A simple click on the Campbell dude's ID in CBC and anyone can tell that he is just another LIEbrano trolling the CBC Propaganda machine making short insulting comments to anyone who may embarrass his beloved LIEbrano bosses
http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/gerrymander-explained-1.4360638
Here's how gerrymandering games U.S. elections — and why this Pennsylvania decision matters
U.S. Supreme Court decision could put an end to the partisan way election districts are drawn
By Matt Kwong, CBC News Posted: Jan 24, 2018 5:00 AM ET812 Comments
Commenting is now closed for this story.
David Amos
I know for fact that my
former Yankee Senators Brian Joyce and John Kerry and the Ghosts of Ted
Kennedy Governor Elbridge Gerry should affirm the reasons why I twice
sued the Democrat Tom Riley who was the Attorney General of
Massachusetts in 2002 long before Mitt Romney was elected to take a seat
in Governor.Gerry's old office.
Methinks the cartoon CBC offers is kinda comical in light of the fact that Canadians burnt down Washington during the War of 1812 and nobody has figured out who won that war yet N'esy Pas?
Methinks the cartoon CBC offers is kinda comical in light of the fact that Canadians burnt down Washington during the War of 1812 and nobody has figured out who won that war yet N'esy Pas?
Allan Campbell
@David Amos
At least make a pretense at being lucid
At least make a pretense at being lucid
David Amos
@Allan Campbell
FYI I am a
proud son of the Keiths and Amos' and all my forefathers warned me of
the Campbell Clan. Methinks you should Google me ASAP N'esy Pas?
David Amos
@David Amos FYI try Googling
David Amos Gordon Campbell
or better yet
David Raymond Amos 5 Campbell street
David Amos Gordon Campbell
or better yet
David Raymond Amos 5 Campbell street
jimmy vee
@David Amos Read American history books the war never happened.
David Amos
@jimmy vee The Yankee's National Anthem "The Star Spangled Banner" was about that war.
This is sourced from their history books
THE WAR OF 1812 AND THE BURNING OF WASHINGTON
"Although its events inspired one of our most famous national songs, the War of 1812 is itself a relatively little-known war in American history. Despite its complicated causes and inconclusive outcome, the conflict helped establish the credibility of the young United States among other nations. It also fostered a strong sense of national pride among the American people, and those patriotic feelings are reflected and preserved in the song we know today as our national anthem."
"In August 1814, General Ross and his seasoned troops landed near the nation’s capital. On August 24, at Bladensburg, Maryland, about 30 miles from Washington, his five-thousand-member British force defeated an American army twice its size. That same night, British troops entered Washington. They set fire to the United States Capitol, the President’s Mansion, and other public buildings. The local militia fled, and President James Madison and wife Dolley barely escaped."
Alex Locke
Gerrymandering steals away
democracy. Those who support it when it works in their ideological
favor are too short-sighted to see how it might later work against them.
David Amos
@Alex Locke "too short-sighted to see how it might later work against them"
Methinks that such things were considered by Senator Arlen Specter's buddies seated in Congress when he turned coat back to being a Democrat but he didn't care because his name was on a statewide ballot.N'esy Pas?
Methinks that such things were considered by Senator Arlen Specter's buddies seated in Congress when he turned coat back to being a Democrat but he didn't care because his name was on a statewide ballot.N'esy Pas?
John Reekie
Sort of obvious that this is anti-democratic. Americas democracy is a mess.
David Amos
@John Reekie Democracy is a myth in Canada as well
David Amos
@David Allan We are still under British rule byway of the Banksters Check your money notice anyone in particular?
David Amos
@David Allan Welcome to 1982
Remember failures called Meech Lake and the Charlottetown Accord?
Are you certain your beloved Charter holds water?
Remember failures called Meech Lake and the Charlottetown Accord?
Are you certain your beloved Charter holds water?
Brent Grywinski
Gerrymandering=creative cheating. It does not matter which side does it.
Mary Clarke
@Brent Grywinski
And they both do,despite the fact that this columnist makes no mention of that.
And they both do,despite the fact that this columnist makes no mention of that.
David Amos
@Mary Clarke "And they both do,despite the fact that this columnist makes no mention of that."
Methinks that is a rather telling thing about CBC's agenda N'esy Pas?
Methinks that is a rather telling thing about CBC's agenda N'esy Pas?
Glen Strathy
Maybe part of the problem is
that Americans identify which party they vote for -- registering as
either Deomcrats or Republicans. I prefer the Canadian system where no
one knows who I vote for.
David Amos
@Glen Strathy "Maybe part of
the problem is that Americans identify which party they vote for --
registering as either Deomcrats or Republicans."
I agree However
"I prefer the Canadian system where no one knows who I vote for."
Are you sure about that?
I agree However
"I prefer the Canadian system where no one knows who I vote for."
Are you sure about that?
Robert Mercer
Trump was right, the SYSTEM IS RIGGED! He lost by millions of votes and still won.
David Amos
@Robert Mercer Yea right but
you just gotta love the circus. Trump beat them at their own game merely
because enough folks were upset enough to vote against the rigged
electoral system and the predictions of the pollsters.
Jacques LaPalmier
Modern Republicons have a lot
in common with modern Unfettered Capitalism; one of the main things
being that it is OK to cheat to win; it is how they roll.
Sad.
Sad.
