Is it time to take redistricting out of the politicians hands?

[DCal430]

Here in California we got to see the affects of our independently drawn district maps, maps drawn outside of the powers of politicians. Unlike other redistricting commissions California is unique in that its members are are not appointed by party leaders, but instead of randomly chosen from a group of highly qualified citizens. Also unlike other commissions were independents were not given strong voices, in California their votes are the most important.

We can see the results are very good, the districts are more competitive, and are now better represent their areas. With the new lines Democrats are looking at gaining 4 house seats, plus 2/3 control in the California legislature. More states should look to the California model.

 

[RabidMongoose]

The GOP will never do this. Gerrymandering is one of the main reasons why they are keeping any control in the House.

 

[nehalem256]

We can see the results are very good, the districts are more competitive, and are now better represent their areas. With the new lines Democrats are looking at gaining 4 house seats, plus 2/3 control in the California legislature. More states should look to the California model.

Why are the results good?

Were Dems previously underrepresented?

Were the Dems gerrymandering districts to favor Republicans?

 

[DCal430]

Why are the results good?

Were Dems previously underrepresented?

Were the Dems gerrymandering districts to favor Republicans?

Underrepresented as a proportion of voters who tend to vote democrat? Then no they were not, in fact around 39% of Voters in Cali voted for Romney, but Republicans only got 14 out of 53 seats. But under and over represented are not measures of how good a redistricting is. Things like more competitive races, compactness, and keeping communities of interest together are measures of how effective a redistricting is.

 

[JEDI]

why hasnt the supreme court ruled on re-dsitricting illegal???
it's Gerrymandering! sheesh...

 

[Charles Kozierok]

Both sides hate gerrymandering -- when it is done by the other side.

Getting rid of this will be about as easy as getting rid of pork projects.

 

[Socio]

The GOP will never do this. Gerrymandering is one of the main reasons why they are keeping any control in the House.

2010 census was all about about redistricting in favor of the Democrat party and it worked.

 

[Charles Kozierok]

2010 census was all about about redistricting in favor of the Democrat party and it worked.

What do you base THAT on?

 

[Balt]

Yes, because it likely increases party polarization. If you draw the lines in such a way that a congressional district is very homogeneous, the candidate is more likely to be very inflexible to anything but that particular demographic's interests.

Compromise becomes a liability rather than a benefit for their election/re-election chances.

 

[ivwshane]

What do you base THAT on?

Like all of his other posts he pulls it from his ass.


Politicians drawing up their own districts? I can't see how that could go wrong! While we are at it we should have criminals pick which laws should be enforced!

 

[techs]

It would be great if all states did it like California. Unfortunately when some states, especially huge states like Texas, gerrymander than you are actually encouraging the gerrymanders by not fighting back.

 

[DCal430]

It would be great if all states did it like California. Unfortunately when some states, especially huge states like Texas, gerrymander than you are actually encouraging the gerrymanders by not fighting back.

Texas maps are not that bad now, Democrats are getting over 30% of the seats. States like Ohio and Pennsylvania though, that should be criminal.

 

[nehalem256]

Texas maps are not that bad now, Democrats are getting over 30% of the seats. States like Ohio and Pennsylvania though, that should be criminal.

Things like more competitive races, compactness, and keeping communities of interest together are measures of how effective a redistricting is.

The problem with Pennsylvania is the a significant mass of Democrats lives in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.

2/3 of your criteria for districting would favor setting up the Democrat favoring districts exactly as they are.

Maybe if Democrats stop whining about white rural voters clinging to their guns and religion they would be able to appeal to a broader demographic of voters?

 

[techs]

The problem with Pennsylvania is the a significant mass of Democrats lives in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.

2/3 of your criteria for districting would favor setting up the Democrat favoring districts exactly as they are.

Maybe if Democrats stop whining about white rural voters clinging to their guns and religion they would be able to appeal to a broader demographic of voters?

Maybe if Republicans stfu they would realize that Dems are getting more votes than them and don't need to appeal to a broader demographic?

 

[hal2kilo]

Both sides hate gerrymandering -- when it is done by the other side.

Getting rid of this will be about as easy as getting rid of pork projects.

I really don't know how you can ever get politics out of this. Democrats do it when they are in control of the statehouse and Republicans do it when they are in control of the statehouse.

What are the objective standards?

 

[abj13]

The problem with Pennsylvania is the a significant mass of Democrats lives in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.

2/3 of your criteria for districting would favor setting up the Democrat favoring districts exactly as they are.

Maybe if Democrats stop whining about white rural voters clinging to their guns and religion they would be able to appeal to a broader demographic of voters?

Yes, because congressional districts like this make so much sense! The political spectrum of Indiana and Uniontown are connected by one thing, political party identification. The actual economies, people, local issues...etc not so much.

 

[hal2kilo]

Yes, because congressional districts like this make so much sense! The political spectrum of Indiana and Uniontown are connected by one thing, political party identification. The actual economies, people, local issues...etc not so much.

