Democratic strategy to combat "packing" of Democratic votes in the South

[Mr.Phips]

Currently, Republicans, especially in the South, are able to pack Democrats in just to just a few districts.  

The best strategy to combat this is for the Democratic Department of Justice under Democratic Presidents to essentially force Republican legislatures to create so many minority-majority districts so that they cant really pack anymore.  For instance, in Alabama, they could mandate that two AA majority districts are created.  This would mean that instead of one 65% AA majority districts, you have two 55%-58% AA majority districts.  This would work in Louisiana and South Carolina.  

For instance, African Americans are about 27% of Alabama's population, yet they only get 14% of the seats(1 out of 7) rather than a more equitable 28.5%(2 out of 7).

In Louisiana, African Americans are about 33% of the population, yet get only 16.6% of the seats(1 out of 6) rather than a more fair 33%(2 out of 6).

In South Carolina, African Americans are about 30% of the population, yet get only 14% of the seats(1 out of 7) rather than a more equitable 28.5%(2 out of 7).

The question is, why didnt the Obama DOJ mandate the creation of these new districts?  You would think that influential AA leaders like Jesse Jackson would be up in arms about this. 

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Because Obama cared more about his own reelection then getting Pelosi back in charge as Speaker. He could have done a lot of things much differently that could have resulted in he restoration of the trifecta, but didn't.

[Mr.Phips]

Because Obama cared more about his own reelection then getting Pelosi back in charge as Speaker. He could have done a lot of things much differently that could have resulted in he restoration of the trifecta, but didn't.

This wouldnt have hurt his own reelection a bit.  And its simple fairness and common sense to give minorties representation proportional to the population of their state.  

I will add that not having Pelosi as Speaker will make 2014 a hell of a lot easier for Democrats. 

[CatoMinor]

VRA districts are racist.

[traininthedistance]

The question is, why didnt the Obama DOJ mandate the creation of these new districts?  You would think that influential AA leaders like Jesse Jackson would be up in arms about this. 

They were "keeping their powder dry" because of the knowledge that the SCOTUS as it currently stands would be all too happy to eliminate the VRA.  That threat was enough to neuter implementation of the act, even if it is still, temporarily, on the books.

Really, the only thing they were able to mess with was Texas, just because the TX Republicans' map was so, so, egregious.

[Mr.Phips]

The question is, why didnt the Obama DOJ mandate the creation of these new districts?  You would think that influential AA leaders like Jesse Jackson would be up in arms about this. 

They were "keeping their powder dry" because of the knowledge that the SCOTUS as it currently stands would be all too happy to eliminate the VRA.  That threat was enough to neuter implementation of the act, even if it is still, temporarily, on the books.

Really, the only thing they were able to mess with was Texas, just because the TX Republicans' map was so, so, egregious.

Well, why couldnt they just wait until either Kennedy or Scalia retires and try to push for these additional districts when one of them is replaced by a liberal justice?  At that point, they could probably just get the Supreme Court to strike down pretty much any GOP gerrymander.  Remember that the current court only upheld the 2001 PA map by a 5-4 vote.   

[Antonio the Sixth]

Reversing the current reactionary majority in the SC should be Obama's top priority indeed.

Lifetime terms are such an abomination.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Scalia would never retire with Obama as President. And after what happened with Citizens United and his rulling on Obamacare, I doubt Kennedy would either.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

The question is, why didnt the Obama DOJ mandate the creation of these new districts?  You would think that influential AA leaders like Jesse Jackson would be up in arms about this. 

Because the court in Shaw v. Reno and related cases back in the '90s has already ruled that simply drawing as many minority-majority districts as possible fails strict scrutiny and thus is unconstitutional if it results in bizarre districts.  For example, while it would have been possible to carve two minority-majority districts out of South Carolina, they would required such convoluted gerrymanders to get that they probably would have fallen afoul of the standards developed in Shaw et al.

[Napoleon]

VRA districts are racist.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

When Republicans aren't drawing the maps, VRA requirements usually hurt Democrats. Especially if there are different minority groups.

[Bacon King]

VRA makes it illegal to force as many minority districts as possible into a redistricting plan, when the Gingles test doesn't warrant the creation of such districts. See Shaw v. Hunt, Johnson v. Miller, Hays v. Louisiana, Bush v. Vera, Moon v. Meadows, or Diaz v. Silver, to name a few cases.

[muon2]

VRA districts are racist.

