Redistricting Revisited...AGAIN!

Oh, Redistricting! You are so highly-charged and controversial. We are once again facing a contentious debate in Texas politics in regards to redistricting. Remember the scandal in 2002/2003? As you may already know, the state has the ability to redraw congressional district lines every 10 years after the national census is conducted. Texas has experienced a boom in population over the past decade. That means that we also gained greater congressional representation with the addition of 4 new districts.

A large part of the population boom is due to the increase of minorities now residing in the state. Minorities have long been underrepresented in a state that already has a huge number of Hispanic, Asian and African-Americans making up the population. The Republican-dominated Texas Legislature’s newest map of congressional districts is receiving much criticism and accusations of both partisan and racial gerrymandering. Critics claim that the Legislature’s map intentionally continues their mission to squash the power of both the Democratic Party as well as minority voters. In the 2012 election, for example, Lloyd Doggett, a 9-term member of the US House and a Democrat, would either be faced with running in a new more Republican district or move to a district that would cover an area from South Austin to San Antonio. That doesn’t make any sense in the way it would represent the population nor does it make sense politically and geographically.

With so many details making this issue all the more complicated, this post could go on for pages and pages. The Texas Tribune has a handy little page devoted to this fiasco right here. I have barely scratched the surface on the matter. However, those Texas Legislature proposed maps have been stopped. A panel of 3 federal judges has intervened in the meantime and placed revised maps into place for now. The matter is far from settled as there are multiple lawsuits in the works (on both political sides) and an appeal to the Supreme Court by Attorney General Greg Abbott. But, the question remains…how do we redistrict Texas in a way that is both logical and properly represents the constituents of the district while being non-partisan?

The best thing to do, in my humble opinion, is to ensure that district lines are drawn in a way that makes sense geographically and accurately represents the constituency of the area. Take the politicians out of the scenario completely and remember the PEOPLE. Wasn’t government created “by the people” and “for the people” in the first place? Politics has become so much about, well, politics. We have large minority base in Texas. Let's make sure they have a voice. We have a large Democratic base in Austin. Let's make sure they have a voice too. Splitting up Austin/Travis County to inject more Republican votes doesn't represent the constituents in a logical geographic area either. It has been suggested that a committee of non-partisan citizens contribute to the creation of district lines. I think that's a pretty fine idea. Get citizens involved in a matter that very greatly affects them directly.

Take a look and see how and if your district has changed here.

That CRAZY Sonogram Bill!!

Since the introduction of House Bill 15, or what we commonly refer to as the "Sonogram Bill", I have been absolutely appalled at the Texas Legislature. If unfamiliar with the details of the bill, which passed both chambers, a woman would be required to receive a sonogram and a detailed explanation of the fetus by a physician before they are able to have an abortion. The government would be interfering in a situation that is already extremely painful. I thought the Republican-dominated Texas Legislature was all about smaller government and less interference...This sounds like quite the opposite to me.


I had wanted to write about this topic for an earlier posts, but decided on something else instead. I was happy to see that a recent post on the blog It's Complicated:  Texas Politics and Government tackled that very subject. The author, Tori T., feels much the same way as I do about the bill. It's ridiculous that the "Texas Lege" and Governor Perry feel that there's a need to inform women of the "devastating impact of such a life-changing decision." We women don't need your help! The devastating decision was already gut-wrenching enough anyway. The last thing a 15-year-old girl, who may have been raped, needs to hear is about the description of the fetus that was created through a violent act that is inside her. That's cruel and unusual punishment. And, like Tori states, sometimes adoption just isn't an option. She gives some shocking numbers concerning how many kids are lost in the system of foster care with nearly 30,000 in Texas alone. I don't understand why or how we could allow this to happen.

There is one matter that I disagree ever-so-slightly with. She writes:

I’m not one to condone abortion as a form of birth control, because I think if you can bring a baby into this world you should. Yet if you can’t take care of the baby, you were raped, have AIDS, or have a child who tested positive for a life altering disease you should be able to make that VERY personal and hard decision on your own without the government forcing their way into that decision.


I absolutely detest when I hear of women using abortion as birth control. I don't think that was the purpose of legalizing abortion in the first place. But, despite my dislike, I am happy there is a choice available. I do agree that there should never be a question if there was a rape/incest or other horrible circumstances involved. No child should every be born out of violence or be forced to knowingly suffer from illness. I am happy there is a choice available again. From the above statement, my understanding is that these are the circumstances where government shouldn't interfere. I don't think that government should really ever interfere with abortion. No matter what. 


Thankfully, the US Supreme Court has refused to allow Texas to enforce this law after it passed this summer. What a relief! If I am ever in a situation where I have to consider an abortion, I am so thankful and relieved to know that under any circumstance, what I do with my body is MY choice, not the Texas government or anyone else. I think that any woman in that situation would be thankful. So, yes, Tori T.! You are so right to think that the government should stay the heck out of the decisions we make with our bodies, especially when the decisions can be so traumatic.