Democrats Congressional Districts a Lawsuit Waiting to Happen
No lessons have been learned by Democrats in their past gerrymandering attempts
Democrats have learned no lessons from their previous gerrymandering exploits based on the districts that adopted by the Maryland Legislative Redistricting Advisory Commission tonight.
Somehow, these districts are worse not only than the original district plans we saw a few weeks ago, but also the current districts as well. Look at the current Congressional map.
There are now more districts hopelessly gerrymandered than there were previously. Sure, the map looks cleaner, but explain to me why two districts border both D.C. and Pennsylvania, with a third coming rather close.
The new 4th District pulls the same stunts as the current 4th Districts, just moves the district into a more Republican area so a spear from across the shore can follow US 50 across Anne Arundel County. Democrats have made the 1st District “competitive” by adding Central Anne Arundel County to it, while also swapping out northern Harford County for Southern Harford County.
Now again, compare these districts to what Governor Larry Hogan’s Maryland Redistricting Advisory Commission created.
Which map looks more compact? Which map looks like it keeps more communities of interest together? Which map better represents the people of Maryland better? I can assure you that it sure as hell isn’t the one Democrats are trying to railroad through the General Assembly.
My friend and Duckpin colleague Justin Ready said it best:
It’s not a coincidence that these maps were dropped right before Thanksgiving, a mere two weeks before the General Assembly starts its Special Session in Annapolis to railroad these Congressional Districts down our throats.
Let me again remind you that in July I told you this was how it was going to end.
…..the conclusions of this commission are already baked in the cake. With five of the seven members of the Commission being Democrats, we already know that this Legislative Commission will continue to endorse the radical partisan gerrymandering that has been the hallmark of Maryland Democrats for decades. Political, racial, gender, and socioeconomic equality will again be sacrificed at the altar of Democratic establishment power.
No unbiased observer can look at the Hogan map and look at the Democrats map and think any the Democratic map is fair, balance, compact, or justifiable. And that ultimately, if this plan is passed, is why this entire thing is going to wind up in court. Again. Benisek v. Lamone went all the way to the Supreme Court once and it likely will again based on these maps. This will create delays and confusion for candidates and voters alike, and will costs the state more and more money in legal fees as the state has to defend itself from a completely avoidable lawsuit.
And that leads back to why the Democrats continue to do this. It actually goes back to something Kelly Schulz referenced today: because they can. Democrats, hyperfocused like so many others on what is going on in Washington, are doing this to retain power and in order to do the thing that most benefits Democrats instead of the people.
The right thing to do is right there in front of them. And yet, they opt against that course of action every single time.
The best thing Marylanders can do right now, especially if they live in a Democratic district, would be contact their Senator and Delegates and demand that they reject the farcical Democratic maps and support the citizens map instead. It’s voters that need to send the message to their legislators that, in this election year, they are being watched to see what choice they make in this important matter.
Democrats Congressional Districts a Lawsuit Waiting to Happen
Yes, they have learned a lesson. They got away with gerrymandering last time because the courts ruled that the Constitution does not prohibit political gerrymandering. Sad for the people, but probably a correct interpretation. Our Constitution has never required democratic election processes. We were founded as an oligarchic republic, not a democratic republic.
If the legislature approves this map and overrides the Governor's veto of that, there will be a suit. But the Democrats know that they will likely win the suit. The places where gerrymandering not based on race has been thrown out have won based on state constitutional provisions, not federal, but the Maryland constitution has no language on which to base such a suit. We can only hope there will be enough Democrats who respond to pressure from good government groups which are not at all Republican to prevent the gerrymandered map from being implemented. That may not be likely, but I think it may be possible. If their constituents demand it, enough may oppose gerrymandering to make the difference.