David Amos
@Jacques LaPalmier "OK to cheat to win; it is how they roll"
So much for Truth, Justice and the American Way EH?
Could Superman actually be Canadian?
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/could-superman-actually-be-canadian-1.1706526
So much for Truth, Justice and the American Way EH?
Could Superman actually be Canadian?
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/could-superman-actually-be-canadian-1.1706526
Steven Read
So a party needs to game the system to win? What does that say about their policies?
David Amos
@Steven Read Better yet what does that say of the system they created?
Christian Jane
Nice to know where the word
came from! As for the practice, it is completely unfair and would be
completely impossible without voters registering for their parties.
The solution that looks best would be to put decision-making powers regarding electoral boundaries in the hands of independent commissions. Trouble is, who chooses the commissions? Maybe putting a limit on how many Dems, how many Reps - and that would make voter registration useful.
The solution that looks best would be to put decision-making powers regarding electoral boundaries in the hands of independent commissions. Trouble is, who chooses the commissions? Maybe putting a limit on how many Dems, how many Reps - and that would make voter registration useful.
Patrick Smyth
@Paul Grizenko (formerly known as sing-a-song)
"have a good look at what YOU think democracy"
There's the problem, you expect "thinking" to be part of the equation.
"have a good look at what YOU think democracy"
There's the problem, you expect "thinking" to be part of the equation.
David Amos
@Patrick Smyth Methinks that democracy is a myth because things such as gerrymandering exist. N'esy Pas?
Paul Grizenko (formerly known as sing-a-song)
Time for the States to move into the 21st Century and create independent electoral commissions that can draw up th
David Amos
@Paul Grizenko (formerly
known as sing-a-song) "Unfortunately, since the laws are written by
those who are sponsored by money, the chances of this happening is very
small"
Everybody knows the Golden Rule is "He With the Gold Makes the Rules"
Everybody knows the Golden Rule is "He With the Gold Makes the Rules"
Ashley Zacharias
There is an achilles heel to
gerrymandering. Because many districts are "cracked", that is drawn so
that the favoured party wins by a small margin, if a small number of
those voters switch parties across the state, all of those districts
will fall to the other side. Then the favoured party will lose by a
landslide. The question for the 2018 midterm elections is whether the
Trump administration has been so egregiously terrible is how many
Republican voters will give up their partisan alliance and vote for a
Democrat for the sake of the country? It wouldn't take that many to
nearly wipe out the Republican the party.. Not likely sadly,, but nice
to dream about.
Michael Murphy
@Michele McLean "Yes, but redrawn to fairness?
I have my doubts."
Of course, it is still a Republican house, but a Democratic governor
If they can't agree, the court will do it for them
I suspect they will resolve on their own
I have my doubts."
Of course, it is still a Republican house, but a Democratic governor
If they can't agree, the court will do it for them
I suspect they will resolve on their own
David Amos
@Michael Murphy Spoken just like a former Attorney General N'esy Pas?
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/nafta-davos-round-table-invest-1.4500387
NAFTA uncertainty follows Trudeau to Davos as he meets with U.S. corporate leaders
Canada-U.S. economic roundtable will discuss modernizing trade deal
By Karina Roman, CBC News Posted: Jan 24, 2018 5:00 AM ETIn the morning the much edited comment section was back and it appears that my posts were gone as well No Thanks to Jesse Baby and his minions in Viafour N'esy Pas?
773 Comments
Commenting is now closed for this story.
7 Comments
David Amos
For the record I am against
free trade and always will be. When I ran for a seat in the 38th
Parliament in 2004 I clearly stated we should ourselves of NAFTA and
have done so in 4 more elections i ran in. 2004 was long before Trump
and his cohorts climbed on the band wagon talking tough on trade. All
the Yankees are is just tough talk while they go about bilking us for
more more more. The Yankees and much of the world need our natural
resources and always will.
These are some of my words on the topic that were quoted in two newsrags at the time while CBC denied that my name was even on the ballot.
Kings County Record
June 22, 2004
The Unconventional Candidate.
By Gisele McKnight
"What he’s fighting for is the discussion of issues – tainted blood, the exploitation of the Maritimes’ gas and oil reserves and NAFTA, to name a few.
"The political issues in the Maritimes involve the three Fs – fishing, farming and forestry, but they forget foreign issues," he said. "I’m death on NAFTA, the back room deals and free trade. I say chuck it (NAFTA) out the window.
NAFTA is the North American Free Trade Agreement which allows an easier flow of goods between Canada, the United States and Mexico.
Amos disagrees with the idea that a vote for him is a wasted vote.
"There are no wasted votes," he said. "I want people like me, especially young people, to pay attention and exercise their right. Don’t necessarily vote for me, but vote."
Philippe Dugas
Is it just a gllitch on my
end or did they just wipe out the thousands of posts this story had
garnered? Showing 4 posts total here.
David Amos
@Philippe Dugas Gone with the wind
Kath Ayres
@Philippe Dugas
Fortunately I copied one of the last (strong) comments, from Luke Stacey but will it get posted. We'll know if the loss of posts was a typo or not:
"A supranational milieu of the super-rich, just eighty of whom are now said to own nearly as much as the 3.5 billion people who occupy the bottom half of the world’s income scale.[74] Thanks to the enormous increase in global wealth in recent years, the “global power elite” who meet annually at Davos now have far more influence on how the world will be governed than those who meet annually at the United Nations General Assembly.
