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Congratulations to our presumptive Democratic nominee, Joe Biden!
Democratic Primaries
In reply to the discussion: "Bernie Backers Blame DNC For 2020 Media Sabotage" [View all]Celerity
(43,107 posts)143. Gerrymandering can affect POTUS elections
The states set their own rules on a number of issues, and if the state districts are gerrymandered to elect Rethug majorities, that can most definitely have an impact (voter surpression laws, etc etc).
The US House can be affected too, via the same gerrymandering process we could have far more Rethugs elected than should be, and they can cause all sorts of mischief.
Look at North Carolina.
https://splinternews.com/thomas-hofeller-was-a-pioneer-in-racial-gerrymandering-1828460517
As the Hill notes, Hofeller was the Republican National Committees redistricting chairman for nearly two decades. After leaving for the USDA during the Bush administration, he became a redistricting consultant for the national party, and after 2010, helped states where Republicans had newfound majorities cement those majorities. His biggest project was North Carolina.
That year, North Carolina Republicans fairly won both houses of the state legislature for the first time in over a century. The next year, they hired Hofeller to help them in redistricting, including the states 13 Congressional districts. Redistricting is like an election in reverse. Its a great event, Hofeller once said. Usually the voters get to pick the politicians. In redistricting, the politicians get to pick the voters.
North Carolina is a deeply purple state; in five out of the last seven presidential elections, its been decided by five points or less. Before the 2010 midterms, the Democrats had eight members of Congress to the Republicans five; in that years wave, that margin was reduced to 76. The maps Hofeller helped the Republicans draw in 2011, on the other hand, were designed to give the GOP a permanent 103 advantage. In the next election in 2012, Republicans turned a 76 Democratic split into a 94 Republican one, despite the fact that Democrats received a majority of all ballots cast for House candidates in the state.
The way Hofeller and the North Carolina GOP did this was to cram the states Democratic voters into three Congressional districts, and many of the states black voters into two of those, the First and the 12th. Although Republicans have steadfastly denied directly using race as the basis for redistricting, their intent to rig elections in their favor was explicit. I propose that we draw the maps to give a partisan advantage to 10 Republicans and three Democrats, North Carolina House redistricting chairman David Lewis said at the time that the legislature redrew the districts, because I do not believe its possible to draw a map with eleven Republicans and two Democrats.
That year, North Carolina Republicans fairly won both houses of the state legislature for the first time in over a century. The next year, they hired Hofeller to help them in redistricting, including the states 13 Congressional districts. Redistricting is like an election in reverse. Its a great event, Hofeller once said. Usually the voters get to pick the politicians. In redistricting, the politicians get to pick the voters.
North Carolina is a deeply purple state; in five out of the last seven presidential elections, its been decided by five points or less. Before the 2010 midterms, the Democrats had eight members of Congress to the Republicans five; in that years wave, that margin was reduced to 76. The maps Hofeller helped the Republicans draw in 2011, on the other hand, were designed to give the GOP a permanent 103 advantage. In the next election in 2012, Republicans turned a 76 Democratic split into a 94 Republican one, despite the fact that Democrats received a majority of all ballots cast for House candidates in the state.
The way Hofeller and the North Carolina GOP did this was to cram the states Democratic voters into three Congressional districts, and many of the states black voters into two of those, the First and the 12th. Although Republicans have steadfastly denied directly using race as the basis for redistricting, their intent to rig elections in their favor was explicit. I propose that we draw the maps to give a partisan advantage to 10 Republicans and three Democrats, North Carolina House redistricting chairman David Lewis said at the time that the legislature redrew the districts, because I do not believe its possible to draw a map with eleven Republicans and two Democrats.
If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
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The pundits were all in agreement on Biden until he showed strength in the polls...as usual
Demsrule86
May 2019
#26
Based on recent polling, I dont think there's any disputing that Biden is the current frontrunner.
InAbLuEsTaTe
May 2019
#77
Why are they whining so much when a single primary/caucus vote hasn't even been cast?
Dopers_Greed
May 2019
#5
👏 In the sixties, college kids used to hawk the world socialist workers rag or whatever
emmaverybo
May 2019
#135
I started learning about McCarthyism in junior high school. The American communist party
emmaverybo
May 2019
#139
I am a Democrat, not right and not left. Left to the center of our more conservative Dems, but
emmaverybo
May 2019
#122
Well, they did push forth changes to the requirements for participation in later debates.
namahage
May 2019
#71
The media covered BOTH of his "kickoff" rallies, as they did for most of the other candidates....
George II
May 2019
#10
But his followers feel ENTITLED to the same positive Bernie coverage he received in 2016.
charlyvi
May 2019
#59
Maybe is Senator Sanders answered a question on how he would implement his objectives
Blue_true
May 2019
#115
The Russians had nothing to do with that, they didn't break into the DNC until the summer of 2016*..
George II
May 2019
#35
A couple of bucks? More like returning the wallet with $5 of the $100 left. nt
Blue_true
May 2019
#118
Gerrymandering has nothing to do with the outcome of presidential elections
BannonsLiver
May 2019
#16
There were zero states that Hillary took for granted. That story is pure fiction.
StevieM
May 2019
#50
Where was/is it documented that the Russians were responsible for the December 2015 data breach?
lapucelle
May 2019
#52
There are a large number of real democrats who will not support sanders for good reasons
Gothmog
May 2019
#14
That is what the primaries are for. If Bernie wins the nomination this it would be stupid not
walkingman
May 2019
#19
Everyone would vote for him in a general (me too)...but with his numbers, he is not likely to win.
Demsrule86
May 2019
#31
There are links from several media outlets, not just the Washington Times. The first....
George II
May 2019
#21
But more than half of what the OP here quoted was from the Washington Times. (nt)
thesquanderer
May 2019
#66
I like Bernie's ideas on many issues and would vote for him if he wins the nomination
sop
May 2019
#34
Are you satisfied with several media pushing the "likeabiliy" factor regarding Elizabeth Warren?
Hassin Bin Sober
May 2019
#42
I believe "compromise and pragmatism" are needed to move the progressive agenda forward
sop
May 2019
#92
I think Sanders should use some campaign funds to prepay for some services.
SouthernProgressive
May 2019
#41
"Some Bernie backers are livid, and they claim there is some type of sabotage afoot."
betsuni
May 2019
#53
Is the candidate who boasts that he was the first to sign the "Unity Pledge"....
George II
May 2019
#67