More gerrymandering, this time in Colorado - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Sparhawk · 07-02-2003, 06:29 AM

GOP Redistricting: New Boundaries of Politics?

DENVER -- The bill was introduced on a Monday, passed on Wednesday and signed into law on Friday. There was minimal debate and no time for public comment. Still, Colorado statute SB-352 could be a political milestone: the first successful application of a new tactic being pushed by Republican leaders in Washington.

The Colorado law redraws the borders of all of the state's congressional districts -- just two years after the redistricting that followed the 2000 Census. The sole purpose, as leaders of the Republican-controlled legislature confirm, was to strengthen the party's majority in the state's congressional delegation.

<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A60362-2003Jul1.html?nav=hptoc_p">Link to rest of article...</a>

...

Politics as usual is now pretty unusual. I'm glad people are fighting back with lawsuits for this unprecedented mid-decade redistricting.

The_Dude · 07-02-2003, 06:33 AM

make 'em run to kansas!

seretogis · 07-02-2003, 01:57 PM

Wow, it looks like it passed before the Dems could even get their bags packed.

The_Dude · 07-02-2003, 02:08 PM

i hate this re-districting crap, no matter which party is doing it.

i think an independent commission should be created to do the re-districting. non-partisan one.

Daval · 07-03-2003, 06:56 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by The_Dude
i hate this re-districting crap, no matter which party is doing it.

i think an independent commission should be created to do the re-districting. non-partisan one.

agreed.

Sparhawk · 07-03-2003, 07:00 AM

Wasn't there a state that was looking into doing redistricting entirely by a computer model to make districts fair, according to population size, area and so forth?

Let's have a computer* do it for us, since we can't really trust democrats and republicans to do it...

*that sounds kind of matrix/terminator-style spooky, heh...

The_Dude · 07-03-2003, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Sparhawk
Wasn't there a state that was looking into doing redistricting entirely by a computer model to make districts fair, according to population size, area and so forth?

Let's have a computer* do it for us, since we can't really trust democrats and republicans to do it...

*that sounds kind of matrix/terminator-style spooky, heh...

i'm all for it.

smooth · 07-03-2003, 03:07 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Sparhawk
Wasn't there a state that was looking into doing redistricting entirely by a computer model to make districts fair, according to population size, area and so forth?

Let's have a computer* do it for us, since we can't really trust democrats and republicans to do it...

*that sounds kind of matrix/terminator-style spooky, heh...

Colorado may have been that state. From the same article:

Quote:

"Redistricting is almost always a corrupt business," notes Robert Richie, executive director of the Takoma Park-based Center for Voting and Democracy. "But what just happened in Colorado is really disgusting, because what they had before was one of the best districts in the country in terms of being responsive to the voters."

In an era in which most congressional districts are drawn to guarantee safe seats for one party or the other, Colorado bucked the trend after the 2000 Census. The state's new 7th Congressional District was designed to be a political tossup, with one-third of the voters Republican, one-third Democratic and one-third unaffiliated.

seretogis · 07-04-2003, 09:27 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Sparhawk
Let's have a computer do it for us, since we can't really trust democrats and republicans to do it...

The people who run the computer, who own the company that employs the person who runs the computer, the multinational corporation that owns the company, etc. will all have political motivations which will effect the outcome.

The_Dude · 07-05-2003, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by seretogis
The people who run the computer, who own the company that employs the person who runs the computer, the multinational corporation that owns the company, etc. will all have political motivations which will effect the outcome.

i really dont think a large coropration would risk losing a contract for being partisan

07-02-2003, 06:29 AM	#1 (permalink)
Sparhawk Dubya Location: VA	More gerrymandering, this time in Colorado GOP Redistricting: New Boundaries of Politics? DENVER -- The bill was introduced on a Monday, passed on Wednesday and signed into law on Friday. There was minimal debate and no time for public comment. Still, Colorado statute SB-352 could be a political milestone: the first successful application of a new tactic being pushed by Republican leaders in Washington. The Colorado law redraws the borders of all of the state's congressional districts -- just two years after the redistricting that followed the 2000 Census. The sole purpose, as leaders of the Republican-controlled legislature confirm, was to strengthen the party's majority in the state's congressional delegation. <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A60362-2003Jul1.html?nav=hptoc_p">Link to rest of article...</a> ... Politics as usual is now pretty unusual. I'm glad people are fighting back with lawsuits for this unprecedented mid-decade redistricting. __________________ "In Iraq, no doubt about it, it's tough. It's hard work. It's incredibly hard. It's - and it's hard work. I understand how hard it is. I get the casualty reports every day. I see on the TV screens how hard it is. But it's necessary work. We're making progress. It is hard work."

07-02-2003, 06:33 AM	#2 (permalink)
The_Dude The GrandDaddy of them all! Location: Austin, TX	make 'em run to kansas! __________________ "Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity." - Darrel K Royal

07-02-2003, 01:57 PM	#3 (permalink)
seretogis Huggles, sir? Location: Seattle	Wow, it looks like it passed before the Dems could even get their bags packed. __________________ seretogis - sieg heil perfect little dream the kind that hurts the most, forgot how it feels well almost no one to blame always the same, open my eyes wake up in flames

07-02-2003, 02:08 PM	#4 (permalink)
The_Dude The GrandDaddy of them all! Location: Austin, TX	i hate this re-districting crap, no matter which party is doing it. i think an independent commission should be created to do the re-districting. non-partisan one. __________________ "Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity." - Darrel K Royal

07-03-2003, 07:00 AM	#6 (permalink)
Sparhawk Dubya Location: VA	Wasn't there a state that was looking into doing redistricting entirely by a computer model to make districts fair, according to population size, area and so forth? Let's have a computer* do it for us, since we can't really trust democrats and republicans to do it... *that sounds kind of matrix/terminator-style spooky, heh... __________________ "In Iraq, no doubt about it, it's tough. It's hard work. It's incredibly hard. It's - and it's hard work. I understand how hard it is. I get the casualty reports every day. I see on the TV screens how hard it is. But it's necessary work. We're making progress. It is hard work."