Ruling justly (Texas Redistricting)

Washington Times ^ | 1/13/04 | Marc A. Levin

[kattracks]

Texas Democrats searching for a respite from redistricting first sought shelter in Oklahoma and New Mexico. When that failed, they sought refuge in court under the Voting Rights Act. Now, a panel of three federal judges has finally stifled the Democrats' attempt to obstruct a redistricting plan approved by a majority of elected officeholders.

[bjcintennessee]

Ping!

[bjcintennessee]

I look forward to the day when Gerrymandering is a thing of the past and computer technology steps in to divide districts according to population, rather than race or political affiliation.

But as long as Gerrymandering remains the law of the land, it is nice to see the democRATS get some of their own medicine.

Payback can be a bi!!ch!!!

[MeekOneGOP]

[johnb838]

I agree. Taking the high road is all well and good but sometimes you gotta fight fire with fire. It ain't so much fun, when the rabbit's got the gun!

[Dog Gone]

In other words, if minorities are placed in districts where a Democrat is not elected, they have lost their right to vote, according to Mr. Ellis. Under Mr. Ellis' formulation, the right to vote and the "right" to be represented in Congress by a Democrat are one and the same.

That's the essence of the Democrat argument.

[Redbob]

"State Sen. Juan Hinojosa, McAllen Democrat, called the South Texas districts "horrible" and said people on the border have nothing in common with voters in central Texas."

He's right: for starters, they don't share a language, nor a (small "d") democratic heritage, nor western European ideals with the rest of Texas.

They vote Dimocrat because they're told to, and because they believe the things folks like Hinojosa tell 'em.

[hocndoc]

Thanks for the ping.

Did you see where the Austin American Statesman editorial went after Barrientos endorsed an Hispanic woman over Doggett?
http://www.statesman.com/opinion/content/auto/epaper/editions/monday/editorial_f3ff1b7cd1b102381061.html
It seems that the AAS isn't really all that interested in minorities and minority candidates, after all - just *their kind* of Democrat.

""The senator's public reason for endorsing Hinojosa seemed to come down to this: She's a qualified Hispanic in a majority Hispanic district who grew up poor like many of the district's voters. Hinojosa makes much of the fact that she speaks Spanish; Doggett does not.""

[MeekOneGOP]

Hmm ?? So, if I'm reading it right, the AAS believes that minorities are better served with a White Democrat to represent them rather than an Hispanic representative.

Anyone trying to help someone that isn't a White Democrat candidate in a heavily minority district is helping the GOP:

But Barrientos' endorsement doesn't come across as a seriously considered political judgment; it comes across as a spiteful swipe at a more successful rival. Republicans wanted to nail some Democrats they don't like, and it's unsettling to see Barrientos swing the hammer.

Did I get it about right ? ...

[PetroniDE]

In other words, if minorities are placed in districts where a Democrat is not elected, they have lost their right to vote, according to Mr. Ellis. Under Mr. Ellis' formulation, the right to vote and the "right" to be represented in Congress by a Democrat are one and the same.

Sounds like Sheila-Jackson Lee's district, only in reverse -- doesn't it?

[hocndoc]

Looks like you've got their number. Bad, bad minorities who won't follow the script as written.

Lewis was given a 'script" by Frost concerning redistricting:
http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/7687574.htm

"Lewis said Marc Veasey, who was a staff member for U.S. Rep. Martin Frost when he met with Lewis during the summer, warned that "a couple of busloads" of people might "shout him down" if he strayed from the script."

Haven't we heard that name, Veasey, before? Something about a map rather than a script, that time.

[MeekOneGOP]

Thanks for that link. Interesting to seem them fighting, lol !

Veasey ? So he's the one that walked out of the Capitol with those docs for Frostie ? Both he and Frost should be prosecuted for stealing or whatever they can be prosecuted for. Heck, they've got it on camera, and Frostie was complaining about the documents and waving them around in front of the media a few days afterward !

[MeekOneGOP]

Whoops ! S/B to SEE them fight. Bad fingers ! bad ! bad !

[hocndoc]

No worries. (I'm going on vacation next week, so I' getting in the Island mood.)

And, I was wrong about the map and Veasey. I'm sorry, just cobwebs in my memory, I guess.

But, lest we forget the caliber of Frost's staff, here's one of the FR article on the map theft and a DMN article about the video tape:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/903666/posts
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dallas/politics/topstory/stories/042403dntexremap.9ec41.html
Here's the rest of the story (about the Veasey-Lewis conflict)(I love having this forum to archive all this info):

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dallas/politics/columnists/gjeffers/stories/010604dnmetjeffers.1136e3597.html
"" [ House District 95 in Tarrant County ]

Marc Veasey is challenging veteran House member Glenn Lewis in the Democratic primary.

Mr. Veasey's candidacy is a rare example of a Democrat trying to take advantage of his opponent's alliances with House Republicans who pushed for congressional redistricting.

Though Mr. Lewis is a Democrat, he was a lieutenant of House Speaker Tom Craddick, R-Midland, serving as chairman of the House County Affairs Committee.

"We have a state representative who is more interested in rubbing shoulders with Republican power brokers in Austin than he is in delivering for his district," Mr. Veasey said.

Mr. Veasey was an aide to Rep. Martin Frost, D-Arlington, up until Friday, when he resigned to run for the Legislature. He says he's running against Mr. Lewis to put the district back in Democratic hands.

Mr. Lewis has represented the southeast Fort Worth district since 1995.

"If we're going to be mad at people for having working relationships with Republicans," Mr. Lewis said, "does it mean we're also going to completely abandon the notion of bipartisanship in Texas?" ""

[MeekOneGOP]

Thanks for the links and info. You are a wealth of info.

And ENJOY your vacation next week ! Yippee !

[hocndoc]

I wonder why #11 ended up posted to your old name? Good new name, by the way.

[MeekOneGOP]

The name changed didn't occur until around 3 hours AFTER that post to me.
Around 5:30 Central time.