Hogan appoints commission to study redistricting process (Clinton, California: move, bills)

[Quick Enough]

Originally Posted by CBMD

Todd Eberly: Questioning Maryland Democrats and Their New Found Religion on Redistricting Reform

In response to Governor Hogan's call for redistricting reform, Democratic members of Maryland's congressional delegation have argued instead for national reform. Representatives Hoyer and Van Hollen have each argued that Democrats in Maryland should not surrender the redistricting power so long as Republicans hold onto the power in other states. (FreeStater)
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Does this surprise ANYONE?

They "gerrymandered" the districts for years and NOW all of a sudden they are against it.

[bufflove]

Originally Posted by Quick Enough

Spoken like a true liberal.

DON'T discuss facts, just throw juvenile insults.

Pot, meet kettle.

[armory]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maryla...ce_2013%29.tif

Originally Posted by CBMD

Winds of change................
In a poll, 72% of Marylanders favor an independent commission.

Rep. Van Hollen calls for national redistricting reform - WTOP


Donna Edwards breaks with party over redistricting again Washington Post
Rep. Donna Edwards (D-Md.) is breaking with other Democrats again over redistricting, saying she's open to an independent commission proposed ...

This is Edwards' 4th district, which barely eclipses the part of Ft Washington where I live so I get lumped in with her POS district. There is no sense in what was drawn here.

From one of the above posts come these jewels.

“It’s not going to change the balance in the state,” Edwards said of redistricting reform in an interview Thursday, given Maryland’s overwhelmingly Democratic population, “but it will be fairer to people.”
At the same time, she said, any new process should take into account contiguity and minority representation.


Edwards noted that her opposition to the Maryland political map drawn by Democrats in 2011 is “no secret.” She said at the time that the map disadvantaged minority voters by dividing Montgomery County into three districts represented by white men. Democratic critics, who attacked her for discussing maps with Republicans, said her real concern was keeping her own district safe.

1. She claims it won't change the balance in the state but will be fairer to the people and any new process should take into account contiguity and minority representation. Meaning...she wants the entire south central portion of PGC...what minorities is she speaking of? The county is already black majority, is she speaking of illegal Hispanics - something of which we already have too many of? As far as balance in the state...what balance? MD is a liberal haven which hates private business while embracing the US federal government and all of the freebies that come with that action.
Proof of all of this is the last sentence...her real concern is keeping her own - largely female - district safe. She is a progressive liberal and doesn't hide the fact.

The map of her district is probably one of the most bizarre in the state. It wraps around the SE border of DC and onto Annapolis. She ain't long for this district as the hood rats got drawn out.

[armory]

Originally Posted by CBMD

As a PGC Democrat, I'm delighted Hogan did this. Living in jurisdictions dominated by one party or the other, is not much different than Russia, China, North Korea etc. If there's no effective opposition, there's no real competition. Power tends to corrupt. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.

I agree it has little chance of success, because of D opposition........today.
And the D opposition is legitimate, if Texas Republicans etc. are going to sit on their hands, why commit political suicide?

That said, California has bitten the bullet, and moved to a redistricting commission to generally positive reviews, so maybe Md. in a few years.

Also, the national popular vote movement is currently 65% of its way toward rendering the Electoral College Obsolete. When that occurs pressure for redistricting commissions will increase.

^^^Which will mean a 28th amendment, featuring the majority of both houses as well as tthe POTUS signing off on it as well as 3/4 of all states to ratify it. The national popular vote doesn't count. Good luck with that one.
Revolution and usurpation might work but is a long uphill battle as well. If government is usurped voting districts are moot.

[MidValleyDad]

Originally Posted by CBMD

As a PGC Democrat, I'm delighted Hogan did this. Living in jurisdictions dominated by one party or the other, is not much different than Russia, China, North Korea etc. If there's no effective opposition, there's no real competition. Power tends to corrupt. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.

I agree it has little chance of success, because of D opposition........today.
And the D opposition is legitimate, if Texas Republicans etc. are going to sit on their hands, why commit political suicide?

That said, California has bitten the bullet, and moved to a redistricting commission to generally positive reviews, so maybe Md. in a few years.

Also, the national popular vote movement is currently 65% of its way toward rendering the Electoral College Obsolete. When that occurs pressure for redistricting commissions will increase.

