Gerrymandering an existential threat to democracy
I have to say that Trump 2.0 has taken me on an emotional roller coaster, As I am sure it is taking many of you. I have gone from oh God we have to abandon ship and run away and hide, to s*** I am too poor to run or hide, hopeful to see the people sustained protest in the streets over everything from Gaza to health care. now back to fearful for the fate of our American democracy. I have gone back to fear because some would imitate a dictator. In the false name of democracy, imitating a dictator does not allow you to free people from a dictator, It allows you to become a dictator, a strong man as it were. this is where I am reminded of the words from George Washington's farewell address to the nation. In what feels like a prophetic moment he addresses our current situation, as if he understood that one day the system of factions and parties would lead us to this moment of self-destruction if we allowed it.
Our founding fathers are looking for one thing above all else, Liberty and freedom. We must not lose sight of what is at stake when it comes to gerrymandering, what is at steak Is your freedom to choose. The freedom to not exist in a political caste system, where states have been divvied up via red or blue and people in those states have no choice but to elect and reelect Republican or a Democrat.
Irrespective of those individual states political makeup, whether it is mostly independence who lean Democrat, or the other way around. A good districting system will disregard race and attempt to evenly split between the three large groups independent, Democrat, Republican. Post 2024 I was under the assumption we had learned our lesson about mimicking the Republicans to try to win, It does not work It depresses Democratic and independent votes. Cheating for the sake of cheating does not solve a problem. It creates multiple new ones, first and foremost the disenfranchisement of voters, nationally Republicans and Democrats split the vote 28% to 28% according to Gallup, which means 43% of the countries registered voters are independent. In an effort to show up the political party systems and internship for as long as possible they are open to gerrymandering and disenfranchisement. This is something as Americans We must not stand for, We must not allow, We must not condone. Next, you will be telling me money in politics is an amazing thing and we should never stop, quite possibly stop taking money from small dollar donors, otherwise known as you and me. Which, yes there are some consultancy agencies (third way) that advocate for such actions. They would prefer we stick with the PACs and the billionaires. When in reality we need to be putting People over, Profits even it when it comes to our own campaign financing. There is a correct response to the gerrymandering efforts in Texas, and it is not to gerrymander California or any other state for that matter.
To start up we have to address one assumption that everybody seems to be making, that gerrymandering Texas makes it deeper red, which in reality does not. It takes an R +8 and turns it into an R+5, As we are all very aware Texas has always been a gerrymandered state. their last set of maps made it extremely deep red whereas now they have made it pinker. Adding five seats has literally degraded and diluted Republicans base. Only if you presume that they have made themselves stronger does Gavin Newsom’s case make any sense. as they say, about making presumptions sometimes you get a hand cut off for presuming you can take something. (Some places in the world are brutal)
Now that we have addressed the fundamental assumption that is flawed, We can move on to step number two. A massive ad blitz on par with the presidential spending of 2024. As Republican voters are not incredibly pleased with the administration as it stands for several reasons, and the dilution of their voting base and maps to attempt to pick up five more seats, this puts Texas in play to be flipped given proper messaging and support to the local democrats. Where is in 2024 their maps were far too deep red for us to flip and/or be competitive. As proven time and time again The Trump administration is incompetent, and this is an example of their incompetence. Only a fool would copy an incompetent dictator. By spending massively in Texas Democrats not only have a chance to flip the local Congress but they have a chance to flip the national one as well. As 9 and 10 Americans in 2022 bipartisan Ely disliked partisan gerrymandering. As well I would recommend co-opting the do not tread on me mantra for the ad blitz, This is something Texans take considerable pride in as they should. We do not mess with Texas, Neither should Republicans.
The third and final aspect of dealing with the Texas gerrymandering is slightly contrary to the first two points, irrespective is something that we have to do in order to throw sand in the gears of fascism. it is a tired old line, but we have to initiate a class action lawsuit from the people of Texas, supported by the Democratic Party. To tie up the maps in court for as long as possible, class action lawsuits can take upwards of two years to conclude. We only need approximately 400 days. But this lawsuit should not only seek to hold up the maps in court, but It should also seek to undo the gerrymandering previously in placed by the Republican and propose counter maps that are fair and balanced among independence Democrats and Republicans equally.
The correct response to a corrupt action should never ever be to copy the corrupted action, The correct response to a corrupt action is to rectify the corrupt action. Democrats have fought with imitation of the Republicans for too long and this is a practice they must stop. if people are to take them seriously as a political party. We need to be less reactionary; We need to be acting every moment. We need to be showing up regardless of the election year. Which is why we should invest in national redistricting laws that are neutral in nature. Because well yes States have the right to determine how elections are run, They do not have a right to determine how to disenfranchise people 401 political party or the other, Freedom of political affiliation to me is similar to freedom of religion and that it gives you the choice, The Liberty and the freedom of picking your party or not.
America is the land of freedom and Liberty for all regardless of political party.
