Posted on 06/28/2006 3:03:15 PM PDT by hispanarepublicana
Oh, those crazy gerrymandering Republicans.
It's not the Republicans that worry me.....Democrats could redraw the California congressional map to finish off whatever Republican representation California still has.
And who was responsible for that 1990 redistricting map which we were being forced to keep for another decade? Martin Frost, Democratic Congressman & Minority Whip (you know, the same job that Delay used to have). Frost helped orchestrate the filibustering of the 2001 redistricting (as a sitting member of Congress, not the Texas State House) and coordinated silly stunts like having all the TX State Dem Senators running across the state line to Oklahoma so that the GOP couldn't form a quorum in any committee and pass the new redistricting bill. And as soon as the legislature's time had run out, out trots Frost to brag about how this is what was 'fair' for Texas (ie, 2 to 1 Democrat held seats in a state that voted 58-38 GOP). Tom Delay simply used Martin Frost's playbook and helped his party back home circumvent the Dems and get an actual representative map drawn which the Supreme Court just okayed in 99% of its details.
Liberal Democratic controlled legislatures would only be able to take advantage of something like this if their state has rapidly been turning blue and their current district maps don't already reflect that. Of course, there aren't really states which are going blue - only states which are getting darker blue because rational people are fleeing them in droves.
Don't forget Massachusetts. In a case of gerrymandering gone wild, my small, conservative town got put into the same district (Richard Neal - MA2) as Northampton, US Capital of Unwashed, Spitting-Mad Dworkin Lesbianism. The joy.
Whereas the Senate, which was supposed to represent the state governments, now represents the people of the several states.
That was a very fine post, thanks.
That's a very interesting take.
What's the likely effect on the Georgia delegation?
Yeah, but you weren't going to get placed into a Republican district... since there are NO Republican districts in Taxachusetts anymore. The MA-2nd hasn't elected a Republican since Charles Clason won his final term in 1946.
We should get back the 3rd district. The 12th may be a bit more tricky for us, though not impossible.
Jim Marshall (D) is going to have stiff competition in his district from Mac Collins, and he lost a lot of dem voters also. He was in the 3rd district on the old map, and will be in the light blue one on the new, I believe it's the new 8th district.
Phil Gingrey, a pretty solid conservative, is actually safer in his seat - his is the 11th, the dark blue in the upper left of the state on the before map, it's still the 11th, light blue in the same area of the new map.
The 12th district, which ran from almost Savannah up to Athens/Clark County, will now lose the top finger of it to the 9th district (where it fits) which is Charlie Norwood's (R) and safe regardless of the insane liberals in Clark County (home of the UGA professors) (Charlie also picks up conservative Oconee County)
Sanford Bishop (D) in the 2nd and Jack Kingston (R) in the 1st aren't really affected. They are safe IMHO. As is John Barrow (D) in the 12th.
The 4th is Cynthia McKinney's, I think she actually has an opponent this time, but I'm sure she'll keep her seat, what with all the moonbats in her district.
John Lewis (D) in the 5th safe, David Scott(D) in the 13th safe, Tom Price (R) in the 6th safe, Lynn Westmoreland (R) in the 8th should be safe, Nathan Deal (R) in the 10th I think is safe, but not sure. John Linder (R) in the 7th isn't going anywhere.
All in all, republicans should pick up another seat this year in Georgia, and keep a republican governor, and we've already had more than a couple dems in the state government flip to (R).
The democrats aren't losing because of redistricting, they're losing because they are democrats.
I think Barrow may be safe in the 12th, unless he goes moonbatty. While Max Burns is a known name, it's just hard to beat an incumbant.
He talks enough of the conservative talk to seem sane, and I'm sure he pulls in pork $$$ for those areas.
From NJ, goodbye to Scott Garrett and either Chris Smith or Michael A. Ferguson in 2008.
Pennywise and pound foolish. It wasn't as if there were no voices of reason getting to DeLay's ear at the time, he steadfastly refused to listen to sound advice.
Of course, that's precisely what Barrow did to beat Burns in the first place, in a more 'Rat-leaning district.
Take a look at post #16.
If the Dems were able to get partisan maps enacted in those states, they could easily pick up four to six seats in New York, five seats in California, three seats in New Jersey, and about three seats in Illinois.
If they ever got the chance to enact maps in Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Florida they could net four to six seats in each state.
PS. I am a staunch advocate of Iowa style non-partisan redistricting.
Oh, and in addition to the above, another prime state for gerrymander mischief is Colorado. Ironically enough, although the GOP re-redistricting was struck down in that state under the prior uncertainty before this ruling, the Dem legislature could now easily enact new maps with a few statutory tweaks, assuming Ritter gets elected governor.
And there's also Minnesota. A Dem leg + gov in Minnesota could wreak much redistricting havoc as well.
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