrymandered" districts that there are two Republican districts on either side which are just as gerrymandered - especially in states like Alabama and North Carolina.

That's how all the "worst gerrymandered" districts can be Democratic, even in states like AL and NC.

To use an extreme numerical example: If you're an R state legislature, your state has ten seats in the House, and the voters of your state vote 60-40, why settle for a 6 R, 4 D distribution of seats that might happen with impartial redistricting, when you can cram all the Ds into one or two salamander districts and end up with an 8 R, 2 D or even 9 R, 1 D delegation?

And if there is any way, no matter how contrived, to limit the Ds to 1 seat, youbetcha the pukes would take it.

but my district (Alabama's 7th) is 61% African American and 72% urban. That's a hell of a trick in Alabama.

Matter of fact, if you look at the bottom left section of it, you'll notice the long tails sticking out. Those are heavily minority areas. It's why they included Wilcox (71% African American) and Marengo (52% African American) with Birmingham (62.5% African American), but didn't include all the smaller cities around Birmingham, which are predominately white. Birmingham alone shifting into the next district would knock a Republican out of congress. Tuscaloosa (College town) probably would too.

Basically if you can force everyone that might vote for your opponents into a single district, you can control all the rest of them.

Edited to add: So you can see how far off those numbers in that district are: Alabama as a whole is 26% African American.

that it would be against civil rights law to change that district, which is "majority minority" into one which is less so.

The thinking is that this gives minority representation, that this gives the Alabama delegation one black representative, whereas if blacks were dispersed among all the other districts, Alabama's delegation would likely be all white.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Majority-minority_district

Alabama's 7th (My district) went 72% for Obama in 2008. That tells you all you need to know about why it looks like that.

No party should be able come in and move the chess pieces which ever way they want just because an opportunity can be taken, if that's happening - which it is in many places. How we'd actually come about having a fair playing field, I'm not sure and would leave it to those with the knowledge to sort it out, then we can be the final judge.

Probably really unpopular opinion but I want a fair, or as fair as it can be, playing field.

These are OLD MAPS. One of the districts on your link is CA-18. I checked the current map and it was re-drawn by a bi-partisan committee. Here's a link to the CURRENT map:

http://annaeshoo4congress.com/2012/californias-18th-district/

Please re-check your source maps and make sure they are current.

...about Dems' "gerrymandering." Apparently, it's okay if it benefits your party.

Here in Kansas, the Repubs were successful in splitting Wyandotte County and Lawrence (Douglas County), which were located (somewhat) in the same district: the Third District. Both areas are strong Blue (Lawrence is home to the University of Kansas). Splitting them put Lawrence entirely in the Second District.

Democrat Dennis Moore represented the Third District from 1998 to 2010 when he declined to run again due to health concerns. Now we have liar Kevin Yoder who ran in this election unopposed.

I don't know if Kansas will have a Dem district anytime soon, but this gerrymandering has assured the Repubs of four Red Congressional districts in Kansas, for the time being.

It's on both sides. We got a few seats because of it.

I'm in Dumont, Bergen County, a mostly Democratic town a few miles west of NYC and was gerrymandered into a district of Republican farm country along the Deleware River represented by tea bagger Garrett, who, if you can believe it, voted against additional aid to NJ from the federal goverment for Sandy. Sometimes I want to scream.