Text 27528, 81 rader
Skriven 2007-02-26 10:03:00 av VERN HUMPHREY
     Kommentar till en text av ED HULETT
Ärende: Presidential race
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EH> VH> Taking an example off the top of my head, George Allen of Virginia was
EH> VH> redistricted out of his congressional seat -- he ran for governor and
EH> VH> won, and then for the senate.

EH>Okay. That was in Virginia.

And in many another state.  The North Carolina case, where two areas
were conneceted by the interstate, the district bourndary drawn so it
ran up one shoulder of the road and down the other is a good example.

EH> VH> In Texas, the Republican legislature challenged the districts as drawn
EH> VH> by the Democrats when they were in the majority, and redrew them.

EH>I remember that. The Dems were so nice as to leave the state in protest. The
EH>should have stayed out.

EH> VH> What do you mean, "Not like you claim?" I claim it has been redrawn
EH> VH> every 10 years.  Are you saying it has NOT been redrawn?  That would
EH> VH> contradict your statement above.  Or are you saying it was NOT redrawn
EH> VH> based on the census?

EH>No, I never said it has not been redrawn, I said the changes were minor and
EH>reflected population movement.

Bingo!  ALL districts are redrawn every 10 years.

And SOME districts are redrawn for political advantage.

EH> VH> So?  The point I am making is that majority parties use redistricting t
EH> VH> STAY in the majority and hold down the other party.

EH>The minority parties can make those claims all they want, but they have to
EH>attract voters on their merrits.

Riiiight -- except those sitting representatives who aren't ALLOWED to
attract voters because they've been redistricted out of their seat.

EH> VH> So?  The fact that it doesn't happen in your back yard doesn't mean it
EH> VH> doesn't happen.

EH>Sheesh! We were talking about *my back yard*.

No, we were talking about the Constitution of the United States.

EH> VH> Well, condoning violations of the Constitution certainly WON'T make the
EH> VH> honest!!

EH>No one is condoning violations of the Constitution.

When one accepts obstacles to getting on the ballot NOT in the
Constitution, one is condoning violations of the Constitution.

EH> VH> The essense of the Constitution, Ed, is that it assumes politicians are
EH> VH> NOT honest.  It therefore seeks to control and rein them in.

EH>Is that right? Where does it make that assumption?

It's called the checks and balances system.

EH> VH> If you let them violate the Constitution, you give up all protection.

EH>Who is letting them violate the Constitution?

Those who poo-poo violations like using districting to keep people off
the ballot.

EH> VH> Ed?  We are talking about the Constitiution, which means we are talking
EH> VH> about the whole of the United States, not just your back yard.

EH>Nope, this started as a discussion about my back yard.

Your back yard is not the Constitution.

EH> VH> And that's worth trashing the Constitution for?

EH>No one is "trashing the Constitution."

When you allow people to put obstacles to getting on the ballot that are
not in the Constitution, you are trashing the Constitution.
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