These power elite want global governance.
@ a supranational milieu of the super-rich, just eighty of whom are now said to own nearly as much as the 3.5 billion people who occupy the bottom half of the world’s income scale.[74] Thanks to the enormous increase in global wealth in recent years, the “global power elite” who meet annually at Davos now have far more influence on how the world will be governed than those who meet annually at the United Nations General Assembly.
These power elite want global governance."
Fortunately I copied one of the last (strong) comments, from Luke Stacey but will it get posted. We'll know if the loss of posts was a typo or not:
"A supranational milieu of the super-rich, just eighty of whom are now said to own nearly as much as the 3.5 billion people who occupy the bottom half of the world’s income scale.[74] Thanks to the enormous increase in global wealth in recent years, the “global power elite” who meet annually at Davos now have far more influence on how the world will be governed than those who meet annually at the United Nations General Assembly.
These power elite want global governance.
@ a supranational milieu of the super-rich, just eighty of whom are now said to own nearly as much as the 3.5 billion people who occupy the bottom half of the world’s income scale.[74] Thanks to the enormous increase in global wealth in recent years, the “global power elite” who meet annually at Davos now have far more influence on how the world will be governed than those who meet annually at the United Nations General Assembly.
These power elite want global governance."
Content disabled.
David Amos
@Kath Ayres FYI I save all my comments and replies etc and record them in a blog so consider your words saved as well
David Amos
@Kath Ayres If you could read my reply trust that you would smile
Jeffrey Wayne
The US wants NAFTA negotiations to success as much as everyone else.
Canada is right to stand up to bully tactics.
Canada is right to stand up to bully tactics.
David Amos
@Jeffrey Wayne You are not everyone I for one want rid of NAFTA
Jeffrey Wayne
Does Trump know that he is automatically under oath when speaking to Mueller?
Content disabled.
David Amos
@Jeffrey Wayne You do know the lawyer Mueller is a crooked a Hell?
David Amos
@Jeffrey Wayne Its rather interesting that CBC would block my reply
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/wilbur-ross-davos-nafta-speech-1.4501312
Wilbur Ross accuses Trudeau of using Davos speech to up NAFTA pressure
Canada's finance minister says they won't stop talking about benefits of trade
By Karina Roman, CBC Posted: Jan 24, 2018 7:55 AM ET3543 Comments
Commenting is now closed for this story.
Tom Collins
More than 1,000 private jets
bringing people to Davos where one of the topics will be climate change.
Couple in the limousine rides, the stays at posh carbon intensive
hotels, eating expensive food shipped in from all around the world.
Yeah, these people really believe in climate change.
Yeah, these people really believe in climate change.
David Amos
@Tom Collins "Yeah, these people really believe in climate change"
Methinks that thou doth jest too much but most folks like it N'ssy Pas?
Methinks that thou doth jest too much but most folks like it N'ssy Pas?
Eric Earls
I saw a helicopter photo of
the massive amount of private planes in Davos. Remember these are the
people getting even richer through pushing their environmental programs.
- Ironic
David Amos
@Eric Earls Methinks where the planes are parked in line displays the pecking order of the "Powers That Be" N'esy Pas?
Ellis Purdue
The pin balling NAFTA stories
are getting ridiculous, one day the CBC claims NAFTA being shut down,
next day things are great and moving forward, then Trump is vilified for
derailing, now Justin is pushing back etc.... Why not just report the
truth, which is the CBC has no clue on the NAFTA progress.
David Amos
@Ellis Purdue "Why not just report the truth, which is the CBC has no clue on the NAFTA progress."
The awful truth is that Trudeau and Trump have no clue either
The awful truth is that Trudeau and Trump have no clue either
Ben Smith
This guy has turned us into a huge laughingstock.
David Amos
@Ben Smith I loved it when ol
Wilbur was dancing with Trump and the strange boyz with swords I can
only imagine what was gong through their minds but the looks on their
faces were truly precious. Need I repeat that I love the circus?
Don Cameron
Lol, what would you expect the Americans to be saying?
"We're being hard done by!" "Nasty Canada is taking advantage of us".
Just more negotiating rhetoric from the US.
"We're being hard done by!" "Nasty Canada is taking advantage of us".
Just more negotiating rhetoric from the US.
David Amos
@Mark Robinson "The real
pressure is in the new NAFTA negotiations. I ceratainly hope we don't
sign onto a worse deal than last time. We lost the majority of our
manufacturing jobs working within the existing NAFTA.."
Every time I ran for public office I strongly suggested that we get out of NAFTA ASAP Here is our chance and it will be Trump's fault not ours. Hence no penalties whatsoever
Every time I ran for public office I strongly suggested that we get out of NAFTA ASAP Here is our chance and it will be Trump's fault not ours. Hence no penalties whatsoever
Brian Robertson
Trudeau is simply a boy among men.
He is incapable of applying pressure on anyone.
The sooner he is gone, the better.
He is incapable of applying pressure on anyone.
The sooner he is gone, the better.
David Amos
@Brian Robertson Do ya thing
that Trudeau "The Younger" recalls what Trudeau "The Elder" said to
Yankees in 1969? Methinks his boy and Trump are perfect example of what
he was joking about N'esy Pas?
Canada's relationship with the United States is like that of a mouse in bed with an elephant Living next to you is in some ways like sleeping with an elephant. No matter how friendly and even-tempered is the beast, if I can call it that, one is affected by every twitch and grunt.
