So, Wendy Davis might lose her Senate Seat...

[weirdghostboo]

http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2013/0 ... mment_link

Not breaking because it's Think Progress.

Are you fucking kidding me, though? She managed to do so much for women's rights and then shit like this happens.

[Peppercorn]

Governor Davis sounds like a hallelujah chorus to this non-Texan.

[Cheetah]

Governor Davis sounds like a hallelujah chorus to this non-Texan.

I was just thinking the same thing.

[Childless]

And, yet again, Texas makes me glad I don't live there. Seriously, is there a worse state in the union?

[OkToBeTakei]

“tens of thousands of black and Hispanic voters into neighboring districts†and as a result, “of the 94 precincts that were over 70 percent minority, Republicans cut out 48,†effectively separating black and Hispanic voters and preventing them from forming a sizable majority.

Davis and the Department of Justice used Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act — which allows the federal government to review election changes in areas of the country with a history of racial discrimination — to challenge the changes in court. In August of 2012, a panel of federal judges found that “substantial surgery†was done to predominantly black districts, cutting off representatives’ offices from their strongest fundraising bases, and blocked the changes.

“The map-drawers consciously replaced many of the district’s active Hispanic voters with low-turnout Hispanic voters in an effort to strengthen the voting power of [the district’s] Anglo citizens,†the judges wrote and accused Texas officials of trying to decrease the effectiveness of minority voters.

I'm beginning to understand why some were so dismayed by this decision. I was going to ask for an explanation, but this makes it a bit clearer for a non-US er.

Just holy fucking shit. Does this mean this can now happen and not be challenged? I thought the reason the Voting Rights ACT was changed was because they claimed it was no longer current. This was 2012. This is frightening. :(

[dianapavelovna]

This is how Republicans are continuing to thrive despite all the ridiculous bullshit they spout and support. They're not playing the game as is; they're completely changing the game. Disgraceful.

I'm a Texan, and that state itself is pretty great. The current government is an entirely different story.

[RachelB]

I'm beginning to understand why some were so dismayed by this decision. I was going to ask for an explanation, but this makes it a bit clearer for a non-US er.

Just holy fucking shit. Does this mean this can now happen and not be challenged? I thought the reason the Voting Rights ACT was changed was because they claimed it was no longer current. This was 2012. This is frightening. :(

Yup. Disenfranchisement has not gone away. Racism has not gone away. Frankly, some northern states would benefit from special scrutiny of voting laws. My mom worked until recently doing cleaning for people on a fixed income who qualified for county-sponsored social services. She said many of her clients wouldn't have been able to vote anymore, had the voter ID ballot measure under consideration in Minnesota passed.

[wild little fox]

I'm beginning to understand why some were so dismayed by this decision. I was going to ask for an explanation, but this makes it a bit clearer for a non-US er.

Just holy fucking shit. Does this mean this can now happen and not be challenged? I thought the reason the Voting Rights ACT was changed was because they claimed it was no longer current. This was 2012. This is frightening. :(

Sadly, no. Gerrymandering has gone on for quite sometime in states that were not part of the Voting Rights Act. It goes on at state level as well as the national level. From what I understand Congress would not have majority today except for the re-districting by Republican Congress. Usually I say that when the Democratic Party has majority again, it will go the other way.

Except for this last time. They did not use boxes, or a typical shape, but drew lines around where minorities and the poor live to make sure their voting power was diminished by the majority of Republicans. The district lines are drawn in crazy patterns in these states.

I kiss the Oregon soil whenever I see what goes on in other states. I cannot imagine I could stand living in a crazy red state after living in Oregon all my life.

[flyawaystray]

Yeah, I'm certainly glad I live in New York. It would actually surprise me if gay marriage didn't pass here, but it did. Yay NY! Although it did surprise me that it only happened in 2011.

[laura oz]

I'm not a Texan, but I'm a woman who very much admires what she did. I made a donation to help fund her, and put my money where my mouth was.

[lilah]

:cracking-up:

Sadly, no. Gerrymandering has gone on for quite sometime in states that were not part of the Voting Rights Act. It goes on at state level as well as the national level. From what I understand Congress would not have majority today except for the re-districting by Republican Congress. Usually I say that when the Democratic Party has majority again, it will go the other way.