And the 15th Amendment is intentionally about race and voting. Fracturing the black vote between districts to dilute their influence and deny them fair representation was a common practice in the South and violates the 15th Amendment. Section 2 VRA is Congress' remedy for that. What remedy would you offer instead?

[memphis]

You have 3 potential Dems seats. Perhaps you could add 1 in AR and make 4, in an entire region, where an oddball Dem sometimes wins white districts with balck support that would not be there with additional VRA seats. VRA districts are a much bigger problem for the Dems in the Rust Belt, where having majority minority districts is catastrophic.

[Benj]

VRA makes it illegal to force as many minority districts as possible into a redistricting plan, when the Gingles test doesn't warrant the creation of such districts. See Shaw v. Hunt, Johnson v. Miller, Hays v. Louisiana, Bush v. Vera, Moon v. Meadows, or Diaz v. Silver, to name a few cases.

Well, this is sort of a wash for the Democrats. If redistricters were required to create as many minority seats as possible, the Democrats would have another seat each in Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina, while I'm not sure of anywhere the Democrats would lose seats compared to the current map (but only because PA, MI, OH, TX, etc. are already Republican gerrymanders--the Democrats might lose a seat in Maryland, actually).

[krazen1211]

VRA districts are racist.

And the 15th Amendment is intentionally about race and voting. Fracturing the black vote between districts to dilute their influence and deny them fair representation was a common practice in the South and violates the 15th Amendment. Section 2 VRA is Congress' remedy for that. What remedy would you offer instead?

It's common practice for the Democratic party today.

In an attempt to bolster their slim changes of holding the Virginia State Senate the Democratic party did an excellent job at unleashing a vicious gerrymander by cracking the black communities in and around Newport News/Richmond/Hampton Roads to the maximum extent possible under the law.

It actually worked over there.

[krazen1211]

The question is, why didnt the Obama DOJ mandate the creation of these new districts?  You would think that influential AA leaders like Jesse Jackson would be up in arms about this. 

Because they don't actually believe in such. The proof is the Virginia State Senate map.

[krazen1211]

VRA districts are racist.

And the 15th Amendment is intentionally about race and voting. Fracturing the black vote between districts to dilute their influence and deny them fair representation was a common practice in the South and violates the 15th Amendment. Section 2 VRA is Congress' remedy for that. What remedy would you offer instead?

The Democrats often prefer to crack the black vote in order to protect various white liberals. Philadelphia/SEPA has enough population for 2 black districts but has just 1 because white liberals wanted it so.

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

By appealing to white voters in the South.

[Brittain33]

The Democrats often prefer to crack the black vote in order to protect various white liberals. Philadelphia/SEPA has enough population for 2 black districts but has just 1 because white liberals wanted it so.

Huh? It has two Af-Am majority districts, but one of them is represented by Bob Brady.

[hopper]

VRA districts are racist.

And the 15th Amendment is intentionally about race and voting. Fracturing the black vote between districts to dilute their influence and deny them fair representation was a common practice in the South and violates the 15th Amendment. Section 2 VRA is Congress' remedy for that. What remedy would you offer instead?

The Democrats often prefer to crack the black vote in order to protect various white liberals. Philadelphia/SEPA has enough population for 2 black districts but has just 1 because white liberals wanted it so.

Robert Brady's seat in PA-02 is D+25 I think. Thats not a VRA seat? Its right next to Chakah Fattah's district(PA-01) in Philly.

[krazen1211]

The Democrats often prefer to crack the black vote in order to protect various white liberals. Philadelphia/SEPA has enough population for 2 black districts but has just 1 because white liberals wanted it so.

Huh? It has two Af-Am majority districts, but one of them is represented by Bob Brady.

Even the old district wasn't quite Af-Am majority.

http://www.azavea.com/blogs/atlas/2011/12/pennsylvania-congressional-redistricting-we-have-a-plan/


Bob Brady is a clever man. A 48% black, 32% white district opens him up to race baiting. Thus, the Bob Brady redistricting plan nicely sent away the excess black population to Schwartz and Fattah and substituted white liberals acquired from Schwartz and Meehan. The new PA-01 is 47% white 36% black.

[LastVoter]

By appealing to white voters in the South.

To lose most of their base? White voters in the South needs to change, you see.

[smoltchanov]

By appealing to white voters in the South.

To lose most of their base? White voters in the South needs to change, you see.

You really think that they see that "need"?? I have an extremely severe doubts they do... On the contrary - they seem to be very convinced that they must remain the same.

[Brittain33]

Ok, so now Bob Brady working with the Republican map drawers is "various white liberals."