NC's gerrymandered map is unconstitutional

[Rogue Valley]

North Carolina’s gerrymandered map is unconstitutional, judges rule, and may have to be redrawn before midterms

8/27/18
A panel of three federal judges held Monday that North Carolina’s congressional districts were unconstitutionally gerrymandered to favor Republicans over Democrats and said it may require new districts before the November elections, possibly affecting control of the House. The judges acknowledged that primary elections have already produced candidates for the 2018 elections but said they were reluctant to let voting take place in congressional districts that courts twice have found violate constitutional standards. The North Carolina case is a long-running saga, with a federal court in 2016 striking down the legislature’s 2011 map as a racial gerrymander. The legislature then passed a plan that left essentially the same districts in place but said lawmakers were motivated by politics, not race. The North Carolina case presented a stark example of partisan intent, with legislators making clear that the map was drawn to help one party over another.

“I think electing Republicans is better than electing Democrats,” said Rep. David Lewis, a Republican member of the North Carolina General Assembly, addressing fellow legislators when they passed the plan in 2016. “So I drew this map to help foster what I think is better for the country.” He added: “I propose that we draw the maps to give a partisan advantage to 10 Republicans and three Democrats because I do not believe it’s possible to draw a map with 11 Republicans and two Democrats.” When voters went to the polls that fall, the 10-3 outcome was exactly as Lewis had predicted, even though Republican candidates won just 53 percent of the statewide vote. Wynn said it should be clear that such partisan gerrymandering is unconstitutional.

GOP can't win honestly. It must resort to racial/political gerrymandering or denying voting rights to select demographics. When courts rule their gerrymandered maps unconstitutional, they stonewall redrawing the map.

Related: Federal judges again rule GOP-drawn N.C. congressional districts unconstitutional

 

[haymarket]

North Carolina is now and has been for a while the nightmare scenario that happens when a temporary unprincipled majority fears it is turning into a soon minority and refuses to cede power to the new upcoming majority and will do anything and everything to hold it.

I refer all to read HOW DEMOCRACIES DIE by Levitsky & Ziblatt pages 208 - 212