Except for this last time. They did not use boxes, or a typical shape, but drew lines around where minorities and the poor live to make sure their voting power was diminished by the majority of Republicans. The district lines are drawn in crazy patterns in these states.

I kiss the Oregon soil whenever I see what goes on in other states. I cannot imagine I could stand living in a crazy red state after living in Oregon all my life.

gerrymandering is one of the less discussed issues these days. california tried to have a neutral group draw the district lines based on census data, trying to get equal sized districcts that didn't split up cities by the rich and poor side or other wackness and the gop got mad because they lost voting power.

the gop is slowly learning that the strategy of alienating minorities and women doesn't work at the national level but gerrymandering allows the olligarchy to keep its power.

[noni alabaster]

I'm beginning to understand why some were so dismayed by this decision. I was going to ask for an explanation, but this makes it a bit clearer for a non-US er.

Just holy fucking shit. Does this mean this can now happen and not be challenged? I thought the reason the Voting Rights ACT was changed was because they claimed it was no longer current. This was 2012. This is frightening. :(

Welcome to Texas, sug. The Lege is notorious for this horseshit. Now, they have SCOTUS on their side. I am so mad I could spit. Again, I say, Rick Perry and all the Republicans in the Lege can, and must, eat a huge bag of festering dicks.

[Mama Mia]

:cracking-up:

gerrymandering is one of the less discussed issues these days. california tried to have a neutral group draw the district lines based on census data, trying to get equal sized districcts that didn't split up cities by the rich and poor side or other wackness and the gop got mad because they lost voting power.

the gop is slowly learning that the strategy of alienating minorities and women doesn't work at the national level but gerrymandering allows the olligarchy to keep its power.

If I recall, even that attempt favored the GOP, just because the neutral group was required to consist of an equal number of democrats, republicans and independents -- despite the states registered voters being overwhelmingly democrat. So even with the advantage the gop got, they still bitched about it. Hopefully I'm remembering that right.

[GolightlyGrrl]

Ugh, this sucks. Sen. Davis is such an inspiration. She really does fight the good fight, doesn't she? I hope she doesn't lose her seat.

It's so despairing that I don't find out about this amazing woman until she does her filibuster and seriously rocks our world. Meanwhile, Sarah Palin farts out a tweet, says obnoxious shit on Fox News, and has daughters who are reality tv famewhores, and she is deemed newsworthy.

We seriously need to get our priorities in check.

[AnywhereButHere]

Yeah, I'm certainly glad I live in New York. It would actually surprise me if gay marriage didn't pass here, but it did. Yay NY! Although it did surprise me that it only happened in 2011.

Unfortunately, NY's republicans can be just as nuts as the rest of them. We used to live way out in the east end of LI. There was an african american guy who worked for the highway dept. He came in to work one day to find a doll, hanging by a noose in his locker. Just all in good fun, you know. This was in the early 2000's. My husband heard stories about houses in some neighborhoods having to wait just a little bit too long for the fire dept. to come out on calls and other stories about town officials standing outside voting precincts with not so concealed weapons. Those stories date from the 80's and 90's. I haven't heard about any redistricting attempts, but we've been out of there for a while. It wouldn't surprise me.

I heard Perry is calling another session next week. I hope the momentum that Wendy Davis started won't die down and this stupid thing can get defeated again.

[noni alabaster]

She's going to be fine. Perry wants another Special Session. So fucking what! Flood the Capitol steps with our bodies and voices! This is too important to ignore! Sorry about the eleventies!!!!11!!

[flyawaystray]

Unfortunately, NY's republicans can be just as nuts as the rest of them. We used to live way out in the east end of LI. There was an african american guy who worked for the highway dept. He came in to work one day to find a doll, hanging by a noose in his locker. Just all in good fun, you know. This was in the early 2000's. My husband heard stories about houses in some neighborhoods having to wait just a little bit too long for the fire dept. to come out on calls and other stories about town officials standing outside voting precincts with not so concealed weapons. Those stories date from the 80's and 90's. I haven't heard about any redistricting attempts, but we've been out of there for a while. It wouldn't surprise me.

