A Patriotic Idea

MDcongdistfix
Originally uploaded by Randuwa

Once upon a time, the U.S. court system deemed the art of "gerrymandering" unconstitutional. Ah, the good ol' days!

Gerrymandering is the carefully, calculated drawing of congressional district boundaries in order to manipulate the impartiality of democracy. What could be more heinous in regards to our system of governance?

The manipulation of Congressional Districts occurs for many reason, and granted, not all of them are necessary bad. Some state legislatures feel that it's a good thing to group like-minded, like-socio-economically situated, like ethnically identified, like-demographically concerned people together in order to allow representation that otherwise their diffuse participation in arbitrarily designed congressional districts would doubtless not allow for. At the same time, states can be honestly accused of drawing districts in order to establish and maintain party hegemony (who can forget the shenanigans perpetrated upon the citizens of Texas back in 2005?).

And that's precisely why Democracy demands and requires a politically blind justice to create geographically compact and ideologically ignorant congressional districts. In politics there should be no short cut to campaigning for one's ideas and right to represent. No minority within any district should be made to feel like they are up-against a deck stacked by the present incumbent regime with resources obtained by their majority status. We do not crown kings and queens in America. Neither should they feel favored or entitled by a manipulation of the system. A system like ours owes it’s very life and legitimacy to the principle of FAIRNESS. A principle that has never been more eloquently expressed than in the maxim: “one man/(woman), one vote”

By way of background, this post is predicated upon the results of my most recent self-motivated study of all of the 110th congress’ congressional districts. As a teacher, I almost feel like issuing a report card reflecting my findings! And perhaps even NEGATIVE awards for ballsy gerrymandering above and beyond all credulity. The winners would not reflect red states over blue states. My own beloved Maryland would be a mega-looser in this constitutional contest. Ergo my related study of population records from the U.S. Census Bureau and subsequent proposed redrawing of Maryland's Congressional Districts to better reflect my heartfelt ideals.

Districts with unbelievably convoluted geographic boarders include the following:

CA 23, AZ 02, IL 15, 17 & 04, GA 01, 08 & 11, FL 16, 19, 20, 22, 21 & 23, NC 01, 02, 03, 06 & 12, TN 07. and MD 02, 03, 04, 06 & 07.

And this only names the MOST egregious districts. Yet, then there are some states that have been not all that bad about the process. I would commend Mississippi, Michigan, Washington, and Oregon.

But on the 8th Fourth of July in the 21st century, why is any state guilty of preferring partisan priorities over patriotic paradigms? One truly non-partisan and totally patriotic expression of our love for the United States on this or any 4th of July would be an expression of outrage over gerrymandering and a demand that both courts and state legislatures not tolerate this manipulation of the very essence of democracy.

Shame on any politician who feels otherwise!