Originally published at: North Carolina GOP Acts on Trump Demand, Approves New Map That Flips Dem Seat - TPM – Talking Points Memo
The Republican-controlled North Carolina legislature approved a new gerrymandered congressional district map this week, making North Carolina the latest state to cave to the Trump administration’s mid-cycle redistricting pressure campaign. For months, Trump has been trying to strongarm Republican-controlled state legislatures around the nation to redraw their congressional district maps mid-cycle — instead of waiting…
North Carolina GOP Acts on Trump Demand, Approves New Map That Flips Dem Seat
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Cowards hate democracy
Necessary cat pic.
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I wonder at what point could the have gone overboard in a cycle where they are not going to do well, and have the potential to do really poorly, and a bunch of these aggressive gerrymanders cost them to lose seats. No clue, but I’d love to find out. Like what percentage do dems need to win by to make these gerrymanders end up being a big mistake.
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In theory yes, and it would happen in any other country, but the reality is that GOP voters see themselves as part of a tribe and refuse to accept that anything thier party is doing is wrong and voting Dem would mean accepting their mistake, and worse betraying their tribe, (see soybean farmers) so I don’t think that is happening.
We will find out soon enough. But I am afraid we are going to hate what we find.
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The first 9 months of this regime have been a horror show. The next 12 months will not be better. The Dems need to win indies in the next election and get their motivated voters out. The changing of the maps show how desperate the Republicans are now.
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Cue Mark Elias’ lawsuit in 3 … 2 ….
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This is a little wonky, but hear me out.
The Constitution guarantees that the states will have a republican (small ‘r’) form of government. A republican form of government is one is which the state’s representation in both Congress and its own legislature accurately represent the state’s population as a whole. By definition, gerrymandering prevents a republican form of government.
In the past, the Voting Rights Act, the right to sue to disallow blatant gerrymandering, the required pre-approval of redistricting maps by the US Government (in effect, by a DoJ that respected the Constitution), and largely non-partisan Supreme Courts prevented at least the gross violation of that guarantee. Today? - all bets are off.
But it won’t always be that way…I hope. When (if) things change, I would love to see that aspect of the Constitution finally enforced to the letter. I don’t expect that to happen, but the current situation is unsustainable, and so any movement toward eliminating gerrymandering will be most welcome. And most just.
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Long time no see @noseeum!
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I don’t have any details on that, but I would assume it would take a strong Blue Wave midterm turnout to make that happen where it could happen.
Meanwhile, unfortunately the odds are stacked against Dems in a full-blown redistricting battle if every state that could do it to benefit one party, did do it. Free gifted link from earlier this summer:
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We need to generate a massive turnout of the folks they’re trying to deny adequate representation. It would be wonderful if these black dominated districts that have been diluted turn them blue by a record black voter turnout.
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the new map would serve as a path “to protect President Trump’s agenda"
High middle class taxes with no federal services. No individual rights. And incorporation of government values into religious institutions.
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This is what “soft” autocratic rule looks like.
Donald Trump wants to be King of the United States.
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Those Repub legislators are such liars.
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All the poor states that rely on welfare.
There, competition is to lie and cheat to get elected, to get a position where the winner can amass big bucks, where governing becomes controlling the poverty of workers.
It’s like a lottery for politicians.
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I can easily envision millions of republicans PISSED off about huge premiums in their medical care, large inflation in their grocery costs an most anything else. So in my daydream they vote for democrats in an effort to stop the current insanity. Lots of formerly red Congressional districts go blue and states flip and MAGA candidates get tossed
Edit
In one of trump’s two impeachments 57 senators voted to convict which is 10 shy of the necessary 67. An example of the consequence of one’s vote. Had he been convicted he’d be out of office and barred from holding any elective office again… ever.
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I love it. They are so confident in their ability to rig the game that they don’t realize Americans know it’s not a game anymore.
The results will be catastrophic. Trump will have to do some crazy shit. Of course, I don’t think they’ll reopen the government at all. So, there’s that -
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Those shameless liars. For decades, Democratic-run states have been working to pass legislation to ensure fair redistricting, giving all parties a shot so as to accurately represent the voters. NOT, as the deplorable Republican spin would have it, “gerrymandering.” That’s them.
Projection. Of course. And thanks to the “we stenograph whatever a Republican says, you figure it out” infotainment media. too many of the voting public never see the discrepancy.
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Agree. Three measures a new Democratic Congress should enact and a new Democratic President should sign. First, mandatory all-large state voting for all Federal offices. In this scenario, every candidate for the House is on every ballot in the state, and the top “N” vote-getters take the “N” seats in the states House delegation. This is essentially how both Presidents and Senators are elected so it is entirely Constitutional.
Second, mandatory vote-by-mail, with ballots provided to the Electorate 45 days in advance. Each Federal election ballot would also include a tear-off coupon for a $25 Federal Tax Credit that the taxpayer certifies (under penalty of perjury) filing out their ballot and mailing it in, by mailing the tear-off coupon to the IRS, just like a estimated tax coupon.
Finally, statehood for both the District of Columbia and for Puerto Rico, including two Senators each and one House member for every 500,000 residents. This will increase the House by about 200 members but also make it much more representative and not give states like Wyoming and Alaska unfair representation, (the second House member requires a state population of >1 Million).
If all of these things were enacted under statute, it would make for a more prefect Union, HOWEVER they must be accompanied by a revision of the Judiciary Act that would limit the SCOTUS to cases of original jurisdiction, ONLY. For Federal cases where there are conflicting decisions between circuits, the plaintive would appeal for a En Banc decision from the entire Appellate Court (ALL 179 Judges). Majority wins. This would take the SCOTUS axe away from the GOP.
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