Consider it or not, Vice President JD Vance has mentioned quite a lot of issues through the years that I agree with.
For instance, when he advised “the American people will not tolerate another endless war” as regards to sending support to Ukraine, I felt seen. When Vance informed podcaster Theo Von “we need to release the Epstein list; that is an important thing,” I couldn’t have agreed extra. The intercourse trafficker acquired 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.
Just lately Vance took to social media to level out that Republicans common 40% of the vote in California however beneath one redistricting scenario can be represented by solely 9% of the state’s Home seats.
“How can this probably be allowed?” He contemplated.
It’s a extremely good query — particularly for Texas.
After Texas gained two spots due to inhabitants progress in 2021 — 95% of which is attributable to folks of coloration — Gov. Greg Abbott signed off on a map that really elevated the variety of districts through which most voters are white. In reality, 60% of the brand new state Senate districts had been majority white regardless of white residents making up lower than 40% of the inhabitants. At this time 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 does not have partisan redistricting. Voters established an impartial fee 14 years in the past.)
Texas’ present map already appears to tilt in Republicans’ favor. Final 12 months, the Democratic presidential candidate, Kamala Harris, received greater than 40% of the vote within the Lone Star State, and but right now 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 vp — Elbridge Gerry — who began it. One of many nation’s founding fathers, Gerry was governor of Massachusetts when he permitted 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 occasion and has been the nation’s actuality since 1812.
That’s to not counsel Democrats aren’t additionally responsible.
Between 2010 and 2020, Illinois misplaced roughly 18,000 folks. That discount value 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 with out a district.
That’s the identical Kinzinger who proved to be a crucial member of the Jan. 6 committee as a result of the conflict vet put his nation over occasion. So, whereas Illinois Democrats had 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 deliver out extra moderates to vote in opposition to Donald Trump.
Had the Democrats saved his district intact, maybe they might have had an ally within the Home combating President Trump’s overreach. Bear in mind in Could when Trump’s “Massive Stunning Invoice” passed the House by a single vote?
Therein lies the true hazard of gerrymandering.
It’s not about what’s snuffed out right now however what’s prevented from taking place in an unexpected future. Kinzinger voted with Trump 90% of the time, together with in opposition to 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 mentioned quite a lot of issues through the years that I agree with: no infinite wars, launch the Epstein information, cease the gerrymandering. I agreed with the Vance who was considering 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 profitable 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 impartial fee 14 years in the past to deal with redistricting, somewhat 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 finally eliminated a average voice who later grew to become essential to defending democracy throughout the January 6 investigations.
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The creator contends that gerrymandering’s true hazard lies not simply in instant political penalties however in stopping unexpected future alliances throughout occasion traces, utilizing Kinzinger’s evolution from Trump supporter to democracy defender for instance of how eliminating average voices by 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 accurately identifies the issue of partisan illustration, he has deserted constant opposition to gerrymandering when it advantages his occasion.
Totally 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 symbolize “vestiges of an unconstitutional racially based mostly gerrymandering previous” that have to 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 might improve 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 last word dedication to be made by California residents somewhat than by backroom political dealings[3].
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Political analysts word that California’s present illustration disparity might end result from pure geographic and demographic elements somewhat than intentional gerrymandering, for the reason that state’s map was drawn by a bipartisan fee and California will not be thought-about a dramatic outlier when evaluating congressional and presidential vote percentages[1].
