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Hamlette

(15,556 posts)

25. Gain control of state legislatures in 2020

Reply to struggle4progress (Original post)

Mon Mar 25, 2013, 03:08 AM

Mar 2013

State legislatures re-do the electoral map after each census, which is every 10 years.

The reason the GOP was so active, and thus successful, in 2010 was so they could gerrymander each state where they gained control.

Unless the lines are more fair, we will never win back the house of representatives. Which means those tea party idiots will control us all.

Then when we do gain control of both Congress we pass some nationwide voting rules which include drawing the lines more fairly nation wide. In my state, Utah, Salt Lake City is upwards of half the population and much more liberal than the rest of the state but the way it has been gerrymandered, Salt Lake is never represented. One third of our state voted for Obama in 2008 yet we have no representation in Congress (Jim Mattheson is the bluest of blue dogs. He doesn't represent us.)

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What should we do to push the country to the left? [View all] struggle4progress Mar 2013 OP

Step one: We need to regain control of the public education system. Without it, there is no ladjf Mar 2013 #1

Theses on Feuerbach III struggle4progress Mar 2013 #7

I don't recommend education to "reform" society, just to enlighten it. Ignorance about the World ladjf Mar 2013 #9

South Africa won majority rule several years back, in a political settlement that resulted struggle4progress Mar 2013 #13

And did they manage without controlling any media, as well? I'll bet it was all face to face, no? freshwest Mar 2013 #16

The minority government had a number of legal tools for ensuring that strong opposition views struggle4progress Mar 2013 #18

Did the people have the Anglicans (Desmond Tutu) organizing for them? freshwest Mar 2013 #19

To me, the lesson of the South African struggle is the dispensability of leaders: struggle4progress Mar 2013 #23

Thanks, I was just looking for similarity to the Rev's MLK, JJ, etc. in the USA. freshwest Mar 2013 #28

The ANC, oldest and largest of the anti-apartheid organizations, was founded in the era struggle4progress Mar 2013 #35

South Africa is a good example, but Venezuela is much better. bvar22 Mar 2013 #41

Regain? When did we have control of it? Common Sense Party Mar 2013 #52

Are you trying to make a point? If so, say what it is. nt ladjf Mar 2013 #57

No. I asked a question. Feel free to answer it. Common Sense Party Mar 2013 #62

Welcome the refugees with open arms... Kalidurga Mar 2013 #2

Elizabeth Warren 2016 MannyGoldstein Mar 2013 #3

Vote left principles rather than party or politician. Tierra_y_Libertad Mar 2013 #4

The closest thing I could find to that was "smoke shizzloads of pot and listen to music" JVS Mar 2013 #6

There may sometimes be important tactical or strategic reasons to vote on grounds other than struggle4progress Mar 2013 #36

Sometimes, voting strategically works. Most times, it doesn't. Tierra_y_Libertad Mar 2013 #38

I have no idea how to craft hard-and-fast rules in this regard. Nor am I adequately informed, struggle4progress Mar 2013 #39

Fine. But, what are the possible outcomes of ones acts? Tierra_y_Libertad Mar 2013 #42

+10000 And rally for important causes across party lines. woo me with science Mar 2013 #44

I don't think there is anything that CAN be done. MrSlayer Mar 2013 #5

The analysis, that our situation is hopeless, seems to me an analysis one ought never adopt, struggle4progress Mar 2013 #8

Well it's a steep hill to climb. A vertical hill. MrSlayer Mar 2013 #11

Every time and place presents its own onerous tasks struggle4progress Mar 2013 #12

Inspiring LeftInTX Mar 2013 #14

Sadly, not all of those examples were immediate wins: in some cases, there were terrible setbacks struggle4progress Mar 2013 #21

That's great but the rules are different now. MrSlayer Mar 2013 #49

"The Democratic leaders do not want liberals" bvar22 Mar 2013 #45

Preaching to the choir. MrSlayer Mar 2013 #50

+1 woo me with science Mar 2013 #63

+1. Everything changes eventually. You have to do what you have to do, & when things look HiPointDem Mar 2013 #15

Once enough people begin to examine their own misconceptions about how things work, struggle4progress Mar 2013 #20

yes. and when your own life takes an unexpected turn, or the life of someone you know does, HiPointDem Mar 2013 #22

I once had a friend who carefully tracked attitudes of striking workers at a particular facility struggle4progress Mar 2013 #24

why did they expect the local and state governments to help them win a strike? that doesn't HiPointDem Mar 2013 #26

They were good hardworking people who believed that their elected leaders would share struggle4progress Mar 2013 #27

ok, that makes sense. they were good & hardworking, unlike those 'others' reagan was talking HiPointDem Mar 2013 #30

Good hardworking people may still be low-information voters struggle4progress Mar 2013 #40

Vote for Democrats that are Social Democrats not Neo-Liberal Democrats PufPuf23 Mar 2013 #10

For that strategy to work, it must be implemented in local Democratic Primaries. bvar22 Mar 2013 #47

That was a bitter and unrealistic post on my part, alas. PufPuf23 Mar 2013 #53

I'm not THAT positive, or optomistic. bvar22 Mar 2013 #54

Let working class social conservatives hang themselves by supporting conservatives Populist_Prole Mar 2013 #17

Gain control of state legislatures in 2020 Hamlette Mar 2013 #25

^^^^this^^^^ Freddie Mar 2013 #32

Don't wait until 2020. We need to gain ground during the 2014 midterms then regain bluestate10 Mar 2013 #58

What should we do to push the country to the left? jambo101 Mar 2013 #29

Have vigorous debates about holding a door open for someone. Generation_Why Mar 2013 #31

Stop voting for 3rd parties like Ron Paul/Perot/Nader/George Wallace and only vote democratic graham4anything Mar 2013 #33

One needs decades of continuous "rule." A vote from graham4anything for "RULE." woo me with science Mar 2013 #46

I caught that too. bvar22 Mar 2013 #48

Blind fealty to political party woo me with science Mar 2013 #55

Other countries have tried... bvar22 Mar 2013 #56

That's why I always make a point of mocking woo me with science Mar 2013 #59

lift with our legs, not with our back. nt Warren DeMontague Mar 2013 #34

Refuse to play the partisan game. Become the 99 percent woo me with science Mar 2013 #37

Just let the Republicans keep talking. Initech Mar 2013 #43

the vegetable thing sounds viable tho MFM008 Mar 2013 #51

Put your own name on the ballot tabbycat31 Mar 2013 #60

America can start by stop sending Republicans to Congress Jamaal510 Mar 2013 #61