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And so the Democrats have to build a bigger tent, find a way to appear to rural voters. The current messaging isn't selling. The parties have continuously evolved over time, but it seems like the Democrats are currently stuck in a rut that is appealing to fewer and fewer people. Their only saving grace has been the grotesqueness of Trump, but if the Republicans can find a way to move towards the center, it's going to be a bloodbath.
I believe gerrymandering is an affront to democracy and generates non-competitive districts that allow extremists in both parties to be elected. All you need to do is look at the US Congress and the loss of moderates in both chambers to see it in full action. But let's not pretend that gerrymandering hasn't existed or been used for nearly as long as the two-party political system has been around.
Technically, gerrymandering has happened all along. The term itself goes back to 1812. If I'm not mistaken, the US Justice Department required Gerrymandering for (old) NC Congressional districts 1 and 12, in order to likely elect minority candidates. (Ironic that Butterfield didn't run last year because the legislature made his district a bit more competitive than it had in the past, even though it definitely swung to the democrat side. He might have had to actually work a bit to get elected.)
Otherwise, each district would be XX% republican and YY% democrats and vote the majority all the time, meaning 100% for the majority. Orange and Durham counties are examples of this. The most recent election had roughly 75% of votes for democrats and 25% for republicans and independents in Orange, 80 and 20 in Durham. That would mean that one out of the five county commissioners in each county should be republican (likewise city/town boards.) But because it's a city/county-wide election, not districts, it's been a clean-sweep by democrats back as far as most remember (Durham did elect a non-democrat (not sure if Nick Tennyson is registered republican or independent) in 1999, and Harry Rodenhiser before him in the '70s.)
Technically, gerrymandering has happened all along. The term itself goes back to 1812. If I'm not mistaken, the US Justice Department required Gerrymandering for (old) NC Congressional districts 1 and 12, in order to likely elect minority candidates. (Ironic that Butterfield didn't run last year because the legislature made his district a bit more competitive than it had in the past, even though it definitely swung to the democrat side. He might have had to actually work a bit to get elected.)
Otherwise, each district would be XX% republican and YY% democrats and vote the majority all the time, meaning 100% for the majority. Orange and Durham counties are examples of this. The most recent election had roughly 75% of votes for democrats and 25% for republicans and independents in Orange, 80 and 20 in Durham. That would mean that one out of the five county commissioners in each county should be republican (likewise city/town boards.) But because it's a city/county-wide election, not districts, it's been a clean-sweep by democrats back as far as most remember (Durham did elect a non-democrat (not sure if Nick Tennyson is registered republican or independent) in 1999, and Harry Rodenhiser before him in the '70s.)
Ah, yes, this is a another important bit of history. Historically, we've been required to racially gerrymander districts under the voting rights act to ensure some black candidates would be elected. In 2017, the NCGA was sued for just that, racially gerrymandering black people into a couple of districts. The result was an end to salamander districts and effectively neutering the voting rights act, which was an odd outcome for Democrats to seek. It didn't actually result in any advantage to Democrats, just made it harder for black Democrats to get elected.
I keep a list on my iphone which I call "GVoR's Systematic Changes". Its basically the platform I would run on if I were a politician. The top five on the list.
1. Federally ban party administered district mapping (Gerrymandering). Computer software based on some set of agreed to attributes should be used to draw up maps free from bias.
2. Repeal the Permanent Appropriations Act of 1929
3. Repeal Citizens United
4. Enact the Wyoming Rule (ties to #2)
5. Repeal the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1970.
There is nothing representative about our democracy and this situation further makes the point. Raw Power politics, politicians picking their voters and the like, regardless of the party doing it (whether its the GOP here, OH, WI or the Dems in MA, IL, MD) is effing gross.
The Democrats held a death grip on the state through gerrymandering for 100 years. They never reformed redistricting. Republicans eventually broke their back and did the same thing...
I'm a former Democratic precinct chair. Yes, Democrats played the gerrymandering game for a long time until the Republicans gained control in 2010. How'd that happen? Well, a contributing factor was the series of Democrats who got themselves into trouble: Governor Mike Easley, Agriculture Commissioner Meg Scott Phipps, Speaker of the House Jim Black, Lottery Commissioner Kevin Geddings, Congressman Frank Ballance, Durham County DA Mike Nifong, and State Representative Thomas Wright.
Add to that the incompetence of Democratic party leadership, most recently exhibited by the abysmal turnout in Mecklenburg County in the 2022 general election.
The new chair of the NCDP is age 25 and the new chair of the Mecklenburg County DP is 26. New energy, albeit without experience.
Democracy? DEMOCRACY! That's a vile form of government, where a majority can legally persecute a minority - or tax the snot out of them.
I prefer the republican form of government, wherein all men are created equal (before the law - none higher) with Creator endowed rights (not gubmint privileges) that governments were instituted to secure - not tax, regulate nor trespass.
Of course, once you consent to be governed in the socialist democracy, all bets are off.
Due to mandatory civic duties, all endowed rights are waived / surrendered. Shut up, sit down, pay and obey.
I'm a former Democratic precinct chair. Yes, Democrats played the gerrymandering game for a long time until the Republicans gained control in 2010. How'd that happen? Well, a contributing factor was the series of Democrats who got themselves into trouble: Governor Mike Easley, Agriculture Commissioner Meg Scott Phipps, Speaker of the House Jim Black, Lottery Commissioner Kevin Geddings, Congressman Frank Ballance, Durham County DA Mike Nifong, and State Representative Thomas Wright.
Add to that the incompetence of Democratic party leadership, most recently exhibited by the abysmal turnout in Mecklenburg County in the 2022 general election.
The new chair of the NCDP is age 25 and the new chair of the Mecklenburg County DP is 26. New energy, albeit without experience.
Well no, the GOP rode into power on the red wave following the passage of the ACA. The built a new coalition that broke the back of the democratically gerrymandered districts.
And yea, I don't know what to say about the 25 yo Democratic chair. Good luck convincing anyone that the Democratic party isn't childish and out of touch.
And yea, I don't know what to say about the 25 yo Democratic chair. Good luck convincing anyone that the Democratic party isn't childish and out of touch.
What cuz only olds have potentially valuable inputs?
I am no fan of the Democratic Party. Leadership is ancient, where they pick to invest dollars makes no sense.
But the Boomers, regardless of party, need to get on getting on. For a generation of people who changed this country for the better in their 20s, they sure took up the "F U, I got mine" mantle right quick.
Gen Z will save us. My generation aint got the sack to do it.
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