Comments on: Redistricting Battles Heat Up http://www.chrisweigant.com/2025/08/21/redistricting-battles-heat-up/ Reality-based political commentary Sat, 11 Apr 2026 10:00:41 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: ChrisWeigant.com » Friday Talking Points -- The Existential Meets The Absurd http://www.chrisweigant.com/2025/08/21/redistricting-battles-heat-up/#comment-220946 ChrisWeigant.com » Friday Talking Points -- The Existential Meets The Absurd Sat, 23 Aug 2025 00:51:02 +0000 http://www.chrisweigant.com/?p=26717#comment-220946 [...] Redistricting Battles Heat Up [...] [...] Redistricting Battles Heat Up [...]

]]> By: John M from Ct. http://www.chrisweigant.com/2025/08/21/redistricting-battles-heat-up/#comment-220945 John M from Ct. Fri, 22 Aug 2025 23:55:23 +0000 http://www.chrisweigant.com/?p=26717#comment-220945 nyp on [4], I agree on national political principles. But as I read in several accounts, Texas Reps. are part-time workers, getting not very much money for a few weeks of public service a year. Thus, they have full-time jobs outside of government. And these Democrats found they could only stay out-of-state for just so long, no matter what the political advantages were. Not being independently wealthy, they had to get back to work, to support their families, and that meant returning to Texas and playing by the book: return to the Assembly, constitute a quorum, and get voted down. As I understand it, they didn't have much of a choice in the real world. nyp on [4],

I agree on national political principles.

But as I read in several accounts, Texas Reps. are part-time workers, getting not very much money for a few weeks of public service a year. Thus, they have full-time jobs outside of government.

And these Democrats found they could only stay out-of-state for just so long, no matter what the political advantages were. Not being independently wealthy, they had to get back to work, to support their families, and that meant returning to Texas and playing by the book: return to the Assembly, constitute a quorum, and get voted down.

As I understand it, they didn't have much of a choice in the real world.

]]> By: nypoet22 http://www.chrisweigant.com/2025/08/21/redistricting-battles-heat-up/#comment-220944 nypoet22 Fri, 22 Aug 2025 22:55:02 +0000 http://www.chrisweigant.com/?p=26717#comment-220944 I know it's late in the writing process, but I think the Texas Democrats deserve a dishonorable mention for folding and going home so early. i wasn't expecting the Alamo exactly, but a really long protracted hold out was not beyond my hopes, and this week's meek return was nothing short of anticlimax. I know it's late in the writing process, but I think the Texas Democrats deserve a dishonorable mention for folding and going home so early. i wasn't expecting the Alamo exactly, but a really long protracted hold out was not beyond my hopes, and this week's meek return was nothing short of anticlimax.

]]> By: Kick http://www.chrisweigant.com/2025/08/21/redistricting-battles-heat-up/#comment-220942 Kick Fri, 22 Aug 2025 21:25:10 +0000 http://www.chrisweigant.com/?p=26717#comment-220942 PEDO FILES - Episode 1 Felon tried and convicted of: * sex trafficking of a minor * sex trafficking conspiracy * transporting a minor to participate in illegal sex acts * conspiracy to entice minors to travel to engage in illegal sex acts, and * conspiracy to transport minors to participate in illegal sex acts laughably and hysterically claims that she "did not witness" anything between a minor and the only person on Earth who can grant her a pardon for her own prolific multiple crimes committed against multiple minor children. She additionally hysterically claims via perjuring herself (not for the first time) that she always wanted to talk to the government and yet was never given the chance... as if she was refused repeatedly to speak on her own behalf at her own sex trafficking trial. Give me a damn break! *laughs* PEDO FILES - Episode 1

Felon tried and convicted of:

* sex trafficking of a minor
* sex trafficking conspiracy
* transporting a minor to participate in illegal sex acts
* conspiracy to entice minors to travel to engage in illegal sex acts, and
* conspiracy to transport minors to participate in illegal sex acts

laughably and hysterically claims that she "did not witness" anything between a minor and the only person on Earth who can grant her a pardon for her own prolific multiple crimes committed against multiple minor children.

She additionally hysterically claims via perjuring herself (not for the first time) that she always wanted to talk to the government and yet was never given the chance... as if she was refused repeatedly to speak on her own behalf at her own sex trafficking trial. Give me a damn break! *laughs*

]]> By: nypoet22 http://www.chrisweigant.com/2025/08/21/redistricting-battles-heat-up/#comment-220940 nypoet22 Fri, 22 Aug 2025 04:35:55 +0000 http://www.chrisweigant.com/?p=26717#comment-220940 Donald continues to bring out the worst in the American system of government, and this redistricting shenanigan is no different. we've always had these things baked in to some extent, but under this administration we've continued to reach new lows. Donald continues to bring out the worst in the American system of government, and this redistricting shenanigan is no different. we've always had these things baked in to some extent, but under this administration we've continued to reach new lows.

]]> By: John M from Ct. http://www.chrisweigant.com/2025/08/21/redistricting-battles-heat-up/#comment-220938 John M from Ct. Fri, 22 Aug 2025 02:11:32 +0000 http://www.chrisweigant.com/?p=26717#comment-220938 Good points on how this kind of thing becomes self-reinforcing: each party tries to gerrymander itself a permanent majority, eliminating the idea of the people's choice. As you say, the counter-movement to institute independent commissions for districting had some momentum in the past decade or two - but not nearly enough, as we now see. So now, I wonder. What kind of popular opinion can find the strength to reverse this trend? How many Americans are interested in a 'reform' movement, to bring in independent districting, that might in the immediate future prevent them from electing a representative of their own party in their own district? The majority rules, we are all taught in civics class, and the minority has to adjust - usually, moving more to the center - to get the votes to become the new majority. In the meantime, the minority loses elections in good faith, recognizing they lost because fewer voters liked them. Gerrymandering eliminates that. Is that what Americans want: the knowledge that your own vote means nothing, because your district's political tendency is locked in stone? In a fully gerrymandered nation, Dem districts will always vote Dem, Rep districts will always vote Rep, no matter what the state of the nation is, no matter what the record of the president or the Congress is. Democracy goes out the window, in short. As I ask, what is the dynamic that will overturn this: demand a system by which your own vote may lose, but the majority of the polity's vote will win? Good points on how this kind of thing becomes self-reinforcing: each party tries to gerrymander itself a permanent majority, eliminating the idea of the people's choice. As you say, the counter-movement to institute independent commissions for districting had some momentum in the past decade or two - but not nearly enough, as we now see.

So now, I wonder. What kind of popular opinion can find the strength to reverse this trend? How many Americans are interested in a 'reform' movement, to bring in independent districting, that might in the immediate future prevent them from electing a representative of their own party in their own district? The majority rules, we are all taught in civics class, and the minority has to adjust - usually, moving more to the center - to get the votes to become the new majority. In the meantime, the minority loses elections in good faith, recognizing they lost because fewer voters liked them.

Gerrymandering eliminates that. Is that what Americans want: the knowledge that your own vote means nothing, because your district's political tendency is locked in stone? In a fully gerrymandered nation, Dem districts will always vote Dem, Rep districts will always vote Rep, no matter what the state of the nation is, no matter what the record of the president or the Congress is. Democracy goes out the window, in short.

As I ask, what is the dynamic that will overturn this: demand a system by which your own vote may lose, but the majority of the polity's vote will win?

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