Newsome pushed back against Democracy to achieve his political goals

Aldebaran said:

First of all, the TX redistricting was just passed today, which doesn't explain why CA has been rigged for decades. It only is being used as an excuse as to why Newsom wants to rig it even further left.

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Why didn't Texas wait until 2011 - after the census?

Aldebaran said:

We're already 14 years past that.

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: )

Why didn't Texas wait until 2031 - after the census?

Always in His Presence said:

He doesn’t like the Democratic process already in place because the voter will not give him what he wants.

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He's going to ask us, in the form of a democratic process, to give him what he wants. If the voters don't like it, they'll vote no.

Aldebaran said:

With 46.2% of registered voters in California being democrat, and yet 82.7% of the House seats representing CA are held by democrats, that state already has it's system rigged against Republicans. Why rig it even further?

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Looks like they’ve had a few rigged redistrictings before the one they just proposed. Thats quite the discrepancy.

Always in His Presence said:

Why does he want the power?

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Because Texas. Are you even paying attention to the news?

Always in His Presence said:

If the voters are on his side, why now just let the Independent committee do the job it has been doing the last more than a decade.

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Because it did its job in 2021 and won't do it again until after the next census.

Always in His Presence said:

Oh, to influence the coming elections in the favor of his party?

Could that be it?

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Yes. It's not a subterfuge or something. He is boldly stating "The Texas legislature is doing this, so I'm asking the people of California to let our legislature do the same temporarily until the next redistricting in 2030."

Always in His Presence said:

The change is not for the good of the citizens of California

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The citizens of California will be the judge of that.

But I'm glad we're in violent agreement about what this is about, now that I've answered your questions.

Aldebaran said:

At least those who agree with him will.

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Now who's 'pushing back against' democracy?

Always in His Presence said:

The same people who voted to have an independent commission that would control it?

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Obviously. He going to let them vote on it. Again, this is what democracy looks like. He might succeed or he might fail. But the voters will decide. I'm not sure why this should confuse you. You appear to think that a politician asking his constituents to vote on something he wants to do is underhanded in some way.

That's just...weird.

Always in His Presence said:

California voters established an independent redistricting commission in 2010 to prevent gerrymandering. Newsom’s plan would override this process temporarily, using a constitutional amendment and a special election scheduled for November 4.​

​

Unlike Texas, where the Legislature determines congressional lines, California voters in 2010 gave that power to a bipartisan citizen commission. The commission draws a new map once each decade, after the U.S. Census, to ensure each congressional district has roughly an equal number of people. It last did so in 2021.​

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Yes - it's amazing what someone has to do to even the playing field and prevent the slide into autocracy.
It's amazing what Newsom has to do to defend democracy!

See - Republicans can't have it both ways. They didn't even attempt to disguise Texas as an attempt at a fairer redistribution of voting electorates. As so many social commentators are noticing today - they're so bold under Trump they're saying "the quiet bits out loud!"

They declared they were out to help the Republican party get 5 more seats.

Just as Newsom is imitating Trump in his social media feed (which I personally find hilarious - Go Captain Gav!) - he is also imitating Republican power grabs. To balance the USA. To save democracy.

Republicans don't get to have your cake and eat it too.

Republicans don't get to NAKEDLY run a gerrymander power grab in one state, and then whine about it in another!

That's not just hypocritical - it's reflects a poor self-understanding. It brings into question the entire Republican mindset. It smacks of the very same fragile mindset that the alt-right are famous for accusing the left of - the kind that melts in direct sunlight. The teary kind.

SO - either the Republicans and Democrats abandon this whole process and have a Constitutional Referendum and make ALL States in the USA move to an independent American Electoral Authority - or Republicans should just accept that California is revoking theirs when it suits them - because they are genuinely frightened of Trump's NPD and the Department stacking power-grabs of his beloved Project 2025 group.

Australia has an independent Federal Department called the AEC, the Australian Electoral Commission. There you are - the initials work for America as well! They are constitutionally bound to perform basic electoral roll tasks, but also to REDISTRIBUTE electoral maps if the population ratios of different states shift. This is mathematically prescribed, as the Redistribution wiki explains. It works both Federally and each State has their own electoral commission as well.