Canada's relationship with the United States is like that of a mouse in bed with an elephant Living next to you is in some ways like sleeping with an elephant. No matter how friendly and even-tempered is the beast, if I can call it that, one is affected by every twitch and grunt.
Dan Fisher
The more photos he takes with real leaders , the more he believes he is one.
David Novak
@Dan Fisher - Jealousy will
get you nowhere. Tell you what, you take over as leader of fractured,
3rd place political party, whip it into shape and win a majority
government in your first try. Somewhere along the line punch out a
boorish Senator in the boxing ring. Then I'll listen to the likes of
you!
David Amos
@David Novak "Somewhere along the line punch out a boorish Senator in the boxing ring."
In my humble opinion that was Trudeau "The Younger's" best day and I have a lawsuit to prove.
In my humble opinion that was Trudeau "The Younger's" best day and I have a lawsuit to prove.
bill chagwich
After Scheer’s discussions
and visit with US politicians, Trudeau now thinks he should get on the
ban wagon and try to convince Canadians he has their interest
David Amos
@bill chagwich Methinks Mr
Scheer should be far more concerned about the news today of how the
Conservative leaders in Nova Scotia and Ontario have behaved N'esy Pas?
Nova Scotia PC Leader Jamie Baillie forced out over allegations of 'inappropriate behaviour'
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/jamie-baillie-resigns-inappropriate-behaviour-1.4501742
Ontario PC Leader Patrick Brown denies sexual misconduct allegations
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-pc-leader-patrick-brown-urgent-conference-1.4502883
Nova Scotia PC Leader Jamie Baillie forced out over allegations of 'inappropriate behaviour'
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/jamie-baillie-resigns-inappropriate-behaviour-1.4501742
Ontario PC Leader Patrick Brown denies sexual misconduct allegations
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-pc-leader-patrick-brown-urgent-conference-1.4502883
bill chagwich
Trudeau’s guick grab at the spotlight , attention, attention, attention
norman duck
@bill chagwich
the only attention he gets is from Canadian press as they are paid to like him
the only attention he gets is from Canadian press as they are paid to like him
David Amos
@norman duck How do you explain the adoring crowds wanting selfies with Trudeau "The Younger"? They vote too N'esy Pas?
norman duck
You see Trudeau in Flair magazine ,
You see Scheer in Newsweek
That should tell u how popular Trudeau is with young women as Scheer is popular with the corporate world
You see Scheer in Newsweek
That should tell u how popular Trudeau is with young women as Scheer is popular with the corporate world
Joe Smithson
@norman duck
Scheer sure is popular with corporation...it's the only thing Conservatives care about
Scheer sure is popular with corporation...it's the only thing Conservatives care about
David Amos
@Joe Smithson The Banksters love Trudeau "The Younger" too. Ask Frank McKenna why that is
Michael Nowak
A life led by attorneys,
trust-fund administrators, accountants and personal shoppers is
negotiating a trade deal with a seasoned, unpredictable and ruthless
American side.
OMG
Heaven help us.
OMG
Heaven help us.
Dionne Albert
@Michael Nowak
You mean the millionaires and oil barons? Man, you just love the States, don't you? They're just so great, aren't they? "Seasoned"? Give me a break!
You mean the millionaires and oil barons? Man, you just love the States, don't you? They're just so great, aren't they? "Seasoned"? Give me a break!
Allan Campbell
@Michael Nowak
No, we kicked that a - hole out in 2015
No, we kicked that a - hole out in 2015
Lily O'Loughlin
@Michael Nowak
Read this
Read this
David Amos
@Allan Campbell Why Is It
That I Am Not Surprised to see a Snobby Campbell be the First to
Challenge My Knowledge of Yankee Politicking?
Perhaps folks should Google two names
David Amos Wilbur Ross
Perhaps folks should Google two names
David Amos Wilbur Ross
Michael Nowak
Trudeau was convicted of 4 ethics violations.
What credibility does he really have abroad?
What credibility does he really have abroad?
@Michael Nowak
In what court?
Of what charges exactly?
Or is this more alt facts from the alt right
Just name the court and the charges he was convicted of and your integrity will still be intact
In what court?
Of what charges exactly?
Or is this more alt facts from the alt right
Just name the court and the charges he was convicted of and your integrity will still be intact
David Amos
@John Anderson You want facts
eh? Perhaps you both should query the Docket # T-1557-15 of the Federal
Court of Canada and with Lady Luck on my side The Supreme Court as well
in the near future
John Anderson
On behalf of all real
Canadians, who I speak for btw, Take a well deserved bow Prime Minster
Trudeau. Thanks for doing such a fantastic job for Canada and real
Canadians.
You have the cons in a huge twist, note the angry bile filled posting from them, bravo, hip hip hooray. Prime Minster Trudeau you have so much support from Real Canadians that you can remain Prime Minster as long as you see fit.
You have the cons in a huge twist, note the angry bile filled posting from them, bravo, hip hip hooray. Prime Minster Trudeau you have so much support from Real Canadians that you can remain Prime Minster as long as you see fit.
Nelson Porter
@John Anderson
"On behalf of all real Canadians, who I speak for btw..."
I don't recall seeing your name on the ballot.
"On behalf of all real Canadians, who I speak for btw..."
I don't recall seeing your name on the ballot.
