Federal judges find NC legislative districts unconstitutional (lawsuits, vs.)

[MrBojangles]

Appeals court find racial gerrymandering in NC legislative districts | News & Observer

[BC1960]

Great! Maybe will break the GOP's stranglehold on the General Assembly.

[arbyunc]

These Republican loons have a very poor batting average vs. the Constitution.

[Mtnluver8956]

Man, this keeps on getting better and better!!! That's Fed Govt (2) Vs NC (0)! Let's shoot for 3-0!

[Tarheelhombre]

Those General Assembly Neanderthals are gonna have to learn the hard way. Thank goodness for federal courts.

[carcrazy67]

The Democrats held the legislature for over 100 years. Do you really think there was no gerrymandering during this time that favored them? Political parties have rather simple goals-get into power and stay in power. Generally they will do what they can to make that happen.

[BC1960]

Originally Posted by carcrazy67

The Democrats held the legislature for over 100 years. Do you really think there was no gerrymandering during this time that favored them? Political parties have rather simple goals-get into power and stay in power. Generally they will do what they can to make that happen.

Did the federal courts strike down any of the districts during those 100 years?

[arbyunc]

Originally Posted by carcrazy67

The Democrats held the legislature for over 100 years. Do you really think there was no gerrymandering during this time that favored them? Political parties have rather simple goals-get into power and stay in power. Generally they will do what they can to make that happen.

A) "Because the other side does it too" is a very lame excuse, and certainly doesn't make it right.


B) You need to brush up on your NC political history. The fact is that Democrats historically have had no need to gerrymander districts because NC voter registrations were overwhelmingly Democrats (and still are). The only gerrymandering done by Democrats was in response to federal pressure (under threat of lawsuits) to provide better racial balance--quite a different motivation than gerrymandering to stay in power. Your "Democrats did it too" argument is completely wrong.

[MrBojangles]

Watch the GA drag their feet and put out something that will be too late to challenge in court for 2020.

[carcrazy67]

Originally Posted by arbyunc

A) "Because the other side does it too" is a very lame excuse, and certainly doesn't make it right.


B) You need to brush up on your NC political history. The fact is that Democrats historically have had no need to gerrymander districts because NC voter registrations were overwhelmingly Democrats (and still are). The only gerrymandering done by Democrats was in response to federal pressure (under threat of lawsuits) to provide better racial balance--quite a different motivation than gerrymandering to stay in power. Your "Democrats did it too" argument is completely wrong.

My comment was not made as an "excuse or an argument." It is fact. Simply commenting that the Democrats, like any political party, will gerrymander to help themselves stay in power. To believe otherwise is naive or blind to reality.

Yes, Democrats have always had the numbers but keep in mind that a large number of North Carolinians (about 28%) are unaffiliated and have been known to vote Republican in large numbers (how else can Republicans win state wide or national elections). However your statement about gerrymandering done by the Democrats was "only for racial reasons" is incorrect. Their "motives" were not always "pure".