Let the gerrymandering begin

[Scooter]

It's redistricting time again:

As you can see from the maps at right, CD1 (hello, state Senate Majority Leader Steven Horsford) is a North Las Vegas-centered district, CD4 takes in the other urban area (hello, ex-Rep. Dina Titus) and CD3 extends up to Churchill County (Rep. Joe Heck vs. John Oceguera?). Of course, these maps are far from final, but they are far different than the GOP maps, of course. Advantages are 16 percent, 10 percent and 8 percent for the Ds; CD2 is at 7 percent GOP edge.

I find it incredible that redistricting in the U.S. is left completely in the hands of state legislatures, rather than giving the task to a non-partisan entity. Why do voters put up with such blatant manipulation?

[rubato]

"... Why do voters put up with such blatant manipulation?

This is the country where 1 party controlled all three branches of government and drove us into the worst crisis in 80 years; and 2 1/2 years later that same party who has not merely failed but caused true misery has a majority in congress.

And you're even asking that question?

yrs,
rubato

[Sue U]

I find it incredible that redistricting in the U.S. is left completely in the hands of state legislatures, rather than giving the task to a non-partisan entity. Why do voters put up with such blatant manipulation?

In my state redistricting is done by a bipartisan commission established by the state constitution. It's still a highly political process -- reapportionment necessarily is, especially when your state is either losing or gaining seats in Congress -- but no one is getting railroaded by one party or the other. Here is a pretty good overview of what's going in NJ, where we'll be losing a seat, but the closing observation pretty well sums it up:

If you talk to 10 New Jersey politicos about congressional redistricting this year, they will give you 10 different predictions about just what will happen.

And all of them could very well be wrong.

ETA:

BTW, last month NJ completed redistricting of the state legislature (another bipartisan commission). Some interesting changes around the margins, including my district, traditionally D, which gained a heavily Democratic town from a neighboring dsitrict, which has been been a split district (D Assembly, R Senate) for the last 15 years. Since one of the incumbent Assemblymen is a resident of the town that was shifted into my district, there will be a significant fight for the seat he'll be vacating.

[Crackpot]

it's a fairly bi-partizan effort now (I can't say non-partizan because both parties are angling for "safe" seats rather than seats that shift with general populations thoughts and attitudes) the only issue really is the current legislatures get "final say" in the matter which if anything other than rubber stamping opens them up to gerrymandering charges which the few vunerable districts want to avoid like another hole in thier head.

[Jarlaxle]

Watching the hacks in Massachusetts figure out which seat to eliminate promises to be entertaining...well, unless Barney Frank (who has what might be the most gerrymandered district in the country) actually retires in 2012.