Democrats don't understand districts and redistricting?

[cubby1223]

Not a news link, just had C-SPAN on and in the past several minutes, Rep. Marcy Kaptur, Democrat of Ohio's 9th District has been going on a rant on the floor of the house, basically trying to call Republicans racist and unfair without doing so in those exact words.

She is on the floor of the house, complaining that one Republican congressman from Ohio has a district that spans 20 counties out of 88 in the state, and she feels it is unfair that he gets to represent so many counties! While the Democratic representatives from Ohio have far smaller territories in their districts.

Come on, congresswoman, districts are determined by population, and population alone. They are never determined by land area. Republicans generally win rural areas, while Democrats generally win urban areas. This isn't something "funny" going on in Ohio, as you explicitly said on the floor of the house... it's reality. When censuses are taken and redistricting is mandated, sparsely populated areas tend to stay the same, while densely populated areas are more likely to see population shifts leading to more redistricting. It's the natural way of things. It's not Republicans oppressing Democrats and minorities.

Okay, just my rant. As I see it all too often, then the hard forum lefties here take ideas like this and run wild with them, with their crack-pot theories about racism and voter suppression and everything else they try to make stick.

Is there any intelligence left in our political system?

*sigh*

 

[MovingTarget]

, districts are determined by population, and population alone.

If that were so, Gerrymandering would not be part of our vocabulary.

To answer your last question, no, there isn't.

 

[Patranus]

If that were so, Gerrymandering would not be part of our vocabulary.

To answer your last question, no, there isn't.

Thats not true.

Gerrymandering is how you group the people but is still based 100% on population not area.

 

[CallMeJoe]

Thats not true.
Gerrymandering is how you group the people but is still based 100% on population not area.

Population, plus establishing as many secure seats as possible for the party drawing the districts.

 

[GuitarDaddy]

If you want to know what gerrymandering is, look no farther than Texas. Where non-hispanic whites make up only 45% of the states population but control 75% of the states voting districts.

 

[IGBT]

they do understand rigged elections with no picture ID's and dead people voting many times and if they don't get their way they run off to a activist judge somewhere.

 

[monovillage]

To answer your question. Yes, Democrats understand very well about districts and redistricting. That is why they will use any method, no matter how disgusting or reprehensible to get an advantage.

 

[Paul98]

To answer your question. Yes, Democrats understand very well about districts and redistricting. That is why they will use any method, no matter how disgusting or reprehensible to get an advantage.

yep many will just like many Republicans....

Can we stop lumping everyone together. There are these people on both sides who will do what ever they can to keep power. Instead can people talk about solutions and call out the specific people who do this in an unfair way.

If people weren't so quick to defend "their" team or attack the other team and instead stood together against these messed up things. If we had outcry against specific people doing this sort of things we might get somewhere.

 

[piasabird]

If you win the election you should get to set up the district.

 

[monovillage]

yep many will just like many Republicans....

Can we stop lumping everyone together. There are these people on both sides who will do what ever they can to keep power. Instead can people talk about solutions and call out the specific people who do this in an unfair way.

If people weren't so quick to defend "their" team or attack the other team and instead stood together against these messed up things. If we had outcry against specific people doing this sort of things we might get somewhere.

Well this is something of a continuation about redistricting, usually it's the Republicans being accused of doing horrible and/or racist things to maintain power. In this case it was Democrats so I jumped in with partisan hyperbole.

The reality is that both parties try to control redistricting to give themselves an advantage and always have.

 

[dmcowen674]

Can we stop lumping everyone together?

There are these people on both sides who will do what ever they can to keep power. Instead can people talk about solutions and call out the specific people who do this in an unfair way.

If people weren't so quick to defend "their" team or attack the other team and instead stood together against these messed up things. If we had outcry against specific people doing this sort of things we might get somewhere.

No

War is on.

Rich Religious Republicans Vs the poor Liberal Lowly Democrats.

Which side are you on?

 

[Ausm]

Not a news link, just had C-SPAN on and in the past several minutes, Rep. Marcy Kaptur, Democrat of Ohio's 9th District has been going on a rant on the floor of the house, basically trying to call Republicans racist and unfair without doing so in those exact words.

She is on the floor of the house, complaining that one Republican congressman from Ohio has a district that spans 20 counties out of 88 in the state, and she feels it is unfair that he gets to represent so many counties! While the Democratic representatives from Ohio have far smaller territories in their districts.

Come on, congresswoman, districts are determined by population, and population alone. They are never determined by land area. Republicans generally win rural areas, while Democrats generally win urban areas. This isn't something "funny" going on in Ohio, as you explicitly said on the floor of the house... it's reality. When censuses are taken and redistricting is mandated, sparsely populated areas tend to stay the same, while densely populated areas are more likely to see population shifts leading to more redistricting. It's the natural way of things. It's not Republicans oppressing Democrats and minorities.

Okay, just my rant. As I see it all too often, then the hard forum lefties here take ideas like this and run wild with them, with their crack-pot theories about racism and voter suppression and everything else they try to make stick.

Is there any intelligence left in our political system?

*sigh*

2/10 for rant.