I heard Perry is calling another session next week. I hope the momentum that Wendy Davis started won't die down and this stupid thing can get defeated again.

I live on the West End, I'm only a 30 min train ride from Penn.

You know what I'm really pissed off about? the local fire dept. gets free booze from a local liquor store. I don't know about anyone else, but I am a little miffed at the idea at firefighters and EMT's/paramedics, drinking while passing time until there's a call.

[Nothing2CHere]

How do these people sleep at night? I mean, how do their consciences allow it? They like to scream that they're carrying out the "will of the people," but they know that the will of the majority of the people goes against what they want, so they purposely redraw districts to try to silence those people because otherwise they know they won't win the election. It's just sick.

[Trynn]

I live on the West End, I'm only a 30 min train ride from Penn.

You know what I'm really pissed off about? the local fire dept. gets free booze from a local liquor store. I don't know about anyone else, but I am a little miffed at the idea at firefighters and EMT's/paramedics, drinking while passing time until there's a call.

When I was training to be an EMT, it's here was a no drinking while on call rule. Of course, we never got free liquor, but I think that said officials would only get it for free of they didn't drink while on call.

[AnywhereButHere]

I live on the West End, I'm only a 30 min train ride from Penn.

You know what I'm really pissed off about? the local fire dept. gets free booze from a local liquor store. I don't know about anyone else, but I am a little miffed at the idea at firefighters and EMT's/paramedics, drinking while passing time until there's a call.

Oh that's lovely... It's not them getting for free so much, but yeah, when they're drinking it. I'll be keeping an eye out now for wildly careening fire trucks.

We're still on Long Island but just a couple of minutes away from Queens. I miss my old next door neighbors (they were a trip), but overall, we're much happier here.

[freedomjesusfootball]

Sadly, no. Gerrymandering has gone on for quite sometime in states that were not part of the Voting Rights Act. It goes on at state level as well as the national level. From what I understand Congress would not have majority today except for the re-districting by Republican Congress. Usually I say that when the Democratic Party has majority again, it will go the other way.

Except for this last time. They did not use boxes, or a typical shape, but drew lines around where minorities and the poor live to make sure their voting power was diminished by the majority of Republicans. The district lines are drawn in crazy patterns in these states.

I kiss the Oregon soil whenever I see what goes on in other states. I cannot imagine I could stand living in a crazy red state after living in Oregon all my life.

This Texas raised lady is planning to get the hell out and move up there with you, for reasons related to politics, climate, and crazy family.

[Sola]

I'm beginning to understand why some were so dismayed by this decision. I was going to ask for an explanation, but this makes it a bit clearer for a non-US er.

Just holy fucking shit. Does this mean this can now happen and not be challenged? I thought the reason the Voting Rights ACT was changed was because they claimed it was no longer current. This was 2012. This is frightening. :(

Our own sharing and caring Conservative party planned something similar. It was in their manifesto for the last election, but thankfully it was voted down once they got in power. Had they succeeded it would have torn apart England's Labour heartlands and would have handed the Conservatives an easy majority. Thankfully the lib dems did the right thing - for once - and joined with Labour and voted it down.

[OkToBeTakei]

Our own sharing and caring Conservative party planned something similar. It was in their manifesto for the last election, but thankfully it was voted down once they got in power. Had they succeeded it would have torn apart England's Labour heartlands and would have handed the Conservatives an easy majority. Thankfully the lib dems did the right thing - for once - and joined with Labour and voted it down.

Yes I remember :lol: I wonder really how they intended to carve up Yorkshire for this purpose. I seriously doubt it would have seen the light of day other than in manifesto. Although, saying that nothing surprises me in politics.

That being said, labour strongholds versus Tory strongholds whilst generally geographic tend to be historic and generally economic. From what I understand of the American systems they could carve districts apart within cities. They based this on cultural make-up of the districts which contained minority groups. The Voting right ACT I believed protected minorities from this type of discrimination. So whilst both are reprehensible in regards to dirty politicking, I feel that type of discriminating in those states is driven by more than politics. Awful.

[snarkykitty]

Have you witnessed a firefighter/ EMT drinking on the job? If the problem is as bad as it sounds, someone at the town or city level needs to investigate. I cannot imagine having this sort of information and not reporting it.