That's amazing.

 

[DCal430]

Yes, because congressional districts like this make so much sense! The political spectrum of Indiana and Uniontown are connected by one thing, political party identification. The actual economies, people, local issues...etc not so much.

How does this even remotely resemble the criteria of compactness and keeping communities together.

 

[Attic]

If you are going to use California as an example please step back into the reality of what occured there.

Cliffs: Dems in power abused that power to go against the will of the citizens commisions desire to have redistricting free from abuse and politics.

From Propublica.org. Libs please ignore, i'm not interested in your double standard and intellectual dishonesty on this topic. The more your feet are held to the fire the more ridiculous and hateful your excuses get.

How Democrats Fooled California’s Redistricting Commission

The question facing House Democrats as they met to contemplate the state’s new realities was delicate: How could they influence an avowedly nonpartisan process? Alexis Marks, a House aide who invited members to the meeting, warned the representatives that secrecy was paramount. “Never say anything AT ALL about redistricting — no speculation, no predictions, NOTHING,” Marks wrote in an email. “Anything can come back to haunt you.”
In the weeks that followed, party leaders came up with a plan. Working with the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee — a national arm of the party that provides money and support to Democratic candidates — members were told to begin “strategizing about potential future district lines," according to another email.
The citizens’ commission had pledged to create districts based on testimony from the communities themselves, not from parties or statewide political players. To get around that, Democrats surreptitiously enlisted local voters, elected officials, labor unions and community groups to testify in support of configurations that coincided with the party’s interests.
When they appeared before the commission, those groups identified themselves as ordinary Californians and did not disclose their ties to the party. One woman who purported to represent the Asian community of the San Gabriel Valley was actually a lobbyist who grew up in rural Idaho, and lives in Sacramento.
In one instance, party operatives invented a local group to advocate for the Democrats’ map.

Full article: http://www.propublica.org/article/how-democrats-fooled-californias-redistricting-commission

The supermajority dems gave themselves was a result of this ruse. It ought to be self evident to any non biased political hack that this will lead directly to further abuses of power in the state.

 

[nehalem256]

Yes, because congressional districts like this make so much sense! The political spectrum of Indiana and Uniontown are connected by one thing, political party identification. The actual economies, people, local issues...etc not so much.

District 12 was also the only competitive district in the entire state and went

52-48 Republican

And is surrounded by

3: 55-41 Republican
4: 60-34 Republican
9: 62-38 Republican
18: 64-36 Republican

Seems that District 12 was gerrymandered to give the Democrats a fighting chance.

http://www.cnn.com/election/2012/results/state/PA/house

 

[nehalem256]

Maybe if Republicans stfu they would realize that Dems are getting more votes than them and don't need to appeal to a broader demographic?

And this only matters if House seats are assigned based on a nationwide popular vote.

 

[WHAMPOM]

Here in California we got to see the affects of our independently drawn district maps, maps drawn outside of the powers of politicians. Unlike other redistricting commissions California is unique in that its members are are not appointed by party leaders, but instead of randomly chosen from a group of highly qualified citizens. Also unlike other commissions were independents were not given strong voices, in California their votes are the most important.

We can see the results are very good, the districts are more competitive, and are now better represent their areas. With the new lines Democrats are looking at gaining 4 house seats, plus 2/3 control in the California legislature. More states should look to the California model.

Well yes, power does corrupt and should be kept out of the hands of politicians for all our sakes. Politicians picking the people they represent is a sure sign Democracy is failing.

 

[Schmide]

District 12 was also the only competitive district in the entire state and went

52-48 Republican

And is surrounded by

3: 55-41 Republican
4: 60-34 Republican
9: 62-38 Republican
18: 64-36 Republican

Seems that District 12 was gerrymandered to give the Democrats a fighting chance.

http://www.cnn.com/election/2012/results/state/PA/house

That's bullshit. The reason it went Republican is because they cut Westmoreland out. Draw a fair border and you have an extra Democratic seat.

 

[EagleKeeper]

That's bullshit. The reason it went Republican is because they cut Westmoreland out. Draw a fair border and you have an extra Democratic seat.

The people of PA elected a Republican legislature in 2010.
Such is the results of the choices of the citizens.

If Democrats had control of the legislature; they may have carved up more of the Philly area to create a different map to add a safe Dem district or two.

Blame the voters for allowing such.

Or convince the voters that they need to be voting Democrat in 2020 to make things "fairer"

 

[MooseNSquirrel]

From Propublica.org. Libs please ignore, i'm not interested in your double standard and intellectual dishonesty on this topic. The more your feet are held to the fire the more ridiculous and hateful your excuses get.

.

Dude...

This is not a comment about that article but more about your approach. You can't I DONT WANT TO HEAR DISSENT and then claim you have something important to say.

In order to have a healthy discussion you can't shout something in a room and then stick your fingers in your ears.

Come on now.