Republicans caught cheating again are forced to correct gerrymandered voting districts

They blatantly cheated, got caught, a state court ordered them to change it; they procrastinated, so the court drew up a new fair map.

Pennsylvania Supreme Court Issues New Congressional Map To Replace Gerrymandered One

Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court on Monday issued a new congressional map to replace the state’s current one, which the court said is so partisan it violates the state’s Constitution.

The Supreme Court drew the map after Republican lawmakers and Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf (D) failed to come up with an agreement by the Feb. 15 deadline.

In an opinion earlier in February, the state Supreme Court wrote that Pennsylvania’s congressional districts need, at minimum, to be compact and contiguous, to contain roughly the same number of people, and to not split counties and other communities unnecessarily. A map was unconstitutional, the court said, when it prioritized partisan advantage over those criteria. In a Monday order, the court wrote that its new map splits just 13 counties. (The earlier plan, devised in 2011, split 28.) Nine of these counties are split among two congressional districts, while the other four counties are split among three. The court wrote that its plan “draws heavily” from proposals submitted by Republican lawmakers, Democrats, the plaintiffs and others, but said this map’s compactness is “superior or comparable.”



Republicans controlled the redistricting process in the state in 2011 and drew a map that gave their party a considerable advantage. In 2012, 2014 and 2016, they won 13 of the state’s 18 congressional seats, even though the party only won about 50 percent of the popular vote. GOP voter registration also lags behind Democrats significantly in the state. In a 5-2 decision last month, the state Supreme Court said the map “clearly, plainly and palpably” violated the state’s Constitution.
Democrats have been closely watching the redistricting battle, because it could offer a chance for the party to pick up a handful of seats in Congress. The Brennan Center for Justice estimated that the old map had accounted for an additional three to four GOP seats in Congress.
Preliminary analyses of the new map showed congressional races in the state being much more competitive for Democrats.

Their philosophy is so bankrupt the GOP has to cheat, lie and steal to stay in power.

Their philosophy is so bankrupt all politicians has to cheat, lie and steal to stay in power.

FTFY

You just blew my mind, I thought they were the honest politicians.

Is your side the good ones?

Give it up man. Hillary lost, I don't understand why you guys can't cope with that fact. What she and other Democrats did make this ok, that's why I'm bringing it up. Also, Obama.

Checkmate Democrats. /sarcasm

Also, I hope you do know that the Democratic party actually is corrupt and that this doesn't take away that fact.

a reply to: Willtell

Their philosophy is so bankrupt the GOP has to cheat, lie and steal to stay in power.

Jesus Christ.
Did you simply forget about all the revelations that have come to light about your loser Dems cheating, lying and stealing to try to stay in power in the last 18 months?
And you guys still lost.

What the eff ever.

Under the map submitted by Democrats today, that balance would shift slightly: It creates 11 Trump districts and seven Clinton districts. That's closer to the overall partisan balance of the state — in elections since 2012, Democratic House candidates have won a little less than 50 percent of the statewide popular vote, on average.

Washpo

Of course everyone ignore this, bad bad Republicans!

a reply to: neo96

Like I thought, a deflection to Obama and Democrats from something that happened 9 years ago. If the title of this thread had "Democrats" in it you never would have dug something up from 9 years ago to somehow justify it, you'd be calling for those Democrats' heads.



ETA: 15,000th post. What am I doing with my life?

a reply to: 3NL1GHT3N3D1

What deflection?

Even bother reading this?

Under the map submitted by Democrats today, that balance would shift slightly: It creates 11 Trump districts and seven Clinton districts. That's closer to the overall partisan balance of the state — in elections since 2012, Democratic House candidates have won a little less than 50 percent of the statewide popular vote, on average.

a reply to: neo96

Ah, so the Supreme Court is lying then? I'm sure they are neo.

It's almost as if you refuse to admit your party is just as corrupt as the other one. I have yet to see you ever admit the Republican party is shady as hell, not once. Anytime something like this happens you come in saying "what the eff ever" or "but Obama and Hillary" then post years old news to deflect to the other party as if it takes away from what happened.

a reply to: Willtell

Good!

People who cheat and manipulate are beneath contempt.

They are vile and reprehensible.

What else is new? And how is that different than drawing boundary lines for districts in a completely convoluted manner to ensure minorities are elected? For example, take a look around Atlanta where many legislative districts look like snakes crawling around the landscape so they hit "selected" neighborhoods "properly." Of course, pointing that out is "racist," right? In my home town of Tacoma there was a very unpopular fellow in the legislature named Slim Rasmussen. He was a Democrat, so the legislature picked a nearby Republican district and drew a line up the adjacent Democratic district and around the block containing his house. It became known as the "Rasmussen stove pipe." But both these examples were done by Democrats. Rasmussen actually survived this blatant attempt and was later elected mayor of Tacoma.

a reply to: 3NL1GHT3N3D1

I don't give a rats rear what the supreme court said.

The previous administration redrew them when he moved the census.

*shrug* We'll see how it pans out. From what I have seen in the past, gerrymandering consolidates the voting power of Democrats in urban areas. Will these redraws dilute that power? Time will tell.

a reply to: neo96

Ah, so you ignore the Supreme Court when they go against your party. All you seem to care about is the corruption of the Democratic party but don't give a rats ass about corruption in the Republican party. Sounds about right.

a reply to: 3NL1GHT3N3D1

I ignore the supreme court because they are the most inconsistent group of people in this country next to Republican haters.

a reply to: neo96

Sounds about right, I wouldn't expect any other response.

Do you even believe what you say? I'm beginning to doubt it.

a reply to: 3NL1GHT3N3D1

Sounds like someone didn't even bother READING.

The difference between the D and R's plans?

1 GD district.

a reply to: neo96

So? If Democrats had supposedly stolen a district from the Republicans you wouldn't question the story at all and would be outraged that they had the nerve to do something so slimy.

Am I wrong? That's rhetorical.

a reply to: 3NL1GHT3N3D1

In 2012, 2014 and 2016, they won 13 of the state’s 18 congressional seats, even though the party only won about 50 percent of the popular vote.

So what?

13 out of 18.

Sounds equitable to me.

a reply to: Willtell

Truth is both are gobbling up "ZONES" and have been. Just don't let this give you the idea that Dems are towing the line. LOL