The Gerrymandering Arms Race
We are on a very slippery-slope.
For those who may not know, gerrymandering in the United States has traditionally been a way to redraw districts. More often than not, it's done to exclude certain people based on race or socioeconomic status in order to benefit one party or another.
In my opinion, it’s one of the most controversial policies in the country because it essentially allows people to tip the scales in their favor, gaining more seats in the House of Representatives for their party.
Gerrymandering has been happening for so many years that it’s just kind of par for the course at this point. Recent events in Texas, combined with Donald Trump seeing signs that he may lose the House and be unable to push his agenda, have brought gerrymandering back into the national conversation.
Why Texas and Why Now?
The reason Trump wants to do this is pretty obvious: he is losing favorability across the nation. There's a very energized Democratic Party ready to vote out their Republican representatives in hopes of swinging control of the House.
This is actually a pretty normal tradition in the United States. During midterm elections, the House often flips. Sometimes the Senate does too, depending on the election cycle.
However, it’s clear that Trump and his cabinet know that losing the House would severely damage their ability to push through their racially discriminatory agenda across multiple levels of government.
Because of this, Trump has reached out to Texas Governor Greg Abbott, asking him to “find” five more seats for Republicans, and the vote is expected to take place soon. The state legislature will likely agree to redraw the districts in a way that eliminates at least five Democratic seats.
It is, quite honestly, one of the most blatant corruption I have ever seen in modern-day politics.
What Happens If This Continues?
The result of this behavior from the Trump administration will have a lasting effect on American politics going forward.
Governor Gavin Newsom from California has already said that his state will retaliate if Texas moves forward. California would redraw its own districts to eliminate Republican seats from its congressional delegation.
I believe that this will trigger a cascading effect across the country. Red and blue states will likely engage in a gerrymandering arms race for control over the House.
This kind of policy is deeply harmful to the fabric of our democracy. It marginalizes voices and creates imbalance in our government. It allows platforms to be elevated that may not actually represent the people living in those districts.
What’s more troubling is that this is the Trump administration’s response to the national discourse. Instead of listening to criticism or reflecting on why their agenda is so unpopular, they would rather cheat to stay in power.
I get disappointed and frustrated on an almost daily basis, watching the country slip into fascism. The American promise, and the idea of our democracy as a shining example to the world, appears to be dying a slow death right in front of us.
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