Texas Redistricting . . .

[CaptnKirk]

Supremes Toss it Back on the Fire for a Warm-up, Again

 

[conjur]

I wonder why districts aren't tied to something like zip codes.

Today's NY Times shows a map of one of the modified districts in Texas. It went from a generally oval shape to something looking like a failed attempt at Tetris.

 

[Pliablemoose]

jerimandering (sp) is just insane, it's one of those slippery slopes, the Dems are just as guilty of using it to redraw districts, but this time in TX it's particularly nasty.

 

[digitalsm]

Originally posted by: conjur
I wonder why districts aren't tied to something like zip codes.

Today's NY Times shows a map of one of the modified districts in Texas. It went from a generally oval shape to something looking like a failed attempt at Tetris.

Well districts in Dallas and Houston as well as other areas have looked FAR FAR worse for the past ~20 years.

 

[Kibbo]

It's Gerrymandering.

Named after a Governor of some state in the south, back in the late 1800s who's name was Gerry. He redistricted the zones so blatantly in his favour that one of the ridings looked like a salamander. Hence, Gerry-mander.

 

[CycloWizard]

Originally posted by: conjur
I wonder why districts aren't tied to something like zip codes.

Today's NY Times shows a map of one of the modified districts in Texas. It went from a generally oval shape to something looking like a failed attempt at Tetris.

Agreed. They should force districts to be rectangular.

 

[Zebo]

Originally posted by: CycloWizard

Originally posted by: conjur
I wonder why districts aren't tied to something like zip codes.

Today's NY Times shows a map of one of the modified districts in Texas. It went from a generally oval shape to something looking like a failed attempt at Tetris.

Agreed. They should force districts to be rectangular.

But they will never. It's one of those things like massive campaign contributions that's corrupting our government. The people in power benefit from the way it is, so, since they make the rules they will never change something beneficial to them.

Only way is western states which have a referendum process.

 

[NesuD]

Originally posted by: Pliablemoose
jerimandering (sp) is just insane, it's one of those slippery slopes, the Dems are just as guilty of using it to redraw districts, but this time in TX it's particularly nasty.

Seem to remember a big fight a few years ago in one of the southern states maybe the Carolinas or Virginia where the dems did something similar. Seems one of them ran for several miles with an interstate 1/4 mile on either side of it to connect 2 predominately black population areas. This is old news. Both partys do it when they are in the drivers seat.

 

[piasabird]

Well there are two more electorial votes in both Texas and Florida that were mandated by the last Federal Census. I have heard of locations doing state or local cunsus to determine if they can receive more federal funds lately. Usually they only do this for an increase in population.