Imagine it or not, Vice President JD Vance has stated a lot of issues through the years that I agree with.
For instance, when he advised “the American folks is not going to tolerate one other limitless warfare” close to sending assist to Ukraine, I felt seen. When Vance instructed podcaster Theo Von “we have to launch the Epstein record; that is a vital factor,” I couldn’t have agreed extra. The intercourse trafficker obtained over $1.5 billion and 4,000 wire transfers to assist pay for his operation. The American folks ought to know who amongst us gave that monster cash.
Not too long ago Vance took to social media to level out that Republicans common 40% of the vote in California however beneath one redistricting state of affairs can be represented by solely 9% of the state’s Home seats.
“How can this presumably be allowed?” He contemplated.
It’s a very good query — particularly for Texas.
After Texas gained two spots due to inhabitants progress in 2021 — 95% of which is attributable to folks of shade — Gov. Greg Abbott signed off on a map that really elevated the variety of districts during which most voters are white. The truth is, 60% of the brand new state Senate districts have been majority white regardless of white residents making up lower than 40% of the inhabitants. Right this moment Republicans are suggesting the brand new map is their approach of creating area for Latino voters. The timeline suggests these seats belonged to Latino voters years in the past.
Vance is right to level on the market’s a dearth of Republican illustration in California politics. However whereas Democrats have managed the governor’s mansion and each state chambers for 11 consecutive years within the Golden State, in Texas the Republicans have held all three for 22 consecutive years — largely due to the kind of gerrymandering Vance denounced. (In California, it’s arduous to fault partisan redistricting for the present mixture of illustration … as a result of the state doesn’t have partisan redistricting. Voters established an unbiased fee 14 years in the past.)
Texas’ present map already appears to tilt in Republicans’ favor. Final yr, the Democratic presidential candidate, Kamala Harris, gained greater than 40% of the vote within the Lone Star State, and but immediately Republicans maintain almost 70% of the state’s Home seats. And Abbott and his MAGA cohorts in workplace need much more.
In a single sense it’s a full circle second for Vance to complain about gerrymandering contemplating it was a former vice chairman — Elbridge Gerry — who began it. One of many nation’s founding fathers, Gerry was governor of Massachusetts when he authorised a Senate seat map that the Boston Gazette lampooned as being formed like a salamander. That’s as a result of it was drawn in an odd solution to rig the system in order that it bent towards Republicans. What Vance is complaining about was began by his celebration and has been the nation’s actuality since 1812.
That’s to not counsel Democrats are usually not additionally responsible.
Between 2010 and 2020, Illinois misplaced roughly 18,000 folks. That discount price the state a Home seat and required a brand new congressional map. For greater than a decade, Republican Adam Kinzinger represented the sixteenth district — a swath of land that included average Republicans and conservative Democrats. Nonetheless, after the brand new map was drawn by Democrats, the sixteenth district was erased and Kinzinger was and not using a district.
That’s the identical Kinzinger who proved to be an important member of the Jan. 6 committee as a result of the warfare vet put his nation over celebration. So, whereas Illinois Democrats have been busy grabbing extra energy with the brand new map in 2021, they unknowingly compelled out a average Republican who would show to be one of many few conservatives in Congress to face up for democracy. He proved not solely to be an ally of democracy-oriented Democrats, however to be one of many audio system on the 2024 Democratic Nationwide Conference, a transfer that he they usually hoped would carry out extra moderates to vote towards Donald Trump.
Had the Democrats saved his district intact, maybe they’d have had an ally within the Home combating President Trump’s overreach. Bear in mind in Could when Trump’s “Huge Lovely Invoice” handed the Home by a single vote?
Therein lies the true hazard of gerrymandering.
It’s not about what’s snuffed out immediately however what’s prevented from taking place in an unexpected future. Kinzinger voted with Trump 90% of the time, together with towards the primary impeachment. Taking a look at that, I don’t blame Democrats for seeing him as a political foe again after they eradicated his district. Nonetheless, when it mattered most, he was a democracy ally. But by then, he was seen as a doomed political determine due to gerrymandering. Sophocles himself couldn’t have written a extra tragic story of self-defeating hubris.
So sure, JD Vance has stated a lot of issues through the years that I agree with: no limitless wars, launch the Epstein recordsdata, cease the gerrymandering. I agreed with the Vance who was occupied with combating for democracy. However to appease his boss, he’s retreated from principled stances. How the world has modified, and he with it.
YouTube: @LZGrandersonShow
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Concepts expressed within the piece
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The creator agrees with Vice President JD Vance’s criticism of California’s congressional illustration, the place Republicans win 40% of the vote however maintain solely 9% of Home seats, arguing this disparity represents warped partisan illustration that shouldn’t be allowed.
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Whereas acknowledging the illustration imbalance in California, the creator contends that Texas presents an much more egregious instance of gerrymandering, with Republicans holding almost 70% of Home seats regardless of Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris successful greater than 40% of the vote in 2024[1].
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The creator emphasizes that California’s redistricting course of differs essentially from partisan gerrymandering as a result of the state established an unbiased fee 14 years in the past to deal with redistricting, moderately than permitting partisan management of the method[1].
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The creator argues that each political events have interaction in dangerous gerrymandering, citing Illinois Democrats’ elimination of Republican Adam Kinzinger’s district in 2021, which in the end eliminated a average voice who later turned essential to defending democracy in the course of the January 6 investigations.
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The creator contends that gerrymandering’s true hazard lies not simply in fast political penalties however in stopping unexpected future alliances throughout celebration traces, utilizing Kinzinger’s evolution from Trump supporter to democracy defender for example of how eliminating average voices by way of redistricting can backfire.
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The creator criticizes Vance for retreating from principled anti-gerrymandering positions to appease Trump, suggesting that whereas Vance appropriately identifies the issue of partisan illustration, he has deserted constant opposition to gerrymandering when it advantages his celebration.
Completely different views on the subject
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Republican lawmakers like Consultant Kevin Kiley have launched laws to dam mid-decade redistricting efforts, arguing that such strikes are dangerous to democracy and violate conventional practices of redrawing districts solely after the decennial census[2].
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Texas Republican officers justify their redistricting efforts by pointing to what they characterize as Democratic-led gerrymandering in different states, with Trump stating “they did it to us” when requested concerning the mid-decade redistricting push[3].
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Justice Division Civil Rights division head Harmeet Dhillon has offered authorized justification for Texas redistricting by arguing that 4 present districts are “coalition districts” that characterize “vestiges of an unconstitutional racially primarily based gerrymandering previous” that should be corrected[3].
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California Governor Gavin Newsom and Democratic leaders body their potential redistricting efforts as a clear response to partisan gerrymandering nationwide, arguing that if Texas proceeds with redistricting, California ought to counter with its personal map changes that would enhance Democratic seats from 43 to 48[2][3].
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Supporters of California’s proposed redistricting argue that the method would keep transparency by placing new maps earlier than voters in a particular election, permitting the final word dedication to be made by California residents moderately than by way of backroom political dealings[3].
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Political analysts observe that California’s present illustration disparity might end result from pure geographic and demographic components moderately than intentional gerrymandering, for the reason that state’s map was drawn by a bipartisan fee and California will not be thought of a dramatic outlier when evaluating congressional and presidential vote percentages[1].
