General Discussion

alarimer

(17,146 posts)

118. End gerrymandering and get money out of politics

Mon Dec 8, 2014, 03:38 PM

Dec 2014

The Republicans have more seats in the South, yes, that much is true. BUT ONLY BECAUSE THEY CHEAT! They have rigged the system with illegal gerrymandering and voter suppression efforts. And, probably most importantly, we need campaign finance reforms. The Koch brothers and Art Pope have literally purchased elections. So those two items will help a lot to ensure that we don't write off an entire region.

Republicans have more seats, but in every election, the vote totals actually favor Democrats. Because of the aforementioned cheating and election fraud. Democrats are concentrated in fewer districts (true on both state and federal levels) because of gerrymandering.

The solution is to have an impartial or bipartisan panel do the redistricting; do not leave it up to state legislatures.

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Dems, It�s Time to Dump Dixie [View all] DonViejo Dec 2014 OP

great now build the dang fence to fence them off and keep them there while we move on belzabubba333 Dec 2014 #1

The millions of Dem voters who live in the South dixiegrrrrl Dec 2014 #7

did u really need me to put a sarcasm tag on the post belzabubba333 Dec 2014 #9

No she didn't.... CherokeeDem Dec 2014 #14

im sorry i wasnt clear - il fix it belzabubba333 Dec 2014 #16

Please do. cordelia Dec 2014 #29

already done belzabubba333 Dec 2014 #30

Our neighbor with uncontrollable blood pressure has a new insurance premium this year. Hortensis Dec 2014 #125

Oh, how sad! CTyankee Dec 2014 #142

Thank you dixiegrrrrl Brainstormy Dec 2014 #42

There's a majority of republicans on the north shore in Massachusetts graywarrior Dec 2014 #49

got room under that bus for me? Man from Pickens Dec 2014 #77

you're absolutely right Still In Wisconsin Dec 2014 #80

Then as people besieged.... zentrum Dec 2014 #98

I agree but would like to know if and when we can begin to hope to win in the south. With jwirr Dec 2014 #104

We don't have to dump anyone. We need to quit the "identity politics" altogether, IMO. NYC_SKP Dec 2014 #2

plus 1000 wilsonbooks Dec 2014 #8

yes indeed--focusing on shared issues rather than party affiliation gets lots of support librechik Dec 2014 #28

4 out ot of 5 whites in the deep South vote Republican no matter what. Odin2005 Dec 2014 #69

This is very true. hifiguy Dec 2014 #78

When we finally have a socialist revolution in this country... Odin2005 Dec 2014 #83

But we still base our campaigns in the south on kissing their conservative asses Scootaloo Dec 2014 #128

YES!!!!! and double YES!!! dixiegrrrrl Dec 2014 #87

Amen Man from Pickens Dec 2014 #121

So right! In Dixie, Dems have survived and fought too hard, too long to be abandoned now. ancianita Dec 2014 #141

Dumping a lot of African American democrats in the South. Lex Dec 2014 #3

Thanks for pointing that out. South bashers seem to ignore or forget the cordelia Dec 2014 #34

+1 beerandjesus Dec 2014 #90

Dems, Dixie dumped you. yallerdawg Dec 2014 #4

Don't forget Gov. Don Siegelman. Octafish Dec 2014 #5

I keep re-reading all I can find about the Governor. summerschild Dec 2014 #23

crooked conflicted Justice in Alabama librechik Dec 2014 #32

Absolutely. The guy has one thing the greedheads fear: Integrity Octafish Dec 2014 #37

No such thing as "databomb" from Octafish! summerschild Dec 2014 #101

I'm more inclined to blame Karl Rove starroute Dec 2014 #47

How soon y'all forget? yallerdawg Dec 2014 #6

They came *before* the event of electing a Black man to the White House. BlueCaliDem Dec 2014 #15

Actually, it was after 1964 that all bets were off in the South. dixiegrrrrl Dec 2014 #89

Anne Richards was a wonderful woman and excellent head of Texas. I still miss her. BlueCaliDem Dec 2014 #109

You are correct, the Dixiecrats swung to the Republican party maybe because of Thinkingabout Dec 2014 #154

I believe the only deep southern states Clinton carried was WV and GA in three person races. DemocratSinceBirth Dec 2014 #45

William Jefferson Clinton is from Arkansas. yallerdawg Dec 2014 #52

My bad...He carried Arkansas twice. /NT DemocratSinceBirth Dec 2014 #53

Yay... more divisive crap on DU n/t ProdigalJunkMail Dec 2014 #84

I think someone like Elizabeth Warren Le Taz Hot Dec 2014 #10

I agree. Warren would most likely have more appeal LuvNewcastle Dec 2014 #21

What southern states that Barack Obama didn't carry in one or both of his races DemocratSinceBirth Dec 2014 #24

