Today we have our first repeat winner for Fake Punditry. It's Al Hunt of Bloomberg News. Hunt's newest bit of misinformation is a discussion of how Republicans "cheated" their way into huge majorities for Congress and state legislatures through redistricting. It's total nonsense, actually an excuse dreamed up by the left for the wholesale rejection of Democrats across much of the country.
Consider these points:
1. Republicans hold two-thirds of the governorships across America. Those are elected state by state. There is no way to redistrict to success in those elections for governor. The GOP hold similar leads in the control of state legislatures. Doesn't it seem likely that the same electorate that chose two-thirds of the governors to be Republican would also choose two thirds of the state legislative houses to be GOP? Al Hunt, however, somehow misses this point.
2. For forty years prior to 1994, Democrats controlled the House of Representatives. During that time, they also controlled the majority of state legislatures. When Ronald Reagan swamped his opponent in 1984 winning 49 states in an historic landslide, the Democrats still controlled the House of Representatives. When Richard Nixon destroyed George McGovern in 1972 and also won 49 states, the Democrats kept control of the House. In all that time, moronic pundits like Hunt never said that it was due to gerrymandering. That was because their favored party won. Suddenly, when the GOP finally was able to correct the Democrat gerrymandering of the past, it is "cheating".
3. In 1994, despite the fact that Democrats drew the redistricting lines, the GOP finally took control of the House. They held that control until 2007. Then there were four years of Democrat control followed by the Republicans taking back control in the 2010 election. That means that out of the last 22 years, the GOP controlled the House for 18. The supposed problem with redistricting that Hunt points to only affects the elections since 2012. Nevertheless, Hunt blames redistricting for the GOP holding a majority of seats. It's moronic.
4. The actual reason why districts in some states push so many Democrats into individual districts is the Voting Rights Act which requires states to create so called "minority majority districts". The states are commanded by law to create districts that have a majority of African Americans or Hispanics. Since those groups are heavily Democrat, that makes those districts one-party areas for the Democrats, but leaves the other districts more strongly Republican. If the states were to create even districts, they would be violating the Voting Rights Act.
In short, Hunt is just pushing an opinion that is not based on any facts. It's just the current Democrat excuse for their failure to win elections.
Consider these points:
1. Republicans hold two-thirds of the governorships across America. Those are elected state by state. There is no way to redistrict to success in those elections for governor. The GOP hold similar leads in the control of state legislatures. Doesn't it seem likely that the same electorate that chose two-thirds of the governors to be Republican would also choose two thirds of the state legislative houses to be GOP? Al Hunt, however, somehow misses this point.
2. For forty years prior to 1994, Democrats controlled the House of Representatives. During that time, they also controlled the majority of state legislatures. When Ronald Reagan swamped his opponent in 1984 winning 49 states in an historic landslide, the Democrats still controlled the House of Representatives. When Richard Nixon destroyed George McGovern in 1972 and also won 49 states, the Democrats kept control of the House. In all that time, moronic pundits like Hunt never said that it was due to gerrymandering. That was because their favored party won. Suddenly, when the GOP finally was able to correct the Democrat gerrymandering of the past, it is "cheating".
3. In 1994, despite the fact that Democrats drew the redistricting lines, the GOP finally took control of the House. They held that control until 2007. Then there were four years of Democrat control followed by the Republicans taking back control in the 2010 election. That means that out of the last 22 years, the GOP controlled the House for 18. The supposed problem with redistricting that Hunt points to only affects the elections since 2012. Nevertheless, Hunt blames redistricting for the GOP holding a majority of seats. It's moronic.
4. The actual reason why districts in some states push so many Democrats into individual districts is the Voting Rights Act which requires states to create so called "minority majority districts". The states are commanded by law to create districts that have a majority of African Americans or Hispanics. Since those groups are heavily Democrat, that makes those districts one-party areas for the Democrats, but leaves the other districts more strongly Republican. If the states were to create even districts, they would be violating the Voting Rights Act.
In short, Hunt is just pushing an opinion that is not based on any facts. It's just the current Democrat excuse for their failure to win elections.
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