This is just perfect. Another "Hot Tub" Tom Delay tactic come around
to bite the entire repugnantcan party in the butt.

Mayhill Fowler
Republican Gerrymandering Favors Obama In Texas
Posted February 14, 2008 | 02:51 PM (EST)


If Barack Obama secures the Democratic presidential nomination, he
will owe a small piece of his victory to Ronald Reagan. Could there be
a more delicious irony in an election season chock-full of them? In
1992, a panel of three Reagan-appointed federal judges in Texas
approved a state senate redistricting map that gave Republicans
control of the Texas state senate for the first time since
Reconstruction. This scheme provided the foundation for Tom Delay's
subsequent gerrymandering of congressional districts - and ultimately
will prevent Hillary Clinton from winning a significant majority of
the 126 delegates up for grabs in the Texas primary on March 4th.
(Another 67 delegates are chosen in a Texas caucus in June; the way
the Texas caucus works, the division of these delegates will not be
known until then.)

Of course, the Texas Republicans' original intention had been all
about themselves. While drawing district lines in such a way that
ensured victory for a Republican state senator, the Republicans also
made sure that the Democrats in each new district were divided between
moderate whites and/or African-American Hispanic minorities. The
thinking was that these competing Democratic constituencies would
cancel each other out--and that is exactly what is likely to happen
come March 4th, because by putting a bit of black in as many state
senate districts as possible, the Republicans have blunted the chances
for Hillary Clinton to take a majority in districts that have 4
delegates to offer. Most of the 31 state senate districts that will
determine the Texas primary deliver 4 delegates. Therefore, Hillary
Clinton will be hard-pressed to find a way to a clear-cut victory in
Texas.

This gerrymandering of Houston/Harris County must be seen to be
believed. (There is no direct link, but a click on the map icon at the
bottom of each state senator's page brings up the map. See districts
6, 7, 11, 13, 15 and 17.) At the time the new districting took effect,
then governor Ann Richards said, "They have carved up this state like
a nonunion meat cutter working on a one-legged turkey." Another less-
colorful way to see the map is a piece of paper scribbled on by a
toddler. Because the state Republicans back in '92 knew that they
couldn't get away with completely disenfranchising minorities,
District 13 was drawn to be largely African-American and therefore
produce an African-American state senator--currently Rodney Ellis, who
has endorsed Obama. In 2006, District 13, the second largest in the
state, held well over half of Houston/Harris County Democrats and
therefore has 7 delegates to award on March 4th. Not surprisingly,
District 13 is base camp for Obama forces here in Houston.

<edspyhill01@yahoo.com> ...
> This is just perfect. Another "Hot Tub" Tom Delay tactic come around
> to bite the entire repugnantcan party in the butt.
>
> Mayhill Fowler
> Republican Gerrymandering Favors Obama In Texas
> Posted February 14, 2008 | 02:51 PM (EST)

*snip*

Oh dear.

Natalie

Clinton did the same thing in Georgia.... It came back to bite them...



<edspyhill01@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:29ca94a1-a7ab-4bf3-842a-0e47a969afab@e25g2000prg.googlegroups.com...
> This is just perfect. Another "Hot Tub" Tom Delay tactic come around
> to bite the entire repugnantcan party in the butt.
>
> Mayhill Fowler
> Republican Gerrymandering Favors Obama In Texas
> Posted February 14, 2008 | 02:51 PM (EST)
>
>
> If Barack Obama secures the Democratic presidential nomination, he
> will owe a small piece of his victory to Ronald Reagan. Could there be
> a more delicious irony in an election season chock-full of them? In
> 1992, a panel of three Reagan-appointed federal judges in Texas
> approved a state senate redistricting map that gave Republicans
> control of the Texas state senate for the first time since
> Reconstruction. This scheme provided the foundation for Tom Delay's
> subsequent gerrymandering of congressional districts - and ultimately
> will prevent Hillary Clinton from winning a significant majority of
> the 126 delegates up for grabs in the Texas primary on March 4th.
> (Another 67 delegates are chosen in a Texas caucus in June; the way
> the Texas caucus works, the division of these delegates will not be
> known until then.)
>
> Of course, the Texas Republicans' original intention had been all
> about themselves. While drawing district lines in such a way that
> ensured victory for a Republican state senator, the Republicans also
> made sure that the Democrats in each new district were divided between
> moderate whites and/or African-American Hispanic minorities. The
> thinking was that these competing Democratic constituencies would
> cancel each other out--and that is exactly what is likely to happen
> come March 4th, because by putting a bit of black in as many state
> senate districts as possible, the Republicans have blunted the chances
> for Hillary Clinton to take a majority in districts that have 4
> delegates to offer. Most of the 31 state senate districts that will
> determine the Texas primary deliver 4 delegates. Therefore, Hillary
> Clinton will be hard-pressed to find a way to a clear-cut victory in
> Texas.
>
> This gerrymandering of Houston/Harris County must be seen to be
> believed. (There is no direct link, but a click on the map icon at the
> bottom of each state senator's page brings up the map. See districts
> 6, 7, 11, 13, 15 and 17.) At the time the new districting took effect,
> then governor Ann Richards said, "They have carved up this state like
> a nonunion meat cutter working on a one-legged turkey." Another less-
> colorful way to see the map is a piece of paper scribbled on by a
> toddler. Because the state Republicans back in '92 knew that they
> couldn't get away with completely disenfranchising minorities,
> District 13 was drawn to be largely African-American and therefore
> produce an African-American state senator--currently Rodney Ellis, who
> has endorsed Obama. In 2006, District 13, the second largest in the
> state, held well over half of Houston/Harris County Democrats and
> therefore has 7 delegates to award on March 4th. Not surprisingly,
> District 13 is base camp for Obama forces here in Houston.