Gerrymandering by Computer

jefu writes "In the latest New Yorker there is an excellent article on redistricting and gerrymandering (more permanent URL). It discusses how recent gerrymandering is being done with the aid of computers. It also discusses how redistricting is polarizing voters and is making many seats in the House of Representatives 'safe seats' which effectively gives incumbents a permanent seat. It is not hard to see how this also tends to leave our 'elected' representatives in a position where voter input is less important to them than things like lobbying." Few articles about gerrymandering really get into how ugly and blatant it is.

Comments

Not often used?

[fiannaFailMan]

Let me tell you, gerrymanderring was a fact of life in Northern Ireland from 1923 to 1969, most famously in Derry where about 8,000 protestants regularly outvoted 12,000 catholics. That was one factor that led to the civil unrest that resulted in the troubles that brought the state to its knees and killed about 3000 people over 30 years. I'm not suggesting that that could happen in the US when word gets out about the rigging of elections, but if the sound of angry voices and marching feet take to the street, I'm outta here!

Re:Not often used?

[Tackhead]

> Let me tell you, gerrymanderring was a fact of life in Northern Ireland from 1923 to 1969, most famously in Derry where about 8,000 protestants regularly outvoted 12,000 catholics. That was one factor that led to the civil unrest that resulted in the troubles that brought the state to its knees and killed about 3000 people over 30 years.

And with a 4000-vote spread, what the hell good did killing 3000 people over 30 years do? Now, if they'd been talkin' about killin' 5000 opponents in the same district, and it gets done within the same redistricting cycle, then the tactic has a shot at fighting gerrymandering. Thank heavens the stereotypical Irishman is too drunk to do math; the water of life has indeed saved 2000 lives!

Re:Hmm

[Zeinfeld]

Why the heck is the parent modded Troll not once, but twice!?!? If anything it should be Informative or Insightful.

The Republican party is very anxious to prevent people hearing about what they did in Florida. If they learned that the GOP was fixing the vote long before the election they might be less willing to believe the claims that the count was also rigged.

I do not know whether it was the case in this instance, but there are a couple of right wing groups that ask their members to mod down stories that they consider 'off message'.

Re:Independent electoral commission

[Dr Caleb]

Get a fucking grip and read the fucking reply.

You take a city of about 1 million people. You divide it up into 10 ridings of about 100,000 people. One person, one vote. The only consideration is population density to ensure you get as close to 100,000 as is reasonable. How tough is that?

Re:Ugly

[JK Master-Slave]

Obviously, things are different in a country with 200+ million "citizens..." so the ancient model needs to be modernized, in some way.

Modernize 'schmodernize.' Come on now. The good old fashioned way established in the Constitution when this country was founded would work fine, it's just that we've allowed a large federal government to eat away at our political freedoms over time.

Political power should be vested in as small a unit of people as is possible. State governments should have singificantly more power than the Federal government. Local governments should have more power than state governments. Wherever possible. That's the way the United States (hello? did you notice the words United and States there??) was founded.

Washington DC should fade slowly back into the being obscure unpleasant swamplike place it originally was.

Re:Independent electoral commission

[Dr Caleb]

I see now you do understand what I'm trying to say. I'll stop biting now, troll.