Computer programs already developed can easily draw up geographically logical districts based only on population density and proximity, avoiding bizarroland gerrymandering completely. I'd be all for it. But for now, I guess the gander needs to keep up with the goose.
Who decides the inputs for such program?
The party in charge, of course.
Hope is not optimism, which expects things to turn out well, but something rooted in the conviction that there is good worth working for. - Seamus Heaney, Irish poet and likely Hoosier basketball fan.
POTFB
Ironically, Trump’s buffoonish handling of COVID cost him that election. When Trump fucks up, he fucks up BIGLY.So, fighting the Iran War is being a bigger dumbass, correct? Because that's what will hurt Trump the most in November if he loses Congress.
Fighting Iran might be a political problem. But that doesn’t mean Trump is wrong.
The question is what is a fair price to get Iran out of the nuclear bomb business and to have it stop exporting terror?
I think the president is almost certainly RIGHT with Iran in a very wide-angle sense.
The error, IMO, is hubris as it so often is. One can imagine a world where a coalition was built, goals were developed, a case was made, war powers were granted, and an operation executed. Honestly could have legitimately won him a Nobel Peace Prize if enough boxes were checked to demonstrate the actual Iran nuke situation & the end of a theocratic dictatorship.
Unfortunately, we have a situation that's a mix of "trust me bro" & "because I said so." Lord knows how badly we've hurt our standing globally with our allies or how much we've unintentionally helped geo-political rivals. Plus, whatever knock-on effects exist (e.g., even unintentionally bombing a school full of girls is one of those things used to raise anti-American sentiment there for a long time). So, even when he's doing the right thing, he's doing it the wrong way.
Ironically, Trump’s buffoonish handling of COVID cost him that election. When Trump fucks up, he fucks up BIGLY.So, fighting the Iran War is being a bigger dumbass, correct? Because that's what will hurt Trump the most in November if he loses Congress.
That is correct. He never should have closed the country and listened to Fauci and the gang.
I am exceedingly embarrassed now. I should’ve known that…
Thank you kindly, Sir
I just thought that would be a more useful contribution to this thread than reminding everyone that both parties suck ballz.
Hope is not optimism, which expects things to turn out well, but something rooted in the conviction that there is good worth working for. - Seamus Heaney, Irish poet and likely Hoosier basketball fan.
POTFB
Fighting Iran might be a political problem. But that doesn’t mean Trump is wrong.
The question is what is a fair price to get Iran out of the nuclear bomb business and to have it stop exporting terror?
The error, IMO, is hubris as it so often is. One can imagine a world where a coalition was built, goals were developed, a case was made, war powers were granted, and an operation executed. Honestly could have legitimately won him a Nobel Peace Prize if enough boxes were checked to demonstrate the actual Iran nuke situation & the end of a theocratic dictatorship.
No. That world is unimaginable in our current political climate and with the current state of Europe.
Trump was forewarned in Jan/Feb there would be a pandemic. In my opinion, his only serious mistake was to not level with the American people. Just warn us. Instead, his calculation was, he didn’t want to amp up the hysteria. Not necessarily a bad sentiment, but it bit him in the ass.
Some constitutional scholar will piss in my soup and say this is unconstitutional, but to me the obvious solution to all our political problems, including gerrymandering, is to outlaw political parties. It would force people to pay attention and actually be educated. Unfortunately, we’re starting from such a low level of stupidity that it would probably be the downfall of the American experiment.
Who decides the inputs for such program?
I'm guessing that it goes something like this: you use the existing boundaries for counties / precincts, their population, and the centroid of the population. Then add the most adjacent precincts if the total population you have (so far) is too low, shave them off if the population is too high, lather / rinse/ repeat until you have contiguous and balanced congressional districts. Takes a computer a few seconds.
At no point do you consider voting history, ethnic makeup, average income, where current politicians live, or any other bullshit. Just where people live and how many are there.
"You can't make someone listen to reason if they aren't willing to think"-- Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451
Actually, anytime I see the word Virginia, it’s curtains for my intellect.I am exceedingly embarrassed now. I should’ve known that…
Thank you kindly, Sir
I just thought that would be a more useful contribution to this thread than reminding everyone that both parties suck ballz.
Who decides the inputs for such program?
I'm guessing that it goes something like this: you use the existing boundaries for counties / precincts, their population, and the centroid of the population. Then add the most adjacent precincts if the total population you have (so far) is too low, shave them off if the population is too high, lather / rinse/ repeat until you have contiguous and balanced congressional districts. Takes a computer a few seconds.
At no point do you consider voting history, ethnic makeup, average income, where current politicians live, or any other bullshit. Just where people live and how many are there.
I’ll be damned
I am exceedingly embarrassed now. I should’ve known that…
Thank you kindly, Sir
I just thought that would be a more useful contribution to this thread than reminding everyone that both parties suck ballz.
I've always preferred the term piss flaps, but beef/meat curtains will suffice...
A good friend will bail you out of jail, but your best friend will be sitting next to you in the cell saying "that was f***ing awesome"
@hhlurker Your LOL is misplaced. The elections were a referendum on the policies of the left. That's why @twenty's logic doesn't make sense. One can recognize that Trump has been a total disaster. And clearly he has been a total disaster. That doesn't make them believe the policies of the left are all of the sudden sensible. The left remain a total nonstarter for tens of millions of Americans.
The best thing that could happen for both parties is: 1) Pubs lose midterms so that JD and Ted and others can begin the process of distancing themselves from Tump without consequences and 2) Dems find new blood. People do not want the policies of the left. Get a new voice. Move back to sensible policies and the next two elections could be landslides for the Dem party
Murt made his way back to the cooler.
Cool.