USSC orders Alabama to add one more minority district

I don’t dispute that there are other considerations than simply population and geographic compactness but I believe the basis should be starting from compact districts and then, with good showing, adjust boundaries to take reasonable and justifiable considerations into account.

I think you would be surprised with how well suited the automatic boundaries are as initially drawn. This site has all the states and different electoral bodies.
Florida Senate Redistricting

 

The map looks okay to me on first glance. I just know from talking to people that have been in the process that there are always complications that don't have to do with partisan advantage. It's just not a simple process. I agree independent commissions do a far better job. That would be my preference. I was just more answering those who think that the only considerations are straightforward algorithms with geographic divisions

 

Yes, but someone has to decide what's relevant data and what is not relevant in the first instance. And that can be subject to dispute. Can't escape human judgment. Just use the only example I am personally familiar with, a computer is not going to know the historic reasons that Tampa and St. Petersburg hate being referred to as a collective and are very zealous about being considered separate.

Then you can decide how much weight to put on each. There is just no way to escape some level of human judgment

 

I was struck by this statement from the Alabama AG:
the decision was “disappointing,” but “this case is not over.”

If the Supremes rule on a case doesn’t that pretty much mean the case IS over? What avenue of redress does AL have?

 

Good news for democracy. Now let's do Florida.

 

I guess they could keep making new district maps just before elections, have them serve as district maps for the election because “it’s just too close to elections to make changes now”, then get sued and lose in court, and go back and start the whole process again for the next election.

 

Pretty good quick reaction analysis from Dahlia Lithwick and Mark Joseph Stern, especially their speculative psychological deconstruction of John Roberts, which I find persuasive

Amicus: Did John Roberts Really Just Save Voting Rights? - Slate Daily Feed

 

No. It is enforcing federal law. The gerrymandering already happened.

 

What a beautiful tweet. Sherilynn Ifill is the best

 

The other key USSC decision yesterday from IP law. Don’t know the substantive law, but I concur with the result - no one should call Springer Spaniels bad, even mockingly

 

This was my thinking. I thought all those conservative judges were racist by default and would reject anything that would make it more equal for minorities.

 

All? Nah, just the majority of those you speak, 4 of 6, rendered their vote against more equality for minorities, no? It was a 5-4 vote with Roberts and Kavanaugh siding with the liberals. The other 4 conservatives (4 of 6, majority) went against equality for minorities, per your words.

 

On average.

 

Who appoints the commission and who determines if they're "independent?"

One possibility far worse than the current system we have is partisan officials under the guise of "independents" having total control over this.

I'll take "honest liars" that everybody knows has an agenda over the people feigning honesty, who are in fact incredibly dishonest and politically driven.

 

Well, we have no honest liars. What we have is both parties trying to stack the decks to get more votes rather than district based in equity. Take the partisan out of the appointment. It’s not perfect, for sure, but it is better than we have now.

 

Not all partisans have a brand on their shirt identifying them as "partisans."

There are a whole lot of wolves in sheep's clothing.

 

Colorado and Virginia are two obvious examples that disprove your argument.

 

Why?

 

Their commission systems resulted in maps that are pretty neutral. If anything, they slightly favor the minority party in those states.