David Amos
@Nelson Porter If you were in
certain areas of the Maritmes you would have seen my name on a ballot
five times running against Liberal and Conservatives since 2004. So what
was your point of editing Mr Anderson's statement?
Tamara Jae
@David Amos
pointing out the fact that he does not speak for all Canadians
or "real" Canadians as he says? Whatever that means
he speaks only for himself
pointing out the fact that he does not speak for all Canadians
or "real" Canadians as he says? Whatever that means
he speaks only for himself
David Amos
@Tamara Jae I agree but on the other hand I am saddled with the obligation to speak for three stooges who can't even vote.
If you wish to laugh at the nonsense of it all just Google
David Amos Me Myself and I
If you wish to laugh at the nonsense of it all just Google
David Amos Me Myself and I
Here's how gerrymandering games U.S. elections — and why this Pennsylvania decision matters
U.S. Supreme Court decision could put an end to the partisan way election districts are drawn
By Matt Kwong, CBC News Posted: Jan 24, 2018 5:00 AM ET
A voter leaves the booth after casting her ballot in the
Pennsylvania primary in Philadelphia in April 2016. (Charles
Mostoller/Reuters)
Pennsylvania lawmakers who redrew a congressional district map
to advantage the Republican Party went too far, the state's Supreme
Court ruled on Monday, delivering a blow against gerrymandering that
signals limits to the practice across the country.
In a decision that could boost Democrats' odds of retaking the U.S. House of Representatives come November's mid-terms, Pennsylvania's Supreme Court ruled on Monday that the state's congressional map violates the state's constitution. It must be redrawn by Feb. 15.
The 5-2 court decision is expected to be appealed by Republicans.
The development came amid a pending ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court that could curb practices that have for centuries allowed politicians to choose their voters, rather than the other way around.
That ruling, expected by June, could force the redrawing of wonky, unfair voting lines across the country. But regardless of the U.S. Supreme Court outcome, Monday's decision in Pennsylvania matters because it presents what the Brennan Center's Michael Li calls a "second front" for fighting gerrymandering — the state courts.
Pennsylvania's 7th congressional district is often cited as an example of partisan gerrymandering and made CNN's list of most obscenely gerrymandered congressional districts in America. Its shape has been mockingly said to resemble Goofy kicking Donald Duck.
Here's what to know about gerrymandering.
Gerrymandering refers to the drawing of district lines — whether for Congress or for state legislatures — in order to give one party numeric advantage over the other. The technique is as old as the United States itself. In 1788, Founding Father Patrick Henry tried to gerrymander arch foe James Madison out of the first federal Congress.
As the saying goes: It's not the voters choosing their representatives, it's the representatives choosing their voters.
Critics say gerrymandering harms democracy. By way of mathematical trickery, a party can lock out rivals from being able to achieve a majority.
Like "packing" and "cracking."
In packing, you're taking as many voters on the rival side as you can and cramming them into as few districts as possible.
Cracking refers to spreading voters as thinly as you can across as many districts as possible. Remember that margin of victory doesn't matter because winner takes all — 50 per cent plus one is enough.
Take these battleground states as examples:
Pennsylvania: In 2012, Republicans won less than half the statewide vote (49 per cent), and yet they took 13 out of 18 seats in the House of Representatives (72.2 per cent).
Ohio: In 2016, Republicans won just over half of the overall vote (51.3 per cent) but took 12 out of 16 House seats (75 per cent).
North Carolina: In 2016, Republicans won less than half (49.8 per cent) of the votes, but took control of 10 out of 13 House seats (76.9 per cent).
"Swing districts, even in our swing states, don't have any swing," says David Daley, a senior fellow at FairVote and the author of Ratf**ked: The True Story Behind the Secret Plan to Steal America's Democracy.
Democrats would say so.
The Brennan Center for Justice estimates extreme partisan bias gave Republicans at least 16 to 17 more seats in the 2016 election, and possibly as many as 29, according to one analysis.
Democrats were 24 seats short of controlling the House of Representatives.
In most states, the party in power during a redistricting year holds the redistricting pen. The last redistricting year was in 2010, when the last census happened.
It just so happens that the Republicans won a wave election in the 2010 mid-terms — just in time to allow them to harness emerging mapping software and Big Data.
Software like Maptitude crunches demographic details from the census as well as public records databases, voting records and even consumer preferences.
"Add into it social media — Facebook likes, Twitter activity — your magazine subscriptions, and it creates a perfect portrait of who all of us are in our houses," Daley says. "The programs can run down a street and you can have the houses on one side of a street in one district; and the other side of the street in another district altogether."
For the most part, courts have tended to leave it up to the states to engineer maps.
A few states (including California, Arizona and Montana) have independent commissions for redistricting, much like in Canada.
The Supreme Court justices have said that gerrymandering can, in theory, be so extreme as to be unconstitutional. The problem is how to tell when that line is crossed.
In recent years, mapping software has been the game-changer. The
Wisconsin legislative map drawn up in 2010 targets voters with surgical
precision, virtually locking out Democrats from controlling the House.
All of which brings us to the Supreme Court case.
Plaintiffs say that in 2012, the new redistricting map for Wisconsin, a purple district, aggressively favoured Republicans. The party's candidates won a minority (47 per cent) of the vote but took 60 of the 99 legislative seats. Last year, Republicans won 53 per cent of the assembly vote but took 64 seats.
