LOL
Mal - you are in utter denial as to the wrecking ball that was delivered on top of obamas head on teusday. .
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Nov. 4, 2010
www.abcnews.com________________________
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Republicans gained a historic edge over Democrats in
state legislature elections that will have national
implications for years to come.
State legislatures in 44 states are responsible for one
of the most important political processes: drawing
district boundaries for the U.S. House of
Representatives.
In a process that usually triggers partisan bickering,
the reigning party usually has the upper hand,
especially if the governor is also from the same party
and cannot veto the legislature's decisions.
Republicans took control of at least 19 Democratic-
controlled state legislatures Tuesday and gained
more than 650 seats, according to the National
Conference of State Legislatures. The last time
Republicans saw such victories was in 1994, when
they captured control of 20 state legislatures.
Republicans haven't controlled as many state
legislatures since 1928.Across the country, the map for state legislatures has
turned noticeably red as Republicans now control 55
chambers, with Democrats at 38 and the remaining
yet to be decided. At the beginning of this week,
Democrats controlled 60 of the country's state
legislative chambers and Republicans 36.
Tuesday also was a historic day for many state
legislatures. In Minnesota, Republicans won the
Senate for the first time ever, while in Alabama, they
took control for the first time since reconstruction.
The gains were truly of "historic proportions," said
Tim Storey, a senior fellow at the National Conference
of State Legislatures, pointing out that the last time
there was such a wave of state legislature switches
was 1966. "Everything moved in the direction of the GOP," Storey
said. "I think Republicans are in the best position for
redistricting they have been in since the modern
redistricting era began in 1962. And they really have
kind of a decided advantage now with the big wins."The redistricting process that occurs once every
decade when the Census is released usually tends to
favor the party in power.
Redistricting is important because it not only
determines the number of seats a state will get in the
U.S. House of Representatives, it also creates
boundaries for educational and public institutions.
When the process begins next year, it will mean a big
boon for Republicans, who, in addition to state
legislatures, also won key governorships.
GOP gubernatorial candidates won races where
redistricting battles will be fought most heavily next
year such as Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania.
All other signs also point to a victorious redistricting
year for Republicans. In states like Florida, which is
expected to gain two House seats, and Texas, which
is projected to up its number by four, Republicans
maintained their majorities.
Redistricting -- or "gerrymandering," as it's often
called by critics because of a salamander-shaped
district created by Massachusetts Gov. Elbridge Gerry
advertisement By HUMA KHAN
Will Redistricting Be a Bloodbath for Democrats?
Republicans See Historic Victories; Gain Control of At Least 19 Democratic-Held State Legislatures
in 1812 -- is a bitter political process with high
stakes for both parties.
"You can win a number of seats just by controlling
the boundary," said Darrell West, vice president and
director of governance studies at The Brookings
Institution.
In an effort to reform the system, California on
Tuesday voted to pass a proposition that will test the
power of independent commissions formed solely for
the purpose of drawing district lines.
A ballot initiative in 2008 created the 14-member
California Citizens Redistricting Commission that
would be responsible for drawing up state legislative d
istrict lines. The commission would require nine
votes to enact a plan, three each from Republicans,
Democrats and third parties.
On Tuesday, Californians passed Proposition 20,
which would expand the commission's task to include
congressional district boundaries.
The commission, the first of its kind, would test how
such a process works. But not everyone agrees that
commissions are less partisan than state legislatures.
"The problem is no one has come up with the perfect
way," Storey said. "Sometimes, they're called
independent commissions, but they're not necessarily
independent commissions. But they may actually be
just as partisan as legislatures. And, in fact, they are
likely to go to legislation and they are likely to end up
losing redistricting plans."
Others say the potential for abuse is greater when
members of state legislatures, with clearly vested
political ideologies, are involved.
"Redistricting is, for better or for worse, a lot of
political jousting," said Erika L. Wood, deputy director
of the Democracy Program at the Brennan Center for
Justice at NYU School of Law
. "Because those state
legislatures hold so much control and because this is
done in back rooms, if Republicans are in control
they will draw maps that they think will benefit them
in the next few years."There's always a lot of drama that happens with this,"
she added. "I've heard people call it a bloodbath."
The redistricting process in Texas in 2003 ended up
embroiled in controversy and court delays that
escalated all the way to the Supreme Court.
Former Rep. Tom DeLay, R-Texas, the House majority
leader at the time, came under fire for his role in
crafting a plan that Democrats charged was a way to
ensure that Republicans would continue to stay in
power in Washington.
