Gerrymandering is Wrong

If we are going to keep using this representative democracy model one of the reforms that has to take place is to quit letting the people who get elected rig the geography of the election districts to reinforce their position. The districts need to be drawn based on decisions by impartial objective criteria taking into account such things as common sense nearness of one part of the district to the other parts of the district. No more snake shaped districts.

Redistricting is a STATE right and should not be addressed by the Federal Government. Gerrymandering is not something which should be taken on by this group.

When redistricting is done in order to limit the voice of specific groups within society it is a violation of our constitutional rights. THAT is a Federal issue.

No, it is NOT a federal issue because it is not in the Constitution. What's so hard to understand about that?

If you can't understand how the federal government had to step into the states rights to protect the civil rights of the oppressed african americans, you are not able to understand this point. I welcome honest and open communication from tea patryers but please come with an open heart to have compassion for all god's children

Many things were compromised with the original document to maintain cohesion amongst vastly different cultural settlements within the new world. That is why Constitutional amendments were needed as they could be worked out, I see gerrymandering as a loophole used to circumvent the intent of the 14th Amendment. So no, as it wasn't specifically written in it doesn't exist, that doesn't mean it shouldn't be and then duly enforced.

to idenr: you ask for honest communication then automatically label me a tea partier. NO, I am not. Never was. So when and if you actually want dialogue let me know. It appears you merely want everyone to agree with you.

oldschoolwax - not everything can be "fixed" by handing more power to the Federal Government. I don't believe gerrymandering is right, either, but in an effort to fix it I am not willing to hand the power over to the Federal Government. After all, THEY are the ones who ultimately benefit from it.

Yes @AmericanLibertarian I made the mistake of labeling your views as TP - I will not make this mistake twice. The point of view that the Federal Govt has too much power is very consistent with what I hear from my one TP friend which is where I got it from. It doesn't have to be a Federal thing though that is the mechanism that was used in the Voting Rights Act. Making districts rationally reflective of what common sense would regard as a geographic area - not a twisted demographically determined deformed snake shape - is what resonates with how people probably imagine things should be set up. Think about it a second. My district currently takes part of Reading and surrounding rural areas and includes a piece of suburban Philadelphia. The mentality in Reading is not that they are really very much part of suburban Philly. It doesn't make sense. There has to be some more objective criterion to make this better.

I understand what you're saying AmerricanLibertarian, I just see this issue as giving power directly too the people so that the state cannot step on their rights. I don't think the Fed should pick and chose districts either. It would be great to see it fixed on the state level. I just feel like sometimes we as citizens need to get together and separate the children in the sandbox, that includes all of the levels of government who we grant power to. Too many people make long term careers, or family tradition out of what should be short term service as a citizen.

Well lets not forget that the court system has pretty much made the decision on HOW districts can be formed. Personally, I am of the opinion that party affiliation is completely irrelevant. If someone is supposed to represent the people of a certain area, the only thing that matters is that the people of that area make the decision.

I believe the most effective and efficient way of doing things is to make representation by COUNTY (or Parish). Period.

The way America is going, you can gerrymander all you want and the effect is going to be the same - the incumbent will be voted out.