The Supreme Court is considering whether judges can throw out voting maps for being so lopsided they violate the constitution.
The fact that conservative-leaning justice Anthony Kennedy grilled the defendants was seen as a possible sign that he's leaning towards the plaintiffs who oppose partisan gerrymandering.
Kennedy is a swing vote, as Daley notes, "so it's not hyperbole to say that the future of our democracy rests on the way that this one justice rules on this one case."
It has put discriminatory "racial gerrymandering" out of constitutional bounds. That's the kind of gerrymandering that was found in North Carolina, when the map diluted the power of black voters.
As a result, many states believed they could "go to town" on party-based gerrymandering, so long as they could prove it wasn't race-motivated, Li says.
"States defend maps disadvantageous to minorities, saying, 'We were just trying to hurt Democrats, and they just happen to be African-Americans and Latinos.'"
That opening could close as the Supreme Court tackles partisan gerrymandering.
Blame this 1812 political cartoon. When Massachusetts Gov. Elbridge
Gerry signed off on a map designed to help the party in power, the
Boston Gazette newspaper joked that it looked like a salamander,
hence gerry-mander.
Never mind that Gerry is actually pronounced "Gary."
When it comes to the 200-year-old practice of gerrymandering, there's plenty that still leaves critics scratching their heads.
In a decision that could boost Democrats' odds of retaking the U.S. House of Representatives come November's mid-terms, Pennsylvania's Supreme Court ruled on Monday that the state's congressional map violates the state's constitution. It must be redrawn by Feb. 15.
The 5-2 court decision is expected to be appealed by Republicans.
The development came amid a pending ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court that could curb practices that have for centuries allowed politicians to choose their voters, rather than the other way around.
That ruling, expected by June, could force the redrawing of wonky, unfair voting lines across the country. But regardless of the U.S. Supreme Court outcome, Monday's decision in Pennsylvania matters because it presents what the Brennan Center's Michael Li calls a "second front" for fighting gerrymandering — the state courts.
Pennsylvania's 7th congressional district is often cited as an example of partisan gerrymandering and made CNN's list of most obscenely gerrymandered congressional districts in America. Its shape has been mockingly said to resemble Goofy kicking Donald Duck.
Pennsylvania's 7th congressional district. (CBC)
Here's what to know about gerrymandering.
First things first: What the heck is gerrymandering?
Gerrymandering refers to the drawing of district lines — whether for Congress or for state legislatures — in order to give one party numeric advantage over the other. The technique is as old as the United States itself. In 1788, Founding Father Patrick Henry tried to gerrymander arch foe James Madison out of the first federal Congress.
As the saying goes: It's not the voters choosing their representatives, it's the representatives choosing their voters.
Critics say gerrymandering harms democracy. By way of mathematical trickery, a party can lock out rivals from being able to achieve a majority.
Mathematical trickery like what?
Like "packing" and "cracking."
In packing, you're taking as many voters on the rival side as you can and cramming them into as few districts as possible.
Cracking refers to spreading voters as thinly as you can across as many districts as possible. Remember that margin of victory doesn't matter because winner takes all — 50 per cent plus one is enough.
(Princeton Gerrymandering Project)
How skewed can things get?
Take these battleground states as examples:
Pennsylvania: In 2012, Republicans won less than half the statewide vote (49 per cent), and yet they took 13 out of 18 seats in the House of Representatives (72.2 per cent).
Ohio: In 2016, Republicans won just over half of the overall vote (51.3 per cent) but took 12 out of 16 House seats (75 per cent).
North Carolina: In 2016, Republicans won less than half (49.8 per cent) of the votes, but took control of 10 out of 13 House seats (76.9 per cent).
"Swing districts, even in our swing states, don't have any swing," says David Daley, a senior fellow at FairVote and the author of Ratf**ked: The True Story Behind the Secret Plan to Steal America's Democracy.
Does this make that much of a difference nationally?
Democrats would say so.
The Brennan Center for Justice estimates extreme partisan bias gave Republicans at least 16 to 17 more seats in the 2016 election, and possibly as many as 29, according to one analysis.
Democrats were 24 seats short of controlling the House of Representatives.
How does this happen?
In most states, the party in power during a redistricting year holds the redistricting pen. The last redistricting year was in 2010, when the last census happened.
It just so happens that the Republicans won a wave election in the 2010 mid-terms — just in time to allow them to harness emerging mapping software and Big Data.
How precise are these computer programs?
Software like Maptitude crunches demographic details from the census as well as public records databases, voting records and even consumer preferences.
"Add into it social media — Facebook likes, Twitter activity — your magazine subscriptions, and it creates a perfect portrait of who all of us are in our houses," Daley says. "The programs can run down a street and you can have the houses on one side of a street in one district; and the other side of the street in another district altogether."
How is this legal?
For the most part, courts have tended to leave it up to the states to engineer maps.
A few states (including California, Arizona and Montana) have independent commissions for redistricting, much like in Canada.
The Supreme Court justices have said that gerrymandering can, in theory, be so extreme as to be unconstitutional. The problem is how to tell when that line is crossed.
David Daley of FairVote says the 'future of
our democracy' rests on the way Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy
votes on this case. (David Daley/Twitter)
All of which brings us to the Supreme Court case.