I'm going to jump in here. Le Taz Hot Dec 2014 #31

Gerrymandering doesn't affect Presidential races yeoman6987 Dec 2014 #62

Ah, yes. Le Taz Hot Dec 2014 #64

Yep. Many of those self-styled conservatives are unaware of how liberal they really are. arcane1 Dec 2014 #82

You're kidding, right Le Taz?? BlueCaliDem Dec 2014 #26

And I happen to believe that there are enough Le Taz Hot Dec 2014 #36

Well, she didn't help Lungergan-Grimes much, so I'm not as convinced as you are. BlueCaliDem Dec 2014 #43

Lundergan-Grimes Le Taz Hot Dec 2014 #46

Allison couldn't help herself. In a vain attempt to out conservative The Turtle she TheKentuckian Dec 2014 #143

I didn't think she ran a particularly good campaign, either. She *did* come off a bit phony, but I BlueCaliDem Dec 2014 #150

When she refused to disclose if she voted for Obama, Lugano Dec 2014 #155

I understand and did but I was begging solid voters by the end. It wasn't not good, it was gawdawful TheKentuckian Dec 2014 #160

4 out ot of 5 whites in the deep South vote Republican no matter what. Odin2005 Dec 2014 #74

I am trying to be optimistic about the generations coming up. dixiegrrrrl Dec 2014 #96

If Reddit is any indication we Millennials are not less racist than older generations. Odin2005 Dec 2014 #100

This Nolensville, Tn? Sissyk Dec 2014 #41

I've been to Nolensville and Murfreesboro (my sister had bought her first house in Murfreesboro) BlueCaliDem Dec 2014 #63

I'm sorry about that. Sissyk Dec 2014 #120

Thank you, Sissyk. You're very kind. BlueCaliDem Dec 2014 #126

We also have a few of those barrels! haha Sissyk Dec 2014 #131

So fuck it, let's try to get David Duke back in the party, right? Scootaloo Dec 2014 #129

Yup. Erich Bloodaxe BSN Dec 2014 #39

I'm really not convinced that EW could make inroads for us in the South. CTyankee Dec 2014 #130

Perhaps you're right Cali_Democrat Dec 2014 #149

Michael Tomasky is dead on with this description.. Mahalo Don.. Cha Dec 2014 #11

I think Florida is ok, purplish very slowly going blue nt steve2470 Dec 2014 #17

I'm sure that will drive some traffic to the beast aikoaiko Dec 2014 #12

Roosevelt and John Kennedy won much of Dixie. mmonk Dec 2014 #13

That was before the Civil Rights Act was passed and Le Taz Hot Dec 2014 #27

Both Roosevelt and JFK were allied with southern segregationists. former9thward Dec 2014 #33

Are you saying the economic ideas wouldn't mmonk Dec 2014 #44

That was before the Civil Rights Act and Nixon's Southern Strategy. Odin2005 Dec 2014 #76

Maybe benign neglect is appropriate DemocratSinceBirth Dec 2014 #18

Tomasky is either stoned or an idiot derby378 Dec 2014 #19

The problem is with some southern women that they will back what their husbands or fathers CTyankee Dec 2014 #132

Despite my opposition to our state's new Voter ID law... derby378 Dec 2014 #133

Good. I hope you do! CTyankee Dec 2014 #140

BUUUUUUUULSHIT. JaneyVee Dec 2014 #20

Couldn't have said it better! beerandjesus Dec 2014 #95

Yep. What a load of Crap. Tuesday Afternoon Dec 2014 #116

I think he nailed it; put serious resources into VA, NC, FL; not ad buys, but local races & networks hatrack Dec 2014 #22

Local races still matter - even in Texas LeftInTX Dec 2014 #110

We don't have 20 years to wait derby378 Dec 2014 #139

Well the author is right about one thing, we need to dump dixiecrats from the party totally. Rex Dec 2014 #25

I don't believe in giving up....... RationalMan Dec 2014 #35

Thanks. We haven't had a South bashing thread in what, 15 or 20 minutes? cordelia Dec 2014 #38

+1 nt steve2470 Dec 2014 #40

Yeah - Mark Twain. n/t Yo_Mama Dec 2014 #58

+1000 Glassunion Dec 2014 #91

More like, "Don't try to win Dixie by being Republican-lite" jeff47 Dec 2014 #48

Exactly. Maineman Dec 2014 #66

The Democratic Party today is vastly different in the South from what it was back when CTyankee Dec 2014 #136

