2011.. redistricting for congressional seats for the next ten years, Unwinding the New Deal..

[Peacetrain]

When we hear others say thing such as "there is no difference between Republicans and Democrats", or "I will not waste my vote..." just do not let people talk you out of how important the 2010 elections are.

2011 will be a 10 year redistricting of congressional seats that could stymie anything and everything that Democrats, Liberal, Progressives, Moderates, have worked for in the past 70 years.. yes 70 years.. all the way back to the New Deal.

I have oped this before, but maybe this example will really bring it home.

I live in the 5th district of Iowa. Our voter breakdown looks like this:

http://www.carrollspaper.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=10920

Iowa’s 5th Congressional District overwhelmingly favors a Republican. As of Aug. 1, voter registration stood as follows: 149,000 Republicans, 95,000 Democrats and 123,000 independents. In some sections of the district, the GOP margin is crushing, such as in Sioux County where there are 14,300 registered active Republicans compared to 1,700 Democrats.

Steve King is so assured of his ability to keep his seat that he will not even debate his opponents. This is not the first time. He has NEVER debated an opponent.. and you are seeing more and more of that from republicans now. They just refuse to debate.

This is a great example of how you can district voters into getting really shady characters in office and staying there.

Michelle Bachmann is another case.

Look what has happened in the south.

This is probably one of the most important elections we have had in 25 years. Because if they get not only the offices (the republicans and tea party people) they will have the opportunity to redistrict themselves into a permanent 10 year reign and they will finally get to do what they have been pushing to do for the last 70 years..Unwind the New Deal

This is what they have been working for, for the last three decades, getting a right wing media in place to lie to the low information voter. This is the time they have been waiting for. Now even the supreme court has given them free license to let groups like the Koch brothers influence elections.

It is to unwind the New Deal.

[WCGreen]

1. I've been shouting about this since 2008...

But so many people aren't concerned about this extremely important cycle.

[Peacetrain]

2. For one thing,,, the Media is not covering this at all

Then on Nov. 3 or so.. that is all you will hear.

[Cosmocat]

4. Point is legit, however ...

you get these examples both ways ...

Surely, our republican "friends" are a LOT more cutthroat with it, but STATE level politics drive the overwhelming bulk of redistricting ... I live in Pa, which has perhaps the most egrigiously (sp) ginned up districts in the country. Seriously, look at a map of our congressional districts, it is just embarrassing ...

Last time they got drawn up, the Rs were in power for the most part, but make no mistake, it took cooperation from influencial Ds who were looking out for THEIR own best interests, too ...

I think this is the case in MOST instances, outside of heavily controlled R states like Texas, being the obvious example, but it isn't so much making the R seats safe, it was overloading the Ds in districts to increase the total amount of districts Rs could secure - and again, there was no small amount of collusion from the Ds who stood to benefit from having those seats ...

Additionally, this also includes districting for state level house and senate seats, and it is important to note that each state's constitution is set up a little differently in terms of how those states set up districts ...

BUT, your point IS a VERY important point, and one that is not lost on the most savvy Rs, who are MUCH better at gaming the system in the tertiary ways like this (or fighting tooth and nail for judicial appointments), which is likely has ratched up their intensity on this election even more ...

[FBaggins]

3. One thing to keep in mind.

The reason that the 1st and 3rd districts (and to a lesser extent the 2nd) lean D is because republicans are so packed in the 4th and 5th. If we control redistricting in Iowa this time around, expect King to be even safer - moving as many democrats as possible to shore up the 1st and 3rd.

Virtually identical numbers of people voted R&D for House seats in Iowa in '08 (about 51.5 to 48.5) yet we won three of the five seats in reasonably comfortable races. This year is obviously not as advantageous for democrats, yet we may very well keep all three seats with those polling numbers more than reversed.

[Peacetrain]

7. I used it as an example.. of how an entrenchment of a right wing nut job

can stifle any change...

