is credited by some as the reason why the House is out of reach for Democrats this year.
That's what I've been commenting about. What's bad in Texas is also bad in CA and OH, and probably most everywhere else in the US. I don't know. But I've seen the stats. The Dems are highly unlikely to take back the House.
These elections are rigged. Seats are not competitive to anyone outside the incumbant party.
States need to reform their election processes. Otherwise, voters will just lose interest. If we haven't already.
Posted by muckdog at December 12, 2005 11:02 AMMr. Delay is a hemorrhoid gone bad.
Posted by tempus at December 12, 2005 11:08 AMDistricting should be done by a nonpartisan organization (if such is possible these days) in the mold of the GAO or perhaps the 9/11 Commission. Districting should be influenced by geography and numerical population and NOTHING else.
Period.
Posted by God Of War at December 12, 2005 11:15 AMMr. Delay is a hemorrhoid gone bad.
That comment just rubs me the wrong way!
I'd would kindly ask that you refrain from disparaging fine upstanding hemorrhoids everywhere.
Have you no sense of decency sir?
Posted by hemorrhoid at December 12, 2005 11:23 AMStop the presses; Muckdog and I agree on something again...
Posted by Steve Soto at December 12, 2005 11:28 AMDear Hemorrhoid: No, I lost any decency about $200,000 dollars ago. And DeLay is a pretty poor example of a hemorrhoid.
Posted by tempus at December 12, 2005 11:29 AMThe memo is not before the Supreme Court on appeal. They would have to remand down to the District Court (again). for it to be made part of the record.
Posted by AndyFarquhar at December 12, 2005 12:59 PMSandra Day O'Connor is still part of the Supreme Court, at least for now.
Posted by zhak at December 12, 2005 01:23 PMSteve, you took the words right out of my mouth.
"These elections are rigged. Seats are not competitive to anyone outside the incumbant party."
Did Muckdog really say that? By God, there is hope for this Country.
Posted by Judith at December 12, 2005 03:14 PMIt would be truly surprising if the court (at this time) issued some broad-based ruling on redistricting. More likely is some process-oriented ruling the specifics of the Texas situation.
I don't know whether the fact that the plan in place previous to the Delay redo was done by judges in the absence of a legislative majority to redistrict to accomodate the two new seats that Texas deserved due to population growth.
It appears that the case will be argued on the basis of negative minority impact of the new Delay plan. Since the appeals court didn't find a problem with this issue, I wonder what kind of majority opinion will emerge in the SCOTUS. Clearly something was 'wrong' with the appeals court or district court rulings or SCOTUS wouldn't have taken the case on appeal.
This is potentially a key case, so I hope we keep our eyes on the arguments presented and react thereto, not just await a final set of opinions.
The current system is rotten to the core. Would it be possible to get a miracle ruling that recognized this political fact and set some new rules?
Posted by JimPortandOR at December 12, 2005 06:59 PMThe current system is rotten to the core. Would it be possible to get a miracle ruling that recognized this political fact and set some new rules?
Given the willingness of the current scotus to politize law, they might just declare the voting rights act unconstitutional. Impossible you think? At one time a ruling like Bush v. Gore was also impossible.
Posted by rlp at December 12, 2005 07:20 PMDear Mr. Hemorrhoid
I understand your desire for respect, and I believe that I can provide it.
[AHEM!]
Hemorrhoids are God's way of showing that even assholes have feelings that can be hurt painfully!
Thank you very much.
Posted by pessimist at December 12, 2005 09:38 PM