The conservative Supreme Court Judges just ruled that the courts cannot stop undemocratic partisan gerrymandering. Every 10 years the states redraw congressional districts. And every 10 years whichever party controls the state draws the districts to favor their party.
An old practice? Yes. An unfair and undemocratic practice? Yes. So, since it has been around forever what's the problem? The problem is that in today's world, with today's computer data, the party in power can draw the districts so precisely as to guarantee victory for their party in as many districts as possible. The power computer analysis can give to the party in power to disproportionately represent themselves by cheating using skewed gerrymandered districts will only get worse and worse over time.
Is there a solution? Referendums. Like in California.
California voted against allowing the politicians to draw up the districts and gave the job to the Citizens Redistricting Commission - 5 Democrats, 5 Republicans, and 4 others. This seems to me to a necessary thing to do to have the votes of the people in the state mean anything at all. As it is now in too many states the politicians choose their voters rather than letting the voters choose their politicians.
I am very disappointed in the non-democratic efforts of this conservative majority Supreme Court. The only way the Supreme Court works in this country is if the vast majority of the people think it is fair. And, starting for example at Bush vs Gore where the conservatives gave the election to Bush rather than letting the final vote tally decide, the Supreme Court is proving itself to be unelected politicians, with a big agenda to enact.
Bad day in America today.
