Gerrymandering.

[Bonobo]

I think that while we control the houses, we need to undo the gerrymandering that the Repukes have been doing all these years and decades.

It is a MAJOR cause for our problems and NOW is the opportunity to do some push back.

We need a Gerrymandering Tsar.

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

[deaniac21]

1. We need a Czar Tsar.

[Bonobo]

2. But who would be in charge of HIM or HER?

Ummmm....

[deaniac21]

7. Ivan the Terrible.

[eppur_se_muova]

22. "And who will Czar these Czarians?"

(OK, it's lame, I know ...)

[TwilightZone]

3. Redistricting in TX is a state responsibility.

At present, both houses of the Texas legislature are controlled by Republicans. We got closer in the House in '06 and '08, but the Rs are still the controlling party.

[FBaggins]

4. Redistricting is controlled at the state level

So controlling "the houses" doesn't do much for us.

[Bonobo]

5. Ooops, now I am embarrassed. But still happy I brought it up.

So you could teach me that!

[dysfunctional press]

6. both parties do it.

at the state level.

and not just texas.

[BadgerKid]

8. Check out Illinois 17th

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illinois%27s_17th_congressional_district

[Yupster]

9. It seems like in today's world

a computer program should be able to redistrict the most efficiently without either party interfeering.

[cark]

15. Used to protect political parties and incumbents.

Districts should be drawn as simply as possible. Squares, rectangles, county lines or natural borders.

[Greyhound]

19. Exactly, it would be fairly simple to do and would be utterly neutral.

They're certainly never gonna let that happen.

[anonymous171]

20. Party interference guarantees that would never happen. nt

It's not that bad anyways. It helps democrats in some areas too. The only reason Texas is so bad is because they got fucked over by Delay (that whole incident with the state senators fleeing across borders was about this very issue.)

[dysfunctional press]

21. someone has to write the program(s) and determine what data gets input.

nothing is neutral.

[Yupster]

10. It seems like in today's world

a computer program should be able to redistrict the most efficiently without either party interfeering.

[Yupster]

11. It seems like in today's world

a computer program should be able to redistrict the most efficiently without either party interfeering.

[imdjh]

12. Some gerrymanders are court ordered.

[Stinky The Clown]

13. Unless "we" live in Tejas, we can effect no change.

That's what happens at the state level. Take it up with the Tejas legislature's Tom Delay Fan Club.

I agree with your sentiment, though.

[anonymous171]

14. Gerrymandering is good if your party has the balls to do it.

I support any and all attempts at minimizing GOP influence through this method.

[spanone]

16. more gerrymandering in tennessee

marsha blackburn district

The 7th is a very safe seat for the Republican Party. In fact, it is the state's most Republican area outside the party's traditional heartland in East Tennessee. Democrats have made only two serious bids for the district since it took on its current form in 1983, and came within single digits only once. Most of the district's residents have not been represented by a Democrat since 1973.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tennessee's_7th_congressional_district

[struggle4progress]

17. Get control of the Texas legislature next November if you can:

pick off a total of three Republican House seats and four Republican Senate seats -- and the Dems will control redistricting

[Ardent15]

18. Agreed

The Republicans have too long managed to get two or three "Republican-leaning" districts at the cost of only one blue district. It's time to break that cycle.

[JCMach1]

23. The software they use today is deadly effective

you tell the software: create a 90% democratic ghetto in S Central Texas... Meanwhile create two majority Republican districts with at least 55% Republicans around Austin and the software does its job.

Literally if I told it I want a Mickey Mouse shaped Democratic majority district near Orlando, the software would do it...

The process needs to be rationalized to as closely geographically contiguous as possible. But, keep in mind that has consequences for minorities. Districts that might have been 85% African American might still be majority African American, but with significant presence of other groups. In an odd year, you might even get a Republican elected from such a district.