Imagine it or not, Vice President JD Vance has mentioned various issues through the years that I agree with.
For instance, when he prompt “the American people will not tolerate another endless war” almost about sending assist to Ukraine, I felt seen. When Vance advised podcaster Theo Von “we need to release the Epstein list; that is an important thing,” I couldn’t have agreed extra. The intercourse trafficker acquired over $1.5 billion and 4,000 wire transfers to assist pay for his operation. The American individuals ought to know who amongst us gave that monster cash.
Just lately Vance took to social media to level out that Republicans common 40% of the vote in California however underneath one redistricting scenario could be represented by solely 9% of the state’s Home seats.
“How can this presumably be allowed?” He contemplated.
It’s a extremely good query — particularly for Texas.
After Texas gained two spots due to inhabitants progress in 2021 — 95% of which is attributable to individuals of coloration — Gov. Greg Abbott signed off on a map that really elevated the variety of districts wherein most voters are white.
The truth is, 60% of the brand new state Senate districts had been majority white regardless of white residents making up lower than 40% of the inhabitants. Immediately Republicans are suggesting the brand new map is their approach of creating area for Latino voters. The timeline suggests these seats belonged to Latino voters years in the past.
Vance is right to level on the market’s a dearth of Republican illustration in California politics. However whereas Democrats have managed the governor’s mansion and each state chambers for 11 consecutive years within the Golden State, in Texas the Republicans have held all three for 22 consecutive years — largely due to the kind of gerrymandering Vance denounced. (In California, it’s onerous to fault partisan redistricting for the present mixture of illustration … as a result of the state does not have partisan redistricting. Voters established an impartial fee 14 years in the past.)
Texas’ present map already appears to tilt in Republicans’ favor. Final yr, the Democratic presidential candidate, Kamala Harris, received greater than 40% of the vote within the Lone Star State, and but at the moment Republicans maintain almost 70% of the state’s Home seats. And Abbott and his MAGA cohorts in workplace need much more.
In a single sense it’s a full circle second for Vance to complain about gerrymandering contemplating it was a former vice chairman — Elbridge Gerry — who began it. One of many nation’s Founding Fathers, Gerry was governor of Massachusetts when he permitted a Senate seat map that the Boston Gazette lampooned as being formed like a salamander. That’s as a result of it was drawn in an odd solution to rig the system in order that it bent towards Republicans. What Vance is complaining about was began by his get together and has been the nation’s actuality since 1812.
That’s to not counsel Democrats will not be additionally responsible.
Between 2010 and 2020, Illinois misplaced roughly 18,000 individuals. That discount price the state a Home seat and required a brand new congressional map. For greater than a decade, Republican Adam Kinzinger represented the sixteenth district — a swath of land that included reasonable Republicans and conservative Democrats. Nevertheless, after the brand new map was drawn by Democrats, the sixteenth district was erased and Kinzinger was with out a district.
That’s the identical Kinzinger who proved to be a crucial member of the Jan. 6 committee as a result of the struggle vet put his nation over get together. So, whereas Illinois Democrats had been busy grabbing extra energy with the brand new map in 2021, they unknowingly compelled out a reasonable Republican who would show to be one of many few conservatives in Congress to face up for democracy. He proved not solely to be an ally of democracy-oriented Democrats, however to be one of many audio system on the 2024 Democratic Nationwide Conference, a transfer that he they usually hoped would carry out extra moderates to vote towards President Donald Trump.
Had the Democrats saved his district intact, maybe they’d have had an ally within the Home combating President Trump’s overreach. Bear in mind in Could when Trump’s “Massive Stunning Invoice” passed the House by a single vote?
Therein lies the true hazard of gerrymandering.
It’s not about what’s snuffed out at the moment however what’s prevented from taking place in an unexpected future. Kinzinger voted with Trump 90% of the time, together with towards the primary impeachment. that, I don’t blame Democrats for seeing him as a political foe again after they eradicated his district. Nevertheless, when it mattered most, he was a democracy ally. But by then, he was seen as a doomed political determine due to gerrymandering. Sophocles himself couldn’t have written a extra tragic story of self-defeating hubris.
So sure, JD Vance has mentioned various issues through the years that I agree with: no limitless wars, launch the Epstein information, cease the gerrymandering. I agreed with a Vance who was interested by combating for democracy. However to appease his boss, he’s retreated from principled stances. How the world has modified, and he with it.
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