- Nov 14, 2010
- 20,274
What do mobsters and electric motors have to do with each other?Politics makes organized crime look like armatures.
What do mobsters and electric motors have to do with each other?
Why would anyone sign that petition?
I'm not a democrat, nor am I a republican.
I'm an honest moderate who is asking these questions because I wish to gain information. Flaming me won't help the cause...
I want to know why I should sign this petition, or should vote against this redistricting, if a vote is taken.
And the tinfoil hat "Democrat conspiracy" stuff doesn't wash.....
EDIT---I retract some of the things I've said about the petition lacking in detail. apparently, the tabs at the top did not render for me the first time I viewed the site, so I missed the detailed maps of the new districting. However, the snarky sarcastic commentary provided along with those maps failed to answer my basic question that still stands "Why is this a bad redistricting? "
Honestly, someone please tell me why I should think this redistricting is a bad idea, other than disrespectful jabs at the Governor.
The problem with that map is that it is so blatantly disgusting, it doesn't fairly represent the constituents of the state.
The point is, that these lines are barely contiguous and do not fairly represent the particular interests of the people. Is it Gerrymandered? Absolutely. Is that a bad thing? Not entirely. However, it should at least fairly represent the geographical & population densities of the state, and to that end, it doesn't.
On a political/social/philosophical/moral judgement, yes, Gerrymandering is disgusting; unfortunately, there is that whole jurisprudence thing that says "yeah it's ok."Gerrymandering IS a bad thing. Instead of representing the population, it divides a geography by voting block thus guaranteeing seats for the ruling party.
Even if people move from a bad neighborhood, schools, or high taxes, they still could end up lumped in with the same area they were trying to escape from. Imagine if gerrymandering were allowed on a national level and you had to pay the same income tax in VA as we do in the PRofMD ? See my point ? It's wealth redistribution at a geo-political level and there is no easy way to escape it.
2 biggest problems with the new map, IMO:
1) Gov. O’Malley’s Congressional redistricting map, plainly gerrymandered to increase the number of Democratic delegates Maryland sends to the U.S. House of Representatives from six to seven (decreasing the number of Republicans from two to one). This is as much a national issue as it is a Maryland issue.
2) I live in a very conservative area (formerly District 1), previously represented by Andy Harris (R). Under this new map, I am now in District 4 and represented by Donna Edwards (D). This new map literally splits my neighborhood in half. Why? See number 1 above.
Why would anyone sign that petition?
It doesn't explain at all any reason why this redistricting is bad other than splitting up minority districts to weaken their voting power.
Shouldn't republicans be happy for that, since minorities historically overwhelmingly support the democratic party since about the 50's?
If I were to sign a petition like that, I'd prefer that it have a before and after picture, and a DETAILED description of exactly why I should be concerned, not vague references that basically boil down to "it's bad cuz we says so".
The only thing negative to republicans I can see from the vague implications of the petition page is that some of the traditionally Republican districts in maryland, where the republican representatives have run unopposed for years, will actually have to face a challenger for their seats.
Now, if those representatives are truly the best choice for the people, they shouldn't have problems keeping their seats, right?
And how is this any different from what is being done in republican controlled states, like Utah, among others? or is it okay when republicans do it, just not when democrats do?
Now, I've noticed a tendency for people who go against the herd get flamed to ashes in threads like these..... but please, before you do, a little information.
I'm not a democrat, nor am I a republican.
I'm an honest moderate who is asking these questions because I wish to gain information. Flaming me won't help the cause...
I want to know why I should sign this petition, or should vote against this redistricting, if a vote is taken.
And the tinfoil hat "Democrat conspiracy" stuff doesn't wash.....
EDIT---I retract some of the things I've said about the petition lacking in detail. apparently, the tabs at the top did not render for me the first time I viewed the site, so I missed the detailed maps of the new districting. However, the snarky sarcastic commentary provided along with those maps failed to answer my basic question that still stands "Why is this a bad redistricting? "
Honestly, someone please tell me why I should think this redistricting is a bad idea, other than disrespectful jabs at the Governor.
A Republican-led group trying to repeal Maryland's new congressional map has gathered enough valid signatures to trigger a referendum, the State Board of Elections said Wednesday.
The map — which one federal judge called a "blatant political gerrymander" — was the result of the once-a-decade redistricting that must take into account population changes found by the census. But Democrats have acknowledged it was designed to give their party a strong chance of picking up a seventh seat in Maryland's eight-member delegation to the U.S. House of Representatives.