US House Redistricting: Michigan

[krazen1211]

It makes sense if you are a Democrat since it restructures the outstate districts to eliminate a Republican seat in Western Michigan and replace it with a Democratic seat in Central Michigan.

It then maintains a 5-1_1/2 seat of seats in metro Detroit by created an outersuburban pack district to dump as many Republicans as possible. That might make sense to a Democrat.

It fails to cross Eightmile right to add Blacks to the two Detroit districts because they are underpopulated. Drawing districts that are 51% Black rather than 54%/56% might make sense if you are Democrat.


Crossing the Macomb/Oakland county line three times might make sense if you are a Democrat, but, it isn't within the rules.

If you are going to cut a black seat, as was done in that map, there is no more logical community of interest district than all the black areas of Detroit put together + the 2 cities inside.

[krazen1211]

The map doesn't cut a black seat. There are two black seats.

one majority black VAP, the other plurality black VAP and majority black+Hispanic VAP




This is quite clearly retrogressing a black seat.

[krazen1211]

The map doesn't cut a black seat. There are two black seats.

one majority black VAP, the other plurality black VAP and majority black+Hispanic VAP

This is quite clearly retrogressing a black seat.

lolno. Not even the Supreme Court agrees with you.

The definition of the wording is obvious, as are the numbers. But, go on drawing Democratic maps and describing them as 'fair', I won't stop you.

[krazen1211]

...and are just as likely to elect blacks. And this would make sense to people of all political stripes when the intention is obvious to preserve county lines.

Is anyone else laughing at the idea of a map that crosses Oakland > Macomb 3 times being described as 'preserving county lines'?

[krazen1211]

I'd like to see krazen or BigSkyBob draw a map as to what they'd consider "fair", but they'll probably just argue that the current disgusting GOP gerrymander is a fair map.

A fair map would give the Democrats 6 districts; 1 in Flint/Saginaw, 1 in Detroit, 1 in Lower Oakland/Macomb, 1 in Wayne County, 1 in Washentaw/remainder of Wayne, and perhaps 1 in central Oakland. There is no other compelling strength of Democratic votes to guarantee them a 7th seat unless you decide to exclude extremely rational choices like attacking Ingram to neighboring Livingston County as was done in Debbie Stabenow's district.

The proposed maps include curious choices to needlessly reconfigure compact districts like the 6th that nicely sit in a corner of the state. Which are of course valid choices that adhere to municipal boundaries, but do not preclude the idea of other valid choices.

[krazen1211]

I'd like to see krazen or BigSkyBob draw a map as to what they'd consider "fair", but they'll probably just argue that the current disgusting GOP gerrymander is a fair map.

A fair map would give the Democrats 6 districts; 1 in Flint/Saginaw, 1 in Detroit, 1 in Lower Oakland/Macomb, 1 in Wayne County, 1 in Washentaw/remainder of Wayne, and perhaps 1 in central Oakland. There is no other compelling strength of Democratic votes to guarantee them a 7th seat unless you decide to exclude extremely rational choices like attacking Ingram to neighboring Livingston County as was done in Debbie Stabenow's district.

The proposed maps include curious choices to needlessly reconfigure compact districts like the 6th that nicely sit in a corner of the state. Which are of course valid choices that adhere to municipal boundaries, but do not preclude the idea of other valid choices.

This is the sticking point--attaching Ingham and Livingston Counties to one another is not a rational choice. That's not a comment on whether it favors either party. (It would favor the Democrats to do so if the additional population thereafter were acquired from Eaton or Shiawassee County instead of outer Oakland County.) But they are completely and totally different in all ways; the fact that they are neighbors does not make connecting them reasonable or rational or intelligible for any reasons other than partisanship.

The same, of course, is true of connecting Washtenaw and Livingston (which you hypocritically aren't advocating, of course because it always favors the Democrats) or Gennessee to Livingston (again, no more unreasonable than connecting Ingham and Livingston, but also favors the Democrats). Livingston only reasonably connects to its fellow Detroit suburbs in Oakland and/or Wayne and the extreme NE corner of Washtenaw; it shares nothing in common with its other neighbors.

You fail to understand the basic meaning of "community of interest".

Of course it is a valid choice. The major highways such as I-96 run east-west, and the historical nature of the link sets precedent for it to be maintained. Partisanship is an obvious excuse as the seat has been held by a Democrat in recent years.

When you attach a county like Washentaw, you come up with the pyramid shaped 7th district as you did that stretches over vast areas, as well as explicitly uncompacting the 6th district to move Kalamazoo into the 7th. That is partisanship, not to mention violating the neutral standards. You simply make choices that favor the Democratic party, and that is your right, but most people don't pretend that their crap smells like perfume.

[krazen1211]

so a state that hasn't voted republican since 1988 is entitled to only six democratic seats? What are you smoking?

Who do you think won the Congressional vote in 2010?

[krazen1211]

Of course it is a valid choice. The major highways such as I-96 run east-west, and the historical nature of the link sets precedent for it to be maintained. Partisanship is an obvious excuse as the seat has been held by a Democrat in recent years.

The point is that Livingston County has far more in common with points east than with points west, north, or south. To create a Livingston-based district with the best possible community of interest would require the district to pick up portions of Oakland County.

Ingham County also has far more in common with the rest of its Metropolitan area (Eaton, Clinton Counties, possibly Shiawassee) than it does with Livingston County. To create a Lansing-based district with the best possible community of interest would require Ingham, Eaton, and Clinton to be in the same district, and that Livingston County be excluded from that district.

