Redistricting's fate may hinge on whether new map is biased

[Judi Lynn]

March 1, 2006, 10:45PM
Redistricting's fate may hinge on whether new map is biased
Though it isn't clear how the top court will rule, its key centrist voter expresses concern


By PATTY REINERT
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON - U.S. Supreme Court justices reviewing the bitterly disputed Texas congressional district lines appeared reluctant Wednesday to throw out the Republican-friendly map on the grounds that political gerrymandering had gone too far.

But Justice Anthony Kennedy, who is expected to provide the pivotal vote on the matter as a court centrist, made clear the map could be rejected for another reason: Some districts redrawn by the Texas Legislature in 2003 may violate the federal Voting Rights Act by discriminating against minority voters.

In particular, Kennedy said he was concerned that Republican state lawmakers removed 100,000 Latino voters from the 23rd District in South Texas and made sure it remained 50.9 percent Latino to "make it look good."

"It seems to me that's an affront and an insult," he said.

Chief Justice John Roberts asked what percentage of minority voters would be sufficient to deem the district mostly minority.

"What's the magic number?" he asked.
(snip/...)

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/politics/3695324.html

[babylonsister]

1. Kennedy gives me hope, but this article isn't as positive, and

check out this paragraph:

http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/03/01/D8G35EHO7.html

//snip
The subject matter was extremely technical, and near the end of the argument Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg dozed in her chair. Justices David Souter and Samuel Alito, who flank the 72-year-old, looked at her but did not give her a nudge.

and

The arguments come just a week before Texans vote in the primaries. Should the justices rule the map unconstitutional, they could throw out the map and force new primaries.
//snip

:wow:

[sonias]

2. There's a nice roundup summary of the media coverage at BOR

Vince Leibowitz put together a whole lot of links with good summary of some of the arguments.
http://www.burntorangereport.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=322

We are so screwed. F**k Scalia! :mad:

Sonia

[TXDem24]

3. Regardless of the SCOTUS decision

we need to promote the "Perrymandering" issue as another step in eliminating democratic elections in favor of one party rule. It seems the Texas Democratic Party should start aggressively advocating for a non-partisan redistricting board for the next census which eliminates voting histories as part of the district mapping. Their focus should be: an equal division of population, maintain geographic integrity, and minimize the division of communities of interest. Democrats can take the high road here and see if we can pull some moderate Republicans and Independents for support. One party rule didn't work in Russia and Iraq ... why would we want it here?

Fight the Right. They only think they are.

[babylonsister]

4. Excellent! Welcome, and you should post more often!

:hi: