Democrats Strike Back: A New Tactic For Redrawing District Lines

[HAB911]

When Georgia Republicans this year sought to make two legislators’ reelections a tad safer by moving some of their Black constituents into neighboring districts and replacing them with whites, it was the kind of state-level shenanigans that don’t tend to cause a national stir. Then former U.S. attorney general Eric Holder weighed in, urging the governor and the state senate to “reject this attempt to rig the political system.” He didn’t say “see you in court,” but he didn’t have to. Georgia lawmakers backed down, and Holder and his new National Democratic Redistricting Committee sent a message that they are keeping close watch on the shaping of the nation’s political maps. And if flinching turns to fighting, they’ll be looking at the courts as their most important weapon.

http://www.ozy.com/politics-and-power/the-democrats-strike-back-a-new-tactic-for-redrawing-district-lines/76861?utm_source=dd&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=05122017&variable=9d91d2d18ffb4c5a3c26fdf0d50dd20e

[WhiteTara]

1. I'm glad they are out there working

for the country.

[Honeycombe8]

2. This is the sort of hard, stressful work that needs to be done.

It makes it all the harder to win, when the lines are skewed to favor the Republicans. And it's not really reflective of the people who live in a geographical area.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

3. Also, need to make sure the 2020 census is accurate.

Challenges Mount for a Successful 2020 Census
http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2017/05/challenges-mount-successful-2020-us-census

[JudyM]

4. The Washington post had a piece today on Dem gerryrigging, showing the insanely convoluted map in

Maryland. We shouldn't be doing it, either. We need to stay ethical and govern in good faith if we want people to actually see us as distinct from rethugs.