Watch out

[TexasTiger 12,947]

I don't necessarily disagee with this decision, but the long-term impact is negative.

Ready for a Redistricting Boom?

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2006/06/...cting_boom.html

"Look for several states to rejigger congressional districts in the wake of the Supreme Court's 7-2 ruling upholding the Texas legislature's 2003 decision to draw a new map," advises Kiplinger Forecasts. "The Court made it clear that states can rewrite boundaries whenever they want, not just after the Census every 10 years. That means the congressional landscape in Washington can change every time one party gains control over a state's government. Although the Supreme Court's decision is a big victory for Republicans, and specifically for former Senate Majority Leader Tom DeLay of Texas, who engineered the redistricting, redistricting by other states may have the GOP ruing the day."

"New maps may well put more Democrats in the House of Representatives, possibly enough to tip the balance of power from Republicans to Democrats. We expect Illinois, New Mexico, New Jersey and New York to wind up with Democrats in control of both the governor's mansion and the state legislature after the November elections. So redistricting in those states might shift enough seats to the Democratic column to give that party a majority."

Washington Wire: "The Supreme Court’s decision is the culmination of one of the hardest fought redistricting battles in history."

The best analysis of the court decision comes from Rick Hasen and Nathaniel Persily.

Meanwhile, a Houston Chronicle editorial calls it a "pyrrhic victory" for Texas. "If Wednesday's court decision was a victory for Texas, another such victory, and we are undone."

[DKW 86 7,426]

Although the Supreme Court's decision is a big victory for Republicans, and specifically for former Senate Majority Leader Tom DeLay of Texas, who engineered the redistricting, redistricting by other states may have the GOP ruing the day."

I saw this on Court TV yesterday. They were telling you it was a Republican Victory while the scroll was telling it was a big win for TX Dems.

Tex, we as Republicans have had to overcome the Dem gerrymandering for decades. This is nothing at all. I mean nothing at all but a little payback for the packing of the incumbents that went on for decades under the Dems.

Move along, nothing to see here.

[quietfan 233]

In terms of the letter of the law, I think the Supreme Court probably made the right decision. I don't read anything into the Constitution to prohibit this.

Unfortunately it means one more thing for state legislators to waste time on instead of doing the peoples' business. As the article implies, we can now probably look forward to bitter, time-wasting redistricting battles every time power changes hands between parties in state elections.

And yes, both parties have been guilty of this. The difference is that now the floodgates are open for it to happen after any state election, rather than only every ten years after a census, as had generally been the practice in the past.

[TexasTiger 12,947]

Although the Supreme Court's decision is a big victory for Republicans, and specifically for former Senate Majority Leader Tom DeLay of Texas, who engineered the redistricting, redistricting by other states may have the GOP ruing the day."

I saw this on Court TV yesterday. They were telling you it was a Republican Victory while the scroll was telling it was a big win for TX Dems.

Tex, we as Republicans have had to overcome the Dem gerrymandering for decades. This is nothing at all. I mean nothing at all but a little payback for the packing of the incumbents that went on for decades under the Dems.

Move along, nothing to see here.

244138[/snapback]

You don't get it. I said I didn't disagree with the Court on the merits of this case, even though I don't like what Delay did in Texas. But now you are going to see Washington-style politics in every state and changing congressional districts every two years instead of every 10. There is no partisan angle in my concern.