Gerrymandering Using Census Clustering And GIS

dpplgngr writes "According to this BBC article, Map redrawing angers U.S. Democrats, Republicans in Texas are making use of Census data and mapping software to redraw districts, signficantly altering the election process, and resulting in the lowest overturn of incumbents in history."

Comments

ancient

[TheSHAD0W]

Gerrymandering is an old, old game. There's already a solution for it; computer models exist that can generate maps that are fair. But with all the yelling the Democrats are doing right now, they'd never consider adopting a map-based system because then they'd lose the opportunity to gerrymander next time.

Re:ancient

[Anonymous Coward]

Exactly, this is nothing new at all, and certainly NOT exclusive to any one political party as the article makes it out to be.

Re:ancient

[Sevn]

I'm just glad that two wrongs make a right.

Re:ancient

[MillionthMonkey]

I'm just glad that two wrongs make a right.

No, if you read their comments more closely, you'll see that they're not exactly saying "two wrongs make a right". They're saying an actual wrong and a hypothetical wrong make a right. "If your side was in power they'd be doing this too so it's OK."

Re:ancient

[zangdesign]

they'd never consider adopting a map-based system

Not that it would matter if they endorsed such a system, since the Republicans are firmly in control here. It's more than just a little bit worrisome.

"We're going to keep on building the party [the Texas GOP] until we're hunting Democrats with dogs." -- attributed to Phil Gramm.

Re:ancient

[SgtChaireBourne]

Sorry, but there is no apolitical solution.

Actually there was, but it may be an anachronism because people have become mobile and isolated compared to the days without motorized traffic and a 'dynamic' labor market. There used to be geographical / social / cultural / geological boundaries which could be said to define communities. For example, people along part of a river could be said to be part of the same community. Or a cluster of neighborhood with the same ethnicity. Or groups on either side of a ridge, canyon or mountain could be said to be part of different communities, same for other physical or psychological obstacles like the proverbial rail road tracks or motorway.

Yes, there were fuzzy edges to these old distributions more like brownian distribution.

Oooh those evil Republicans

[elmegil]

Never mind the Democratic Gerrymanders in Georgia that are ridiculous, or any of the other dozens or hundreds of times that both parties have controlled redistricting to their own benefit.

Re:Gerrymandering limited by increase in House rep

[Slime-dogg]

If the number of reps increased, we'd have to rename "pork" to "beef" or "elephant." It's a problem when you have too many cooks, because it spoils the pot. An increase in the numbers would decrease the bill-making efficiency.

Then again, maybe slowing down congress is just what this country needs. We already have too many federal laws.