You could make up for it with a few more 'community organizers'.
Posted on 03/23/2011 7:26:42 PM PDT by Libloather
Va. black caucus pushes for second minority district
By: David Sherfinski 03/22/11 8:05 PM
The Virginia Legislative Black Caucus wants the state to draw a second high-percentage minority congressional district -- a move that could throw a proposal to protect all 11 House incumbents into chaos.
There is currently one majority-black congressional district in Virginia -- the 3rd District, held by Democratic Rep. Bobby Scott -- that encompasses part of Richmond and runs down into Hampton Roads.
For a state with a 20 percent black population to have one black member of Congress is "not representative," said state Sen. Mamie Locke, D-Hampton, who chairs the Legislative Black Caucus.
"If we don't take this opportunity now, then we've got to wait another 10 years to have this kind of discussion," she said.
Blacks comprise 54 percent of the voting-age population in Scott's district. In Rep. Randy Forbes' 4th District, which borders Scott's on the west and south, 34 percent of the voting-age population is black.
The new district could be centered in the Richmond area and claim territory coming from both Scott's and Forbes' existing districts.
Locke said the caucus is proposing creating a second "opportunity district" that maximizes minorities' opportunity to elect a candidate of their choice and not necessarily a second minority-majority district.
Michael McDonald, a professor at George Mason University who is working with Gov. Bob McDonnell's redistricting commission, said the population numbers likely aren't there to create a second minority-majority congressional district. If the opportunity exists for one, the state may have to draw it to avoid litigation or objections from the Justice Department.
Virginia is one of a handful of mostly Southern states that must preclear their redistricting plans with the Justice Department under the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Virginia is now required to maintain at least one black-majority district.
Bolstering minority representation across more than one district could scramble a proposed plan intended to protect all 11 of the state's congressional incumbents.
"If we just settle for an incumbent protection plan and do not even venture into trying [to] create competitive districts, then that's a problem, especially when we have the opportunity to do so," Locke said.
State Sen. Chap Petersen, D-Fairfax, a member of the Senate Privileges and Elections Committee, said he would welcome public input on such a proposal, and criticized the reported incumbent protection plan.
"The idea that we're just going to blindly adopt what the incumbents want just seems counterintuitive to me," he said.
You could make up for it with a few more 'community organizers'.
I bet the Republicans in the legislature would be very happy to accomodate another “black” district.
Why not make lemonade out of this lemon, and come up with a way to add plenty more black voters to the Jim Moran district and maybe get rid of this individual in exchange for a black guy to be named later?
Hmmmmm, I guess the black caucus does not like “diversity” in their districts.
“...to have one black member of Congress is “not representative”
What a pathetic token thing to say; this is an admission of inferiority, an inability to win outside of a gerrymandered district. Let’s just give them 10% of the land and be done with them; they can have 100% representation, and pay for 100% of the costs they incur...
Can we PLEASE stop sorting people by melanin level?? Please?
“I guess the black caucus does not like “diversity” in their districts.”
Actually, they seem quite comfortable with a slim majority; maybe they know SOMEONE has to pay the taxes necessary to feed, clothe, house, and “educate” them.
Say whut?? How do you "maximize their opportunity" to elect someone by NOT making them the majority in the district? Send them a couple extra thugs to stand in front of the polls with blackjacks?
Can *we* stop sorting people by melanin?
Why don’t you ask the blacks and the Democrats?
They seem to want to.
B..b..but diversity is our strength!
Well, I meant **we** as a nation.
I'm sorry, how insensitive of me. African-American Jacks. Jacks of color. There.
I guess they think that they need a Shelia Jackson Lee or Maxine Waters to fairly represent 20% of the state population? This is what gerrymandering produces. I would rather have a great rep of whatever color rather than such as these. It seems as their 20% has not produced any worthy leaders.
Absolutely. The GOP in the VA General Assembly would be proud to draw a 50 percent voting-age African American congressional district. It would about guarantee a more bullet-proof GOP delegation.
for your VA ping list
So liberal logic would/should have the goobermint dictate
the NBA be made up of 87% white players,correct?
Blacks being 13% of the population.
That way you would have a league that “looks like” America.
I’ve seen that example before; maybe the immigration from Eastern Europe will make it a reality (though I’m not holding my breath). As more of the “token” jobs go to Hispanics (due to higher numbers, both parties courting them, etc.), it was thought blacks would lose their lust for quotas. Apparently not...
“I guess they think that they need a Shelia Jackson Lee or Maxine Waters to fairly represent 20% of the state population? This is what gerrymandering produces.”
Your absolutely right; gutter trash that just happens to run that particular plantation. I really miss that Cynthia McKinney freak; she acted like something from the Maury show...
I started to add Cynthia to the list, but then figured I would need to add Rangle and others.
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