 

[pcgeek11]

No

poor Liberal Lowly Democrats.

I consider it a wash between the Congress and Senate Republicans and Democrats.

From "USA Today" : http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/story/2011-11-15/congress-wealthy-1/51216626/1

57 members of Congress among wealthy 1%

Members of Congress disclose their assets and liabilities in broad ranges. The estimated net worth is the middle of that range, as reported on their 2010 disclosure forms. Net worth does not include primary residence or other personal property. Updated Nov. 16, 2011.
Like these: Congress’s top 1% and their estimated net worth:

• Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif. $448.1 million Owned a car alarm maker.

• Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas $380.4 million Married to the daughter of radio giant Clear Channel Communications’ founder.

• Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass. $231.7 million Married to the widow of a Heinz ketchup heir.

• Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va. $192.7 million Co-founded cellphone company Nextel.

• Sen. Herb Kohl, D-Wis. $158.5 million Oversaw family chain of stores.

Over all I think there are more 1% Republicans in office, but to try and pass off the Democrats as poor is stupid.

 

[Linflas]

If you want to know what gerrymandering is, look no farther than Texas. Where non-hispanic whites make up only 45% of the states population but control 75% of the states voting districts.

Both parties play the game:

Maryland redistricting maps are comical and controversial

And when the left of center Washington Post calls your districts comical you have really achieved something.

 

[Nemesis 1]

Is there any intelligence left in our political system?

*sigh*

Oh their intelligent. But also evil , What type of person wants to lead ? Ans . The type that should never get 1 vote.

 

[fskimospy]

they do understand rigged elections with no picture ID's and dead people voting many times and if they don't get their way they run off to a activist judge somewhere.

I feel like IGBT's posts are just pulled from some sort of ultra right wing version of those refrigerator magnet poetry things.

 

[fskimospy]

Both parties play the game:

Maryland redistricting maps are comical and controversial

And when the left of center Washington Post calls your districts comical you have really achieved something.

I have never understood why redistricting should be left in the hands of legislators. California had a much better idea of having them be drawn by retired judges, but sadly one of the only good propositions ever to exist was pretty heavily defeated.

 

[dank69]

I consider it a wash between the Congress and Senate Republicans and Democrats.

From "USA Today" : http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/story/2011-11-15/congress-wealthy-1/51216626/1

57 members of Congress among wealthy 1%

Members of Congress disclose their assets and liabilities in broad ranges. The estimated net worth is the middle of that range, as reported on their 2010 disclosure forms. Net worth does not include primary residence or other personal property. Updated Nov. 16, 2011.
Like these: Congress’s top 1% and their estimated net worth:

• Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif. $448.1 million Owned a car alarm maker.

• Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas $380.4 million Married to the daughter of radio giant Clear Channel Communications’ founder.

• Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass. $231.7 million Married to the widow of a Heinz ketchup heir.

• Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va. $192.7 million Co-founded cellphone company Nextel.

• Sen. Herb Kohl, D-Wis. $158.5 million Oversaw family chain of stores.

Over all I think there are more 1% Republicans in office, but to try and pass off the Democrats as poor is stupid.

He is talking about the voters.

 

[thraashman]

If you win the election you should get to set up the district.

Really, regardless of who wins the election the districts should be set up completely bipartisan because the American elections should be as fair as possible.

 

[Linflas]

I have never understood why redistricting should be left in the hands of legislators. California had a much better idea of having them be drawn by retired judges, but sadly one of the only good propositions ever to exist was pretty heavily defeated.

Until they come up with a law that says the districts must be drawn to be as geographically compact while containing the correct number of people and that being the only criteria then gerrymandering will continue. Given that the popular term for it originated in 1812 it is obviously something that the country has been content to allow to continue.

 

[fskimospy]

Really, regardless of who wins the election the districts should be set up completely bipartisan because the American elections should be as fair as possible.

Seriously. This is not public policy, this is election policy. The entire purpose of an election is to place people in government who most closely represent the will of the people. Giving one political party (any political party) control over the terms under which that happens basically guarantees that won't happen.

 

[Capt Caveman]

One Democrat means all Democrats?

Usual P&N trolling...

 

[Paul98]

I have never understood why redistricting should be left in the hands of legislators. California had a much better idea of having them be drawn by retired judges, but sadly one of the only good propositions ever to exist was pretty heavily defeated.

Just like every other good idea, I had read about another way that setup and made changes automatically. The way it seemed to work was very interesting. The system we have now sucks ballz.

 

[umbrella39]

I feel like IGBT's posts are just pulled from some sort of ultra right wing version of those refrigerator magnet poetry things.

and if you weren't to quote him, the vast majority of us here who have him on ignore wouldn't have to read the crayon scratchings of a thought-challenged-KOOK.

 

[fskimospy]

Until they come up with a law that says the districts must be drawn to be as geographically compact while containing the correct number of people and that being the only criteria then gerrymandering will continue. Given that the popular term for it originated in 1812 it is obviously something that the country has been content to allow to continue.

The fact that people don't get outraged enough to change it doesn't mean that it's good public policy. I think most reasonable people can agree that it is a poor idea to have legislators choose their voting constituency.