This Is Sickening
And I mean that literally.
So far, the Republican Party's response to losing the popular vote in five of the last six Presidential elections is twofold: (1) change the electorate; and (2) change the rules.
Leaving aside the first (limiting voting for undesirables), don't doubt the power of adjusting the rules. The Democratic Party won over 1,362,000 more votes for House of Representative candidates than the Republican Party, but the Republicans mastery of gerrymandering parlayed that 49%-48% deficit into a 234-201 majority. Now they are moving to allocate electoral votes by (gerrymandered) congressional district. They have introduced bills to do this in Virginia, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. As noted by this article, had this been in place Romney would have been sworn in as President last week, DESPITE LOSING THE ELECTION BY FOUR PERCENT (51-47%) AND ABOUT SIX MILLION VOTES.
This is banana republic stuff. We should all stand against this, regardless of party, lest the whole concept of representative democracy become a joke tossed into a historical dustbin. It shouldn't be a difficult call; my Republican friends (and I have many), consider if the tables were turned and the Democratic Party was conducting this type of garbage. I am heartened that two Republicans in Virginia have come out against this plan, dooming it here. But I am dismayed that only two have done so, and that it proceeds elsewhere.
And yes, the Democrats gerrymander, too. They worked over California to a fare-thee-well. But the Republicans are constantly breaking new ground. Traditionally gerrymandering had been confined to a once-every-ten-years practice, right after the census. But in 2003 the Republicans decided to do so in midstream. Many thoughtful conservatives, such as George Will, were appalled. Thoughtfulness, however, does not rule the day in many wings of the modern Republican Party. "Because we can" is the ethos. The fact that Republicans are pushing for this only in "blue" states reveals that there is no principle involved here other than a naked grab for power that they have been unable to achieve in a contest of ideas. As banzai45 pointed out in a conversation, it amounts to "what I win is mine, what is yours is what I tell you it is."
Our Constitution establishes a representative democracy. Once the government ceases to be representative, we will no longer be a democracy. This dangerous move by certain elements of the modern Republican Party should make us all sick. And that is why I am shouting about this from the rooftops, and even hollering in LJ. Because the only way to stop this kind of crap is by shining a bright light on it.
So far, the Republican Party's response to losing the popular vote in five of the last six Presidential elections is twofold: (1) change the electorate; and (2) change the rules.
Leaving aside the first (limiting voting for undesirables), don't doubt the power of adjusting the rules. The Democratic Party won over 1,362,000 more votes for House of Representative candidates than the Republican Party, but the Republicans mastery of gerrymandering parlayed that 49%-48% deficit into a 234-201 majority. Now they are moving to allocate electoral votes by (gerrymandered) congressional district. They have introduced bills to do this in Virginia, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. As noted by this article, had this been in place Romney would have been sworn in as President last week, DESPITE LOSING THE ELECTION BY FOUR PERCENT (51-47%) AND ABOUT SIX MILLION VOTES.
This is banana republic stuff. We should all stand against this, regardless of party, lest the whole concept of representative democracy become a joke tossed into a historical dustbin. It shouldn't be a difficult call; my Republican friends (and I have many), consider if the tables were turned and the Democratic Party was conducting this type of garbage. I am heartened that two Republicans in Virginia have come out against this plan, dooming it here. But I am dismayed that only two have done so, and that it proceeds elsewhere.
And yes, the Democrats gerrymander, too. They worked over California to a fare-thee-well. But the Republicans are constantly breaking new ground. Traditionally gerrymandering had been confined to a once-every-ten-years practice, right after the census. But in 2003 the Republicans decided to do so in midstream. Many thoughtful conservatives, such as George Will, were appalled. Thoughtfulness, however, does not rule the day in many wings of the modern Republican Party. "Because we can" is the ethos. The fact that Republicans are pushing for this only in "blue" states reveals that there is no principle involved here other than a naked grab for power that they have been unable to achieve in a contest of ideas. As banzai45 pointed out in a conversation, it amounts to "what I win is mine, what is yours is what I tell you it is."
Our Constitution establishes a representative democracy. Once the government ceases to be representative, we will no longer be a democracy. This dangerous move by certain elements of the modern Republican Party should make us all sick. And that is why I am shouting about this from the rooftops, and even hollering in LJ. Because the only way to stop this kind of crap is by shining a bright light on it.