Again it is an example.. and the 2011 redistricting can gin districts so that you can get results like these.

Was it Texas they redistricted the minority vote out .. I think so.

[FBaggins]

9. Oh I agree. I was just pointing out some of why it happens.

It's an interesting tradeoff. Iowa could be redistricted in a way that would give you five competitive seats. In years like 2006 and 2008, we could have five democratic congressmen... only to lose 3-5 of those seats the next time it wasn't a strong democratic year. It would cut down on incumbency and make our representatives more answerable to the public.

[Peacetrain]

10. Steve King is so odious.. in his disregard for the electorate.

He said Campbell does not " deserve " a debate.. a couple of cycles ago, he just walked before the debate even started.. There is no accountability for him at all.. he can say and try to do anything he wants.. and he does..

[NJmaverick]

5. K & R!

[flamingdem]

6. I'm afraid people will realize after the elections that they were ultra important!

No room for apathy in this polarized country with the Koch Bros dough in play.

[Peacetrain]

8. You can take that to the bank..

It will be a tsk tsk tsk.. post election by a media that does not bother to even point this out. I am just appalled at that.

[flamingdem]

17. It will be the big story after the populace wakes up nt

[quiet.american]

11. Well stated. Thanks for shedding light on how an assclown like King stays in office.

I well remember how in 2003 Tom DeLay illegally sent Homeland Security after the "Killer Ds" of Texas, who literally had to flee to another state in an attempt to block the unprecedented GOP gerry-mandering in Texas.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killer_Ds

The points you make here are extremely important.

[Peacetrain]

13. Thank you.. I was have a senior moment trying to remember who

did that.. it was DeLay..

[Bitwit1234]

12. One good thing. IF and her district is a toss up now

Mitchelle Bachmann does manage to pull this one off, she will be gone for good in two years. Minnesota lose a representative and her district will be combined with two democratic ones. So bye bye self centered Bachmann. No more false Christian, no more anti government and no more let the poor eat cake.

[Peacetrain]

14. From your lips...

Michelle Bachmann is another one of those characters who have no sense of decency in what they say or do.. just as long as it has the big R behind it

[POAS]

15. Unfortunately, redistricting isn't "sexy" politically ....

speaking but it is vitally important.

I would hope that any DUers doing local campaign phone banking or canvassing use it as another prod to get Democratic voters to the polls.

[nemo137]

21. None of the systems stuff is sexy politically.

But things like the census, redistricting, etc are massively important.

[POAS]

24. Absolutely, I agree completely....n/t

[Bobbie Jo]

16. Huge K&R!

:kick:

[Scurrilous]

18. K & R

:thumbsup:

[jaxx]

19. K&R

IL 17th district has Hare falling behind Schilling....I'm out there talking up Hare and telling people they have got to vote in Nov.

[GSLevel9]

20. and...

I don't mean to be a downer here... but

the Pug states are due to pick up a net +5ish electoral votes... effective before the '12 elections.

[IndianaGreen]

22. State legislatures are the ones that do the redistricting

Our local Democrats are handicapped enough as it is because they are being dragged down by the shenanigans in the Beltway. Washington, DC, is seen as a modern day Babylon, totally corrupt and out of touch with the rest of the country.

Thank you Beltway assholes!

[Tarheel_Dem]

23. Wouldn't it be great if we could put personalities aside, and do what's

good for the country? As a supporter of the administration, who is constantly told that I should place policy above personalities, this is a chance for those who admonish supporters to take their own advice. And if Republican policies, and progressive constituencies being redistricted out of existence isn't enough to make them support the Democrats, I'm not sure what it will take.

Thanks for posting.....

[Cha]

25. K&R..thanks Peacetrain~

I know you put your heart and soul into your writing and it is very much appreciated:loveya:

[SeattleGirl]

26. Thank for posting this, Peacetrain

People need to keep this in mind.