3 judges decline to block remap plan (TX)

[goobergunch]

Trial on legality of new districts begins
By R.G. RATCLIFFE


AUSTIN -- A three-judge federal panel Thursday declined to block a Republican-crafted congressional redistricting map and began a trial to determine the legality of the new districts.

Amid allegations of gerrymandering and minority voter discrimination, the trial could determine the partisan makeup of the Texas congressional delegation and influence control of the U.S. House.

Lawyers for Democrats and minority groups claim the congressional map passed by the Republican-dominated Legislature is an improper gerrymander that tramples on minority voting strength for GOP partisan gain.

State lawyers counter that the Legislature intended to enhance Republican elective opportunities by busting up pockets of Democratic votes, regardless of race.

more...http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/metropolitan/2289151

[theivoryqueen]

1. the trial is in progress now...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A57806-2003Dec11.html

[bushisanidiot]

2. I Want To See the Damned Map. The Dems Should Be Holding It Up

in front of t.v. cameras every chance they get. Color code the damn thing blue and red so we know where the repukes are picking up votes and where the dems are losing.

Shine the light on it. All states need to be paying close attention to this because this is the same crap the repukes are going to try to do in every state where they hold enough of a majority to pull this sh*t.

It's blatent abuse of power, but the repukes know no other way to exist. F*cking greedy bastards!

[theivoryqueen]

3. here it is

http://www.statesman.com/legislature/content/coxnet/texas/legislature/maps/redistrict_recap.html

the last as far as I can tell.... unless the courts toss it.

Oops, did find a later map...

http://www.statesman.com/legislature/content/coxnet/texas/legislature/maps/redistrict_recap.html

[bearfan454]

4. There were no special circumstances

foe special sessions ! Perry is a piece of sh!t !

[Devils Advocate NZ]

5. You're kidding me!

State lawyers counter that the Legislature intended to enhance Republican elective opportunities by busting up pockets of Democratic votes, regardless of race.

I can't believe that it is considered a defence to state that electoral boundaries were specifically created to disenfranchise Democratic voters but it was done regardless of race!

And Americans call their nation the greatest Democracy on Earth! Don't make me laugh...

[xchrom]

6. sad isn't it?

[san antonio]

7. The thing that ticks me offf....

New Flash: The reason we have a majority of the congressional seats and nothing else (not even one state elected office) is we have been pulling this same stuff for the past century because this was always a Dem state. Every freaking state in the nation pulls this shit when a party gets control. It's called politics.

What ticks me off is the dividing of the South Texas region. In case you aren't familiar with Texas, that region can basically have an East/West line drawn between the valley and the rest of Texas (in fact the Border Patrol has done everything they can to do exactly that). Watering down the valley voters by grouping them with areas east of San Antonio is an outrage. Those regions are completely different culturally, racially, and politically.

Another big gripe of mine is the cutting up of Austin into small chunks. The compromised plan isn’t as bad as the original but it is still idiotic.

[Dover]

8. I can't imagine they'd get any justice from a Texas judge.

And I recall reading some time ago about Ashcroft and others meeting with Texas justices about something. I just think that most of them were probably elected and bought off by the powerful monied types in Texas.