
<p>Is racism a factor in legislative redistricting by the states? ; While Democrats and the media point an accusatory finger at the Republican Party, is that legitimate?</p>



<p>Having been involved in the issues of redistricting at every level – including court cases – I suggest that race is not a primary consideration for GOP redistricting – even gerrymandering.  ; Actually, not a consideration at all. ; In my periodic involvement in redistricting, I have never … as in never … heard a Republican discuss redistricting in racist term. ; It is not a consideration. ; The appearance of racial segregation in redistricting is coincidental at best.</p>



<p>(I probably should pause as the Democrats and their media allies extinguish the fire consuming their hair.) ;</p>



<p>To understand why I reject racism as a primary – or even a secondary – consideration in redistricting, you need to know the primary purpose of realigning the legislative districts. ; Basically, it is to give the party controlling redistricting more elected offices in the next election – regardless of the ethnicity of the voters. ; We do this every ten years as the census reveals population shifts.</p>



<p>Certainly, people criticize the partisan nature of redistricting, but it is what it is – and always will be. ; The party in power draws maps that benefit … the party in power. ; Duh! ; The cross criticism between the parties – depending on which has the power at the time &#8212; is mostly political hypocrisy. ; ;</p>



<p>One way to gain more legislative seats is to jam the other party’s voters into single districts – minimizing the other party’s voters in other districts. ; Or to spread the other party’s voters into multiple districts in which they are only a minority. ; Not a racial minority, but just a voter minority.</p>



<p>Because blacks have voted overwhelmingly for Democrats, they are the victims of redistricting by Republicans. ; Not because they are black, but because they are Democrat voters. ; If blacks voted Republican in greater number, it would completely change the GOP’s redistricting strategy. ; It is all about votes – not racism.</p>



<p>What about Democrat redistricting? ; That is where an analysis gets interesting.</p>



<p>Is it possible that Democrats – not Republicans – are more likely to base their redistricting strategies on race and racism?</p>



<p>(There goes another outbreak of progressive hair fires.)</p>



<p>Consider this. ; Democrats have had a looong history of redistricting in states where they hold power – and have a large segregated black vote. ; Yet, they have used redistricting to confine both the black and Hispanic vote into the fewest districts possible. ; That has nothing to do with arranging the vote – and everything to do with limiting black and Hispanic empowerment – to retain the power for the white Democrat establishment.</p>



<p>Democrats in places like New York and Chicago, could easily have created concise (one border/no “islands”) and compact (no meandering all over the place) integrated districts and still prevailed on election day. ;  ; So, why put all the blacks and Hispanics in one district – essentially diminishing the number of black public officials.</p>



<p>Look at the old 7<sup>th</sup> Congressional District in Chicago. It was designed by Democrats to concentrate the bulk of the black community into a single district … a virtually all black district.  ; They did the same with the 4<sup>th</sup> Congressional district – a virtually all Hispanic district. ;</p>



<p>Since these districts were not necessitated based on VOTER demographics, it leaves only the racial demographics as the primary purpose. ; That is racism.</p>



<p>Whenever the ten-year census requires redrawing of political districts, there is going to be a huge battle between those with the power and those without. ; The arguments are always the same – and racism is one of the evergreen accusations. The same old arguments will hypocritically flip back and forth as the power side flips back and forth between parties. ; Those with the power will do – and those without will complain and lament. ; In the end, those in control will gain and those on the sideline will lose.</p>



<p>The complaints may seem a bit one-sided against Republicans, but that is largely due to the media bias that focuses on GOP redistricting and ignores the same activities in Democrat States. ; In fact, Democrats have done well in using redistricting to gain more seats in state legislatures and in Congress for the 2022 election in the states where they control the redistricting. ; And yes … they created districts that are not compact. ; They gerrymandered.</p>



<p>Redistricting, however, is one of many issues in which Democrats play their worn and weathered race card. ; That is a diversion more than a reality.</p>



<p>Expect Republican states to pick up seats. ; Not so much from redistricting, however. ; It is because folks are exiting Democrat states to live in more conservative Republican states. ; Hence, more congressional districts shift to red states.</p>



<p>Yes, despite all the accusations and complaining, redistricting – based on population re-distribution – 2022 is shaping up as a very good year for the GOP. ; Very good, indeed.</p>



<p>So, there ‘tis.</p>

The truth about racism, redistricting and gerrymandering