I am sad for my Southern Dem brothers and Sisters. bravenak Dec 2014 #50

Or maybe we need to move back toward Bettie Dec 2014 #51

No it is time to run as real Democrats in Dixie to turn out Dem voters and like minded independents. yellowcanine Dec 2014 #54

Disagree hollowdweller Dec 2014 #55

very bad idea steve2470 Dec 2014 #56

What about all the Dems who live in the south? Yo_Mama Dec 2014 #57

The South is a drag on a progressive nation packman Dec 2014 #59

A progressive nation? yallerdawg Dec 2014 #65

And it appears by your words kentauros Dec 2014 #71

In all fairness, tho, WHO is rejecting the concept of a United States? CTyankee Dec 2014 #144

Fits my stereotype, BUT... Maineman Dec 2014 #75

Why do I even need to say it..... daleanime Dec 2014 #60

Great article. JEFF9K Dec 2014 #61

We have the Blue Wall and they do not. Odin2005 Dec 2014 #67

That would be the millions of African American Democrats that live here as well. cordelia Dec 2014 #94

Unfortunately As long as 4 out of 5 whites vote Puke down there... Odin2005 Dec 2014 #99

As long as there's even ONE Democrat in Dixie, I'm not writing them off! ColesCountyDem Dec 2014 #68

That's a really stupid thing to do for two reasons aikoaiko Dec 2014 #70

+1 nt steve2470 Dec 2014 #73

It's the economy stupid. Ink Man Dec 2014 #72

Having looked at Landrieu's exit polling from November... Blue_Adept Dec 2014 #79

Extra butter on mine, please. KamaAina Dec 2014 #81

IKR, starting early this morning ... nt TBF Dec 2014 #85

Per your title heaven05 Dec 2014 #86

I have hope for the future of the south Z_California Dec 2014 #88

Dixie is getting a little more urban and blue every year. Fifty state strategy! paulkienitz Dec 2014 #92

The South is 25.7% of the population and unfortunately growing LeftInTX Dec 2014 #93

Unfortunately? I'm sure all the African-Americans moving back to the South cordelia Dec 2014 #111

By unfortunately, I mean you can't write off the South. LeftInTX Dec 2014 #119

Thanks, and I apologize if there was misunderstanding. cordelia Dec 2014 #122

No problem LeftInTX Dec 2014 #124

As a Democrat living in Texas, I am not willing to give up Gothmog Dec 2014 #97

A possible hope LeftInTX Dec 2014 #115

Why, bless their hearts. mahatmakanejeeves Dec 2014 #102

Just bless their lil ol' peapickin' hearts! steve2470 Dec 2014 #137

No. I don't think so. kentuck Dec 2014 #103

Fuck that... Glassunion Dec 2014 #105

Democrats did vote mgardener54 Dec 2014 #106

Some of the worst episodes of racism historically and recently are from California NoJusticeNoPeace Dec 2014 #107

Shame on you, maybe the Democratic party doesn't need the south but A Simple Game Dec 2014 #108

No, it's time for a return to the 50 state strategy of Howard Dean. mnhtnbb Dec 2014 #112

+1 nt steve2470 Dec 2014 #134

Good idea. Lolita46 Dec 2014 #113

prima facie the thesis is crap, but we definitely can't let ourselves be lashed to the likes of MisterP Dec 2014 #114

Dumbass article. Waste of time. n/t Orsino Dec 2014 #117

End gerrymandering and get money out of politics alarimer Dec 2014 #118

What remarkably ignorant drivel. I regret I read the entire fetid piece. Luminous Animal Dec 2014 #123

Retreat! Retreat! Retreat! Scootaloo Dec 2014 #127

Better idea: Cali_Democrat Dec 2014 #151

or we can atually run liberals. Scootaloo Dec 2014 #159

I know people in Michigan just as bad gollygee Dec 2014 #135

but what is the outcome? That is what matters, right? CTyankee Dec 2014 #146

Ya know...it's gad-damned hard to commit the lives of innocents to brutality HereSince1628 Dec 2014 #138

How about we don't leave anybody behind? How about the 50-state strategy? How about we don't cave? Hekate Dec 2014 #145

WE are not the ones that have left people behind. CTyankee Dec 2014 #147

I'll.....help them pack! Derek V Dec 2014 #148

If we dump Dixie, we better importune supernatural forces to see that the California merrily Dec 2014 #152

Cool MFrohike Dec 2014 #153

Dumping an entire region of the nation would be dumb. n/t hrmjustin Dec 2014 #156

Can you really dump people that have dumped you first? PeteSelman Dec 2014 #157

I feel that way as well Tsiyu Dec 2014 #158