Supreme Court test case: Gill v. Whitford
Plaintiffs say that in 2012, the new redistricting map for Wisconsin, a purple district, aggressively favoured Republicans. The party's candidates won a minority (47 per cent) of the vote but took 60 of the 99 legislative seats. Last year, Republicans won 53 per cent of the assembly vote but took 64 seats.
The Supreme Court is considering whether judges can throw out voting maps for being so lopsided they violate the constitution.
Which way is the court leaning?
The fact that conservative-leaning justice Anthony Kennedy grilled the defendants was seen as a possible sign that he's leaning towards the plaintiffs who oppose partisan gerrymandering.
Kennedy is a swing vote, as Daley notes, "so it's not hyperbole to say that the future of our democracy rests on the way that this one justice rules on this one case."
Has the Supreme Court intervened before?
It has put discriminatory "racial gerrymandering" out of constitutional bounds. That's the kind of gerrymandering that was found in North Carolina, when the map diluted the power of black voters.
As a result, many states believed they could "go to town" on party-based gerrymandering, so long as they could prove it wasn't race-motivated, Li says.
"States defend maps disadvantageous to minorities, saying, 'We were just trying to hurt Democrats, and they just happen to be African-Americans and Latinos.'"
That opening could close as the Supreme Court tackles partisan gerrymandering.
One last thing: Why call it 'gerrymandering'?
This 1812 political cartoon satirizes the
unusual shape of the district of South Essex, Mass., after it was drawn
to favour candidates from Gov. Elbridge Gerry's Democratic-Republican
Party over those from the Federalist Party. (Wikipedia/public domain)
Never mind that Gerry is actually pronounced "Gary."
When it comes to the 200-year-old practice of gerrymandering, there's plenty that still leaves critics scratching their heads.
NAFTA uncertainty follows Trudeau to Davos as he meets with U.S. corporate leaders
Canada-U.S. economic roundtable will discuss modernizing trade deal
By Karina Roman, CBC News Posted: Jan 24, 2018 5:00 AM ET
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau talks with reporters
following a meeting with business leaders at the World Economic Forum
Wednesday, January 24, 2018 in Davos, Switzerland. (Paul
Chiasson/Canadian Press)
"We just had a great conversation about all the jobs in Canada and the U.S. that rely on NAFTA," Trudeau said to reporters after the meeting.
"We talked a lot about ensuring that citizens, and workers and families on both sides of the border understand that the integrated supply chains, the trade back and forth between Canada and the U.S. and Mexico, has been tremendously beneficial and we're going to keep working on that."
The Canada-U.S. roundtable was chaired by Dominic Barton, global managing partner of consulting firm McKinsey and Company. Barton also chairs Finance Minister Bill Morneau's advisory council on economic growth.
Dominic Barton, chairman of an advisory
committee to federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau, talks with reporters
at the World Economic Forum Wednesday, January 24, 2018 in Davos,
Switzerland. (Paul Chiasson/Canadian Press)
"It was about the importance of (NAFTA) and that we have to have voices coming [on that], not just from Canada, but also from the U.S. NAFTA is important for U.S. businesses. It's important that we understand that."
Trudeau was joined by Status of Women Minister Maryam Monsef. The U.S. members of the roundtable were:
- Andrew Liveris, chairman and CEO of Dow Chemical.
- David Abney, chairman and CEO of UPS.
- David MacLennan, chairman and CEO of Cargill.
- Don Rosenberg, executive vice-president and general counsel at Qualcomm Inc.
- Paul Jacob, executive chairman at Qualcomm Inc.
- John Furner, CEO of Sam's Club (a division of Walmart).
- Larry Fink, chairman and CEO of BlackRock.
- Tom Farley, chairman and CEO of the New York Stock Exchange.
- Tom Hayes, president and CEO of Tyson Foods.
Abney said that while NAFTA needs to be modernized, there's no question it has been good for jobs.
"Every 22 packages that either enters the U.S. or leaves the U.S. creates a UPS job," he said. "We believe there's a win-win-win solution and we're working with the governments in all three countries to make sure that we express our opinions."
'I am not Donald Trump'
As Barton said, uncertainty over the future of NAFTA and, therefore, over Canada's preferred access to the U.S. market, makes Trudeau's Davos pitch for more business investment challenging.
John Manley, a former Liberal cabinet minister and now CEO of the Business Council of Canada, said Trudeau simply needs to reassure businesses that Canada is committed to NAFTA.
"And he will probably make the case that when cooler heads prevail, NAFTA may be changed, but it will continue and businesses can expect to continue to benefit from the easier access to the United States' market," said Manley, who is also attending Davos.
While the focus for Canada is wooing business investment, strategic political meetings are taking place as well, of course. For example, Morneau is expected to meet Wednesday with his U.S. counterpart, Steve Mnuchin, who is also a friend.
Being part of a new Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, announced Tuesday, comes at a good time for Trudeau in his pitch to investors, said Manley, because it shows Canada favours liberalized trade with the fastest growing economic region in the world.
"It shows we favour a system of rules for trade with Asia that are not, frankly, dictated by China. And by saying Canada is part of TPP — without saying so — the prime minister is saying 'I am not Donald Trump' and I think that is a good thing," Manley said.
'Canada is a place to be'
Ulrich Spiesshofer, CEO of ABB Group, a power and automation technology company headquartered in Switzerland, doesn't see the uncertainty over NAFTA as a deterrent to investing in Canada.
