I really dislike the both sidesing here, as it completely obscures the dynamics driving the escalation. Many, if not most Democratic states currently use bipartisan commissions, and Republican states simply don't.
And the recent escalation stems entirely from a unique and unilateral move from Texas, and then responses that are in reaction to that to attempt to balance out the hostile effects and maintain an equilibrium.
To look at the state of things and lament "both sides" gives cover to the Texas Republicans barreling ahead, who don't have to face any distinct consequences for the escalation they initiated, since they know it will be covered as "both sides" doing it.
TimorousBestie•6mo ago
The Republican gerrymander of Ohio is egregious. The Ohio Supreme Court has repeatedly found against their maps but the ruling party refuses to change them.
A few years ago there was a citizen’s initiative to create an impartial redistricting body, but OHSecState rewrote the ballot text so that it sounded like the opposite: an attempt to enshrine gerrymandering in the Ohio Constitution.
Truly absurd behavior, real scofflaws.
fanatic2pope•6mo ago
They celebrated their successful "confusing the voters" strategy quite openly too.
> “Confusing Ohioans was not such a bad strategy.”
The Republicans are ramming democracy bloody in the ass at every turn, but WSJ never stops with the "both sides" scam. But WSJ is full of... Republicans!
perryizgr8•6mo ago
Gerrymandering is a non issue. The real issue is the winner take all nature of elections.
glenstein•6mo ago
And the recent escalation stems entirely from a unique and unilateral move from Texas, and then responses that are in reaction to that to attempt to balance out the hostile effects and maintain an equilibrium.
To look at the state of things and lament "both sides" gives cover to the Texas Republicans barreling ahead, who don't have to face any distinct consequences for the escalation they initiated, since they know it will be covered as "both sides" doing it.
TimorousBestie•6mo ago
A few years ago there was a citizen’s initiative to create an impartial redistricting body, but OHSecState rewrote the ballot text so that it sounded like the opposite: an attempt to enshrine gerrymandering in the Ohio Constitution.
Truly absurd behavior, real scofflaws.
fanatic2pope•6mo ago
> “Confusing Ohioans was not such a bad strategy.”
https://www.msnbc.com/the-reidout/reidout-blog/ohio-anti-ger...