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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsOur state spends way too much time in the Supreme Court. The justices have taken notice.
Put an end to partisan gerrymandering in NC
BY PHYLLIS H. DEMKO AND LARRY KING
JULY 27, 2017 11:30 AM
Our state spends way too much time in the Supreme Court. The justices have taken notice.
In Justice Kagans recent opinion deciding Cooper v. Harris, she noted that N.C.s 12th Congressional District was making its fifth appearance before this Court.
In addition to Cooper v. Harris, which held Congressional Districts 1 and 12 are illegal gerrymanders, a June 5 Supreme Court decision, North Carolina v. Covington, determined that 28 N.C. House and Senate districts are unlawful gerrymanders. The state remains mired in similar litigation. Since the current cycle of redistricting began in 2011, eight lawsuits were filed with claims of gerrymandering. Another Dickson v. Rucho has engaged the justices twice. As one justice observed, We have almost reached a new redistricting cycle without any certainty as to the constitutionality of North Carolinas current redistricting map.
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In North Carolina, we keep churning partisan redistricting, then litigation, then court-ordered reforms and still more partisan redistricting. This takes a huge toll on the business of governing and produces enormous legal costs. One recent study for Common Cause North Caroline concludes that since 2011 the state has paid out $5 million for redistricting litigation. And this does not count in legal and other staff resources in the General Assembly and the Attorney Generals office. With other cases pending in the U.S. Supreme Court, and several awaiting trial, additional seven-figure costs are inevitable.
Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/opinion/op-ed/article164127292.html#storylink=cpy
BigmanPigman
(51,365 posts)for the Supreme Court to make one decision that will effectively end gerrymandering in all states?
TNNurse
(6,905 posts)Does anyone have an answer.
obamanut2012
(25,869 posts)former9thward
(31,684 posts)It is a case from Wisconsin where the plaintiffs allege districts were drawn on a purely partisan basis. However the SC said that first it must determine whether it has jurisdiction in the case.
Gerrymandering has been around since 1812 and has and is used by both parties depending on the state. The SC has a history of avoiding political cases and defers to the legislative branch of government when it thinks that branch should settle the issue.
Wounded Bear
(58,362 posts)hell, they have programs that will do it for you. Mapping demographics is a prime tool of marketers, and the Repub party is all about marketing.
barbtries
(28,689 posts)slash and burn, scorched earth politics. they'll do whatever they think it takes to stay in power and abuse that power at every opportunity. I am in NC and they reallly suck a lot.
G_j
(40,366 posts)here in NC. Slash and burn at it's worse!
barbtries
(28,689 posts)Proud Liberal Dem
(24,338 posts)Seems like during the past 8 years, there has been an insane amount of litigation generated by right-wing legislatures passing radical laws, as well as state-level challenges to several Obama-era policies.