For the billionth time, this is not a matter of partisanship. The discussion is on creating a map that best preserves communities of interest. The only partisanship involved is when your side hails a blatant Republican gerrymander as God's gift to redistricting, and then denounces a map that preserves communities of interest as a Democratic gerrymander.

It is a very natural extension of the Michigan transit corridors. The Stabenow district used to extend into Gennessee County. To protect the integrity of the Flint district, Michigan mappers properly removed the 8th from Gennessee altogether and added Clinton County.

Any natural Michigan mapping scheme will begin in the Detroit Region, and after the Detroit 2 and Oakland 2 districts are drawn, only limited population remained in Oakland County, and Livingston County. The natural extension from here based on television and transit corridors is of course west.

Is your map a legit community of interest as it swoops and swerves across numerous counties to rack up far away GOP voters? Of course not! To drive from Howell to Port Huron along the fastest route you would cross through a whopping 4 other Congressional districts before reaching your destination on the far other side of the district.

The other proposed maps have the same types of choices, such as uncompacting the square shaped 6th district to add Battle Creek. The Judge-written Apol standards were written as such knowing that some would tend to abuse curious 'community of interests' ideas and thus instead adhered to defined geographical boundaries. They were not considered 'unfair' until 1 party started losing.

[krazen1211]

What do I see? The Dem map.

http://hosted.ap.org/specials/interactives/_documents/mich_redistricting.pdf

Livingston County paired with Lansing.

Oakland County cut 5 ways.

Not even 1 district entirely within Wayne County.

Oakland to Macomb double cross.

[krazen1211]

Ah, I missed the headline. This is the Democratic proposed map for Michigan Congressional redistricting.

[krazen1211]

What do I see? The Dem map.

http://hosted.ap.org/specials/interactives/_documents/mich_redistricting.pdf

Livingston County paired with Lansing.

Oakland County cut 5 ways.

Not even 1 district entirely within Wayne County.

Oakland to Macomb double cross.

That's almost as bad as the Republican map. In fact, in some places, it's worse.

Yeah, that's a fail.  They seem to have copied literally all of the outstate regions from the Republican map.  Classy.

Well, hey, underscores why MI Dems are often just as bad as MI Reps.  I'm glad I voted Green for Governor

What's going on their in their MI-12 and MI-15?  Did they just decide to use two identical colors next to each other?

No, there is no MI-15.

[krazen1211]

Hopefully this might be the end of Conyers.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0711/59589.html

Combine that with a political class starting to tire of having the same representative for decades and a bevy of talent waiting in the wings, Democratic strategists say, and you’ve got the makings of a serious primary challenge.

“He can’t win that seat,” longtime Detroit Democratic consultant Adolph Mongo said.

“The question is still out if he’s even going to run in that new district,” said Democratic strategist Steve Hood.




I suppose he can just take the threatening route.


http://www.freep.com/article/20110622/NEWS06/110622011/With-maps-State-Senate-panel-approves-revamped-Michigan-districts

“The map you submitted is causing warfare in the city of Detroit,” said state Sen. Virgil Smith, D-Detroit.

[krazen1211]

Conyers isn't going anywhere, he and Clarke will likely switch seats. Not that it matters much anyway, the seat still won't go Republican, so.....

It surely matters to the people of the ghettos of Detroit to have effective representation.

He has a challenger. Of course if they foreclose his home, Conyers might not even live in the state...

http://www.mlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2011/07/john_conyers_to_face_challenge.html

U.S. Rep. John Conyers (D-Detroit), dean of the Congressional Black Caucus, will face a primary challenge from Sen. Bert Johnson (D-Highland Park), MIRS reports.

[krazen1211]

1 opponent KOed.

http://www.battlecreekenquirer.com/article/20110727/NEWS01/307270013/Schauer-says-he-won-t-run-2012?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Frontpage

Schauer said this morning that the redistricting process, which moved Battle Creek into the 3rd Congressional District, held by Grand Rapids-area Republican Justin Amash, was a factor in his decision.

[krazen1211]

Hmph. Conyers has successfully elbowed out Hansen Clarke into the competitive (in a primary) district.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0811/61799.html

Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.) avoided a perilous primary challenge Sunday when neighboring Rep. Hansen Clarke paved the way for the two Michigan Democrats to essentially swap congressional districts ahead of their reelection bids.

[krazen1211]

Prophetic!

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0911/62834.html


Gary Peters to challenge Hansen Clarke in new Michigan district

Peters could make an announcement as early as this week. He’ll join a field that also includes Southfield Mayor Brenda Lawrence. With a profile that could play well in both Oakland County and the wealthy Grosse Point areas, Peters could benefit from a split black vote. His decision averts a much more difficult primary against longtime Rep. Sander Levin, after the two were drawn into the same district by Republicans

[krazen1211]

And here comes the most amusing lawsuit of the cycle!

http://detnews.com/article/20111208/POLITICS02/112080460/Minority-groups-sue-to-block-state-redistricting-plan#ixzz1fyccjTLj

Minority advocacy groups have filed a lawsuit against Gov. Rick Snyder and the Michigan legislative redistricting plan for Detroit seats he signed into law in August.

The plan could cost Detroiters representation in Lansing as new district borders reach further into the suburbs. The group also took issue with southwest Detroit being split into two districts, lessening the opportunity for the Latino community to be fully represented, leaders said.





How amusing. The GOP draws a map that protects the Detroit reps despite massive population loss in Detroit and one that is quite favorable to the city as a whole.

Should have just packed the city into 3 Senate districts rather than 5.