There is another of those columns at the New York Times that can only be described as the discovery of reality. The column appeared in yesterday's paper under the headline of Don't Blame the Maps. It was written by two professors of political science who claim to have made the startling discovery that contrary to what they thought, the Republican majority in the House of Representatives is not the result of gerrymandering. The two profs use computer simulations and thousands of alternate districting plans to discover that most Democrats are concentrated into small, usually urban areas while Republicans are more widespread. In other words, these educated minds go to great lengths to uncover the reality that the rest of us have seen for years.
The article is actually very funny. I particularly liked their constant reference to how their findings would be disappointing to advocates of "reform". In their world, these professors see nothing wrong with equating "reform" and Democrat. There could be no clearer admission of bias on their part. Still, what I liked best is that the professors did not mention that to a great extent the reason for the result that they found is the Voting Rights Act. I guess that even their findings could not get these liberal professors to discuss the actual reality if it meant equating a Democrat defeat with the effect of the Voting Rights Act. The effect of that act, of course, is that it mandates creation of so called "minority majority" districts. States must design their districts where possible so that there are at least some districts in which minority voters are in the majority. In 2012, the Democrat vote among African Americans topped 90%. If most of these voters are put together in minority majority districts, then the majority of the remaining voters nationwide are Republicans who carry more districts albeit by narrowed margins.
The article is actually very funny. I particularly liked their constant reference to how their findings would be disappointing to advocates of "reform". In their world, these professors see nothing wrong with equating "reform" and Democrat. There could be no clearer admission of bias on their part. Still, what I liked best is that the professors did not mention that to a great extent the reason for the result that they found is the Voting Rights Act. I guess that even their findings could not get these liberal professors to discuss the actual reality if it meant equating a Democrat defeat with the effect of the Voting Rights Act. The effect of that act, of course, is that it mandates creation of so called "minority majority" districts. States must design their districts where possible so that there are at least some districts in which minority voters are in the majority. In 2012, the Democrat vote among African Americans topped 90%. If most of these voters are put together in minority majority districts, then the majority of the remaining voters nationwide are Republicans who carry more districts albeit by narrowed margins.
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