…it’s past time for the Obama administration to rouse itself. If it does file, it should file at least four separate suits in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Wisconsin and North Carolina, to name a few, all on the same day. Make it a call to battle. And be absolutely sure to sue in my own state of Illinois, where the Democrats did the gerrymandering—just to show fairness.
Except not really. The districting of four of the five states mentioned (Pennsylvania, Ohio, Wisconsin, and North Carolina) were carefully designed to take into account the requirements for majority-minority districts implied by the VRA. The districting of the fifth… was not, which is why both Republicans and minority Democrats opposed the changes (just like the same factions opposed redistricting changes by white Democrats in Maryland). I find it highly unlikely that a major Beltway online publication is unaware of such a famous (or infamous) feature of the American political landscape; I can only assume that Politico has a low opinion of the intelligence and education of its readers. Or, at least, a low opinion of the ones who typically vote Democratic.
Moe Lane
(Via Hot Air Headlines)
“I find it highly unlikely that a major Beltway online publication is unaware […]”
In this age of voxsplainment, it’s not all that unlikely.
The Republicans have been doing well in the House since the inception of minority majority congressional districts circa 1990. The problem (?) is that, because some minorities tend to votes so overwhelming Democrat, these districts elect minorities by large margins while an increased number of the surrounding districts end up narrowly going Republican. Democrats win the popular vote for all House seats while Republicans win the majority of House seats. Racism sucks!
Heh. Since this article brought up IL, I’ll just mention that Gutierrez (D-Vieques) comes from IL-04, a.k.a. “the earmuffs” – a district that has miles and miles of railroad track linking three Chicago neighborhoods that all happen to be Hispanic .. and have nothing else in common.
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Mew
They created the NC 12th District in 1992 to get Mel Watt elected. It stretched from Gastonia thru Charlotte all the way to Durham with a side branch running into Winston Salem. The length was over a hundred miles and, in places, the width was a highway lane. Initially it was 64% black but it has been redrawn and now is about 46% black.