"ABB has made a choice, a long time ago, to be active in Canada," said Spiesshofer, adding that just last year ABB opened a new campus in Montreal employing more than 700 people.
"We think Canada is a place to be," he said, pointing to Canada's education system that means his company can attract good, talented people.
Spiesshofer is also not overly concerned about the recent massive tax cut in the U.S., which greatly diminishes Canada's competitive edge on corporate taxes.
"It doesn't mean that Canada is not attractive. All together it's an important market and we're happy to serve it," he said.
Trudeau attributes ABB's recent Montreal expansion to meetings he had with the company two years ago when he was first in Davos.
Trudeau meets with Ulrich Spiesshofer, president and CEO of the ABB Group, on Tuesday in Davos. (Paul Chiasson/Canadian Press)
In other words, Trudeau is making the case that coming to Davos is worth it, and he can successfully sell Canada.
But it's not always a slam dunk.
In 2016, Trudeau and his ministers met with the head of General Motors in a bid to ensure its Oshawa plant continue. It remains open, but this past December GM announced it is scaling back production of the plant and cutting worker shifts.
Wilbur Ross accuses Trudeau of using Davos speech to up NAFTA pressure
Canada's finance minister says they won't stop talking about benefits of trade
By Karina Roman, CBC Posted: Jan 24, 2018 7:55 AM ET
U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, who arrived in Davos
on Wednesday, told reporters Trudeau's speech was designed 'to put a
little pressure on the U.S.' in NAFTA talks. (The Associated Press)
U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross took a shot at Prime Minister
Justin Trudeau on Wednesday, accusing him of using his speech at the
World Economic Forum a day earlier to apply pressure on the United
States in the North American Free Trade Agreement re-negotiations.
Ross made the comments to reporters after arriving in Davos, Switzerland, for the forum.
In a speech Tuesday, Trudeau talked up Canada being part of a new Trans-Pacific Partnership with 10 other nations. The original TPP was scuttled after U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew his country from it.
In a question and answer period after his speech, Trudeau was asked if he thought the new TPP deal was so good that the U.S. would join.
"We're working very hard to make sure our neighbour to the south recognizes how good NAFTA is," Trudeau said with a chuckle. "And that it's benefited not just our economy but his economy and the world's economy."
Ross said that Trudeau's speech was designed "to put a little pressure on the U.S. in the NAFTA talks."
Canada's finance minister, Bill Morneau, insisted this is not evidence of an escalation of words between the two countries.
But he made no apologies for the prime minister touting the new TPP deal or NAFTA.
"We'll continue to talk about the benefits of trade. We're proud of [the TPP]. We signed something that's going to make a difference to our economy," said Morneau.
"With NAFTA, negotiations are tough ... and we should expect there will be challenges."
Morneau met with his U.S. counterpart, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, over lunch Wednesday.
Earlier in the day, Mnuchin told reporters that the Trump administration believes in "bilateral trading agreements," but wants to ensure "U.S. opportunities are equal to other people's opportunities in the U.S."
Morneau said he and Mnuchin discussed their respective economies, the G7 summit that Canada is hosting this year and NAFTA.
Reporters asked Morneau if Mnuchin believes that NAFTA is important for both countries.
"Of course, he understands the importance of NAFTA for American businesses, " Morneau said. "And we understand it for Canadian businesses."
Saving some version of NAFTA was the focus of a private roundtable Wednesday between Trudeau and leaders of major U.S. corporations with big stakes in NAFTA. Those leaders are being encouraged to ramp up talk in the U.S. of the benefits of the trade agreement.
Ross made the comments to reporters after arriving in Davos, Switzerland, for the forum.
In a speech Tuesday, Trudeau talked up Canada being part of a new Trans-Pacific Partnership with 10 other nations. The original TPP was scuttled after U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew his country from it.
In a question and answer period after his speech, Trudeau was asked if he thought the new TPP deal was so good that the U.S. would join.
"We're working very hard to make sure our neighbour to the south recognizes how good NAFTA is," Trudeau said with a chuckle. "And that it's benefited not just our economy but his economy and the world's economy."
Ross said that Trudeau's speech was designed "to put a little pressure on the U.S. in the NAFTA talks."
Canada's finance minister, Bill Morneau, insisted this is not evidence of an escalation of words between the two countries.
But he made no apologies for the prime minister touting the new TPP deal or NAFTA.
"We'll continue to talk about the benefits of trade. We're proud of [the TPP]. We signed something that's going to make a difference to our economy," said Morneau.
"With NAFTA, negotiations are tough ... and we should expect there will be challenges."
Morneau and Mnuchin talk
Morneau met with his U.S. counterpart, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, over lunch Wednesday.
Earlier in the day, Mnuchin told reporters that the Trump administration believes in "bilateral trading agreements," but wants to ensure "U.S. opportunities are equal to other people's opportunities in the U.S."
Finance Minister Bill Morneau is also in
Davos as part of Canada's delegation to the World Economic Forum. (Paul
Chiasson/Canadian Press)
Reporters asked Morneau if Mnuchin believes that NAFTA is important for both countries.
"Of course, he understands the importance of NAFTA for American businesses, " Morneau said. "And we understand it for Canadian businesses."
Saving some version of NAFTA was the focus of a private roundtable Wednesday between Trudeau and leaders of major U.S. corporations with big stakes in NAFTA. Those leaders are being encouraged to ramp up talk in the U.S. of the benefits of the trade agreement.
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