How does the Electoral College issue affect this? The only connection is that a state gets the same number of EC members as there are congressional seats (HR & Senate) The EC is not elected by district so only total state numbers matter.

[CoolZombie]

Originally Posted by Trace21230

Sounds like someone is afraid that there won't be 7 out of 8 liberal loons representing Maryland after gerrymandering goes away.

If the insane ideology of the left is so attractive, the left should have nothing to worry about. But even insane leftists know they are insane.

Yea I'm sure the legislature will say "oh yes sir Mr. Hogan, let's get those Tea Partiers in!"

Originally Posted by Quick Enough

"Funny how happy and quiet the"left was ALL those years when the dems controlled Congress for 40 YEARS and MOST states were dem controlled and THEY gerrymandered the hell out of most states.

Now the pendulum has swung the other way and the newly repub controlled states are CHANGING the ridiculous districts the dems created.

When THEY had control all was honky dory NOW they whine like little kids.

"Elections have consequences"

" If you can't take it, DON'T dish it out"

You seem to have forgotten that since the people of MD settled the issue in 2012 when they voted yes on a ballot referendum keeping the districts the Dem legislature drew. It's Fat Boy and the Tea fascists who are unsurprisingly trying to subvert democracy again.

[Amphicoelias]

Hey I'm not a Republican but the gerrymandering going on in some areas of this state is ridiculous. I'm glad it's at least being discussed.

[CBMD]

Originally Posted by armory

^^^Which will mean a 28th amendment, featuring the majority of both houses as well as tthe POTUS signing off on it as well as 3/4 of all states to ratify it. The national popular vote doesn't count. Good luck with that one.
Revolution and usurpation might work but is a long uphill battle as well. If government is usurped voting districts are moot.

No Constitutional Amendment needed. The National Popular Vote Interstate Compact leaves the Electoral College in place, but circumvents it. See reply to MVD below.

[CBMD]

Originally Posted by MidValleyDad

How does the Electoral College issue affect this? The only connection is that a state gets the same number of EC members as there are congressional seats (HR & Senate) The EC is not elected by district so only total state numbers matter.

When the EC becomes de facto obsolete due to popular vote reform, hopefully within 10 years, attention will then turn to the next electoral issue, which is likely to be redistricting reform. Pressure will increase to adopt what is currently regarded as the successful Californian transition to an independent redistricting commission. Sure, there'll be lots of opposition particularly from red states but that will likely wilt over time under the pressure of demographic change and common sense. The Hispanic population is predicted to double from the current 51 million to 106 million by 2050.
Two separate pages at those links.

National Popular Vote -- Electoral college reform by direct election of the President

National Popular Vote -- Electoral college reform by direct election of the President

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nation...rstate_Compact

[CBMD]

Originally Posted by armory

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maryla...ce_2013%29.tif


This is Edwards' 4th district, which barely eclipses the part of Ft Washington where I live so I get lumped in with her POS district. There is no sense in what was drawn here.

From one of the above posts come these jewels.

“It’s not going to change the balance in the state,” Edwards said of redistricting reform in an interview Thursday, given Maryland’s overwhelmingly Democratic population, “but it will be fairer to people.”
At the same time, she said, any new process should take into account contiguity and minority representation.


Edwards noted that her opposition to the Maryland political map drawn by Democrats in 2011 is “no secret.” She said at the time that the map disadvantaged minority voters by dividing Montgomery County into three districts represented by white men. Democratic critics, who attacked her for discussing maps with Republicans, said her real concern was keeping her own district safe.

1. She claims it won't change the balance in the state but will be fairer to the people and any new process should take into account contiguity and minority representation. Meaning...she wants the entire south central portion of PGC...what minorities is she speaking of? The county is already black majority, is she speaking of illegal Hispanics - something of which we already have too many of? As far as balance in the state...what balance? MD is a liberal haven which hates private business while embracing the US federal government and all of the freebies that come with that action.
Proof of all of this is the last sentence...her real concern is keeping her own - largely female - district safe. She is a progressive liberal and doesn't hide the fact.

The map of her district is probably one of the most bizarre in the state. It wraps around the SE border of DC and onto Annapolis. She ain't long for this district as the hood rats got drawn out.

How largely?