Gerrymandering Ruling Out of Texas

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de officiis
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Gerrymandering Ruling Out of Texas

Post by de officiis » Sat Mar 11, 2017 3:31 pm

Federal judges find Texas gerrymandered maps on racial lines
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Federal judges found more problems in Texas' voting rights laws, ruling that Republicans racially gerrymandered some congressional districts to weaken the growing electoral power of minorities . . . .

The ruling ... by a three-judge panel in San Antonio gave Democrats hope of new, more favorably drawn maps that could turn over more seats in Congress in 2018. But the judges in their 2-1 decision didn't propose an immediate fix, and Texas could appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Republicans hold two of three congressional districts ruled newly invalid and were found to have been partly drawn with discriminatory intent. The GOP-controlled Texas Legislature approved the maps in 2011 . . . .

Judges noted the "strong racial tension and heated debate about Latinos, Spanish-speaking people, undocumented immigrants and sanctuary cities" that served as the backdrop in the Legislature to Texas adopting the maps and the voter ID law. Those tensions are flaring again over President Donald Trump's executive orders on immigration, and Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is also demanding tough crackdowns on so-called sanctuary cities.

"The record indicates not just a hostility toward Democrat districts, but a hostility to minority districts, and a willingness to use race for partisan advantage," U.S. District Judges Xavier Rodriguez and Orlando Garcia wrote in their opinion.
...
The congressional districts voided by the panel belong to Democrat Lloyd Doggett and Republicans Will Hurd and Blake Farenthold.
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Fife
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Re: Gerrymandering Ruling Out of Texas

Post by Fife » Sat Mar 11, 2017 3:37 pm

I'm sure some simple solution will be sorted out.

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TheReal_ND
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Re: Gerrymandering Ruling Out of Texas

Post by TheReal_ND » Sat Mar 11, 2017 3:38 pm

Texas sí!

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jbird4049
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Re: Gerrymandering Ruling Out of Texas

Post by jbird4049 » Sun Mar 12, 2017 12:51 pm

Fife wrote:I'm sure some simple solution will be sorted out.

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What?
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity.

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TheReal_ND
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Re: Gerrymandering Ruling Out of Texas

Post by TheReal_ND » Sun Mar 12, 2017 12:56 pm