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

Reason for California recall

[gsfprez]

the people here are mostly upset with the legislature - they are exclusively Democrat party, with a handful of Republican seats. The Democrat legislature seats which are Democrat held will NEVER be unseated in my lifetime, and they well know that.

That has created the absense of the everyday normal Democrat from being represented in California's legislature... it is now full of actual, real life Socialists and Communists - and i'm not using hyperbole... .they actually are Socialists.

They are actively fighting a spending cap in the state. They have actively sought out people to put onto welfare rolls.

All this because they know that they can never be unseated. They have no accountability, and they know that there will never be Republicans that can take over their seats.

The governor is just a figurehead here in the state. That's why its irrelevant to that a action movie actor is now governor - nothing is actually going to change because the legislature writes the laws.

The only thing we hope for here is that not all of them pass by 2/3rds, so he can veto much of what they send to him.

California is only 6 seats in the house, and 2 in the state senate from going 2/3rds Democrat, and able to make the position of governor ACTUALLY null and void... right now, he still has veto power.

Ahhnaaald..

[msimm]

He will crush our enemies.

Arnold says:

"Get your ass to mars."
"If it bleeds we can kill it."
"Dilan you son of a bitch whats the matter, the CIA got you pushing too many pencils?"
"The best activities for your health are pumping and humping."
"I have inhaled, exhaled everything."
"I'm not into politics, I'm into survival"
"If I am not me, who da hell am I?"

Re:Hmm

[fiannaFailMan]

I've noticed that a few times in here. I've posted info on things like why mass transit is unfairly underfunded compared to roads, and I suddenly find myself being modded Troll or Flamebait. Definitely something fishy going on.

Re:Hmm

[Keebler71]

what they did in Florida? You mean win the election and then win the automatic recount. They then thwarted a Democratic attempt to deny the people of Florida equal protection under the law when the Supreme Court ruled 7/9 to stop the illegal, Democrat-only county hand recount. Since then, every analysis of the ballots has shown the Bush did indeed win Florida, and that the only way that Gore could have even come close was if the hand recount was allowed to continue in only those few heavily Democratic counties and only then if the most liberal interpretation of "intent to vote" was used.

So please, spare us your consipracy stories and just deal with the fact that Gore lost.

Re:Hmm

[Keebler71]

try posting anything that is conservative or Republican leaning and watch yourself be modded into oblivion.

Re:Hmm

[fiannaFailMan]

try posting anything that is conservative or Republican leaning and watch yourself be modded into oblivion

Bush is a nice man.

Seriously though, I've seen a lot of anti-tax, pro-car-at-the-expense-of-the-train posts getting modded all the way up to five.