Posted on 02/19/2018 12:48:33 PM PST by napscoordinator
In 1964 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Wesberry v Sanders that districts need to be drawn to be of equal population “as nearly as is practicable.” The idea was that an individual’s vote should be counted — and represented — equally in the House of Representatives.
Justice John Marshall Harlan concluded in the court’s majority opinion:
“While it may not be possible to draw congressional districts with mathematical precision, that is no excuse for ignoring our Constitution’s plain objective of making equal representation for equal numbers of people the fundamental goal for the House of Representatives. That is the high standard of justice and common sense which the Founders set for us.”
State legislatures are responsible redistricting in 37 states. In 4 states, the task falls to independent commissions. In 2 states, commissions composed of politicians draw state legislative district maps. The remaining 7 states contain one congressional district each, rendering congressional redistricting unnecessary.
The author I heard talking about Hillary’s health and drinking was Ed Klein.
I am not in support of the courts doing this...but the political advantage is not in the public interest in the broader sense.
The idea of the founders was in representatives who were cut from the same cloth as the area they represented. You know citizen legislators, not Lords of the Manor.
Here in Western NY there was a district (28th) that was a carve out for a democRAT while the rest of the area was solidly Republican. The congresscritter Louise Slaughter had no interest in the “bitter clingers” along the lakeshore, and only represented the democ-HoodRATS in Rochester City and Niagra Falls City. I lived in that district and those of us who were not city dwellers/welfare leeches simply were ignored by this POS. The state courts canned this district and folded it into two adjacent districts because the legislature could not come to an agreement. Slaughter won the new seat, but that may change this time around. If the party is unhappy with the results, the go out and win the votes of the residents.
My point is that partisan gerrymandering benefits the party, not the residents/voters of the district. If the policial parties are more interested in their own fortunes, then there needs to be a remedy for the people. The district should be representative of the majority. A carve-out for blacks, as NY-28 was, was a complete insult to those of us who got lumped into that district with no recourse since the two cities are 90 miles apart and the district by law must be contiguous.
The weird shapes happen because it’s against the law to “weaken” a minority district.... since the judges just do whatever they want they can ignore the law.
You approve of lawlessness.
Ah! An EMBARRASSING map! THAT is the Constitutional criteria.
Amendment 23 1/2: No legislature shall approve a congressional map that is embarrassing to anyone.
Looks like you know as much about this subject as you know about the Douay–Rheims Bible - NOTHING!!!
The key is to delay implementation until after the 2018 election and win the Governor’s office. Then the Republicans can use their own map.
Just because the legislature and the governor cannot agree (so far) doesn’t mean the courts can step in. The districts should remain the same until there is an agreement. It is the courts that allow the dems to not negotiate.
That newfangled map splits my county (York) in two.
I’ll have to figure out what my new district is.
My own opinion is that this is more biased than the map proposed by the Democrat governor Wolf and that’s saying a lot.
The Republicans gerrymandered the state to 13-5 GOP even though Obama won the state 52-47 in 2012.
But this looks to me like it will end up if it stands a 9-9 split with Dems getting four more seats.
Looks like a Klingon Bird of Prey chasing a roller skate.
I don't know either but I bet you're right. Be interesting to find out but I have no idea how that could be done. Figures are probably available... somewhere.
Baker will carry Keating’s district by 16 points. Tedeschi has a remote shot at this. Same with Mark Green if the other side nominates a really screwball.
“Philadelphia went from 3 House seats to 2 house seats so it looks to me they were pretty fair across the board.”
Don’t say stupid things.
It will increase Democrats by three districts.
That’s a swing of six.
Looks like it is time to switch the court back to the GOP and make damn sure the PA legislature remains in the hands of the good guys.
Sure there is. The districts are shaped, to the extent possible, to guarantee the incumbent isn't seriously challenged. (Notable exception - when the Democrats gerrymandered Denis Kucinich out of his Ohio congressional seat because he represented his voters, and not the party establishment. )
I agree. Candidates have campaigned under the current lines. Would they have filed/raised and spent money the same way if these lines were in place? If not the plaintiffs should have to reimburse the campaigns.
The new 18 looks like Betty Rubble throwing up her arms in resignation. Or maybe Dennis the Menace or the Roadrunner. The guy fighting off New Jersey in District 9 has a funny looking hat and a big nose with a small mouth. If they’d combine it with 4, he could be driving a car.
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