Gerrymandering: 'Democracy' is a Team Sport, Apparently
AP notes that states like North Carolina and Texas are redrawing congressional districts for 'GOP advantage' at Trump’s 'prodding.' (Curiously, California's Democratic counter-moves are mentioned as if they operate in a completely different moral universe.) The narrative paints this as an 'unusual burst' of activity, typically reserved for post-census periods. Yet, this aggressive, mid-cycle
map-manipulation isn't an 'unusual burst'; it's the inevitable outcome of systems designed to consolidate partisan power, not to empower voters. When public officials can simply move the electoral goalposts whenever their team is down, what exactly are we calling 'democracy' here? It appears to be less about a fair contest of ideas and more about securing wins through bureaucratic sleight of hand.
The 'rules' are simply whatever can be twisted to ensure the 'right' people stay in power, damn the voters.