In Australia the House of Representatives (like your House in Congress) has electoral districts called 'Seats'. Because our Seats are Redistributed by an independent body, they tend to be more geographically consistent blobs rather than the crazy looking, selective, discriminating shapes of the American electorates. Sure - we have some larger seats stretching across the huge rural areas - and more tightly packed seats in the cities where far more of our population lives. But they are mathematically equal - and tend to look like vaguely similar sized blobs rather than some of the more eccentric looking districts in America.

The very term gerrymandering is a portmanteau of a salamander and Elbridge Gerry, the 5th VP who was the first to cook the books like this. His districts were described as an awful looking salamander monster - and so the 'Gerrymander' was born!



The Gerrymander wiki describes it as:

Wayne Dawkins, a professor at Morgan State University, describes it as politicians picking their voters instead of voters picking their politicians."​

Basically - what right do Republicans have to whine about California doing it if Texas are doing it to?
Also - what right do republicans have to do this in the first place - especially when Trump is so unpopular right now? In the middle of a video about why the Democrats are so unpopular, TLDR had to put up this caveat about Trump.

WE'RE AFRAID OF HIM​

You have to understand something. Those of us that respect reality - you know - climate science, vaccines, the right of citizens to basics like food and clean water and shelter and healthcare, 'normal' stuff like that - we're genuinely frightened of Donald's NPD.

DECISION MAKING​

Look at the way his team defend his every quirk and brain-bubble? Look at the team of yes-men and women they've stacked the room with. Look at the the way they run his errands, seeking out more praise for him. Psychiatrists have a term for these enablers of a narcissist. They're called 'flying monkeys' - the servants of the Wicked Witch from Wizard of Oz. So when the Press Secretary gets up and starts the entitled whining about Donald deserving a Nobel Peace Prize because he brought peace between Pakistan and India - when both PM's have said he had NOTHING to do with it! - you know what is happening. Flying monkeys. He needs his 'supply' - and as he gets older and more insecure - his fragile worldview all about how wonderful he truly is will need more and more of it. As his enablers massage his fragile ego - do you really think they're going to tell him the truth - on anything? As his NPD deteriorates as his general health and vitality and mood deteriorates as he ages - which all of us are prone to near the end - do you think he's interested in learning new things about the world?

It's why he repeats and repeats and repeats the same things. He's reinforcing his own worldview. He does not want to know that immigrants benefit America! He does not want to know that wind turbines offer incredibly cheap power - and solar is the cheapest energy the human race has ever enjoyed - period! Even including the extra costs of batteries and distributed energy grids.

He does not care that his BBB strips TRILLIONS off the poor and gives it to the billionaires, because - Donald has rich friends to please.

He does not care that the BBB removes 16 MILLION poorer Americans from Medicaid which will kill an estimated extra 50,000 Americans each year.

He does not care that the BBB is GROWING the Federal Debt that he promised to fix! Look at the bust up he and Elon had over the BBB! If you voted for Trump to fix the debt - Elon is just correct on this. Elon's METHOD of fixing the debt was atrocious. (As I always say - just nationalise half your hospitals and offer universal healthcare and you'll save those 50,000 lives AND eventually save $1 TRILLION a year - but no American wants to listen to little Australia's lesson in healthcare!)

He does not care that his energy policy is shooting America in the foot, both kneecaps and the left kidney! That it risks 75% of American scientists leaving the country - and Europe and China have hundreds of millions allocated to lure them all overseas as well.

He does not care about anything other than pampering and supplying his ever more fragile ego with all the praise it can get - all the 'narcissistic supply' possible. As over 230 experts warned, his NPD is just like that.

GEOPOLITICS​

But worse - look at how the tariffs are alienating the world and hurting America.

Look at the kowtowing to Putin and rolling out the red carpet for him.

Look at the shouting match against Zelenskyy in the Oval Office - and how the world winced.

Look at the threats to the EU and NATO - when America receives over 105 TIMES the money back in arms exports by having the EU dependent on American leadership of NATO.

Look at his naked profiteering from the Presidency.

Look at his general behaviour on the world stage - and how perceptions of America have changed between 2024 under Biden (white) and Trump (red). The line is a percentage of approval - where the right edge of the graph is 100%. Just LOOK at some of the country's perceptions of America now! A few have increased under Trump, like Turkey, Israel, and Nigeria. Congratulations - nations with authoritarian leanings like Trump. What else is new? But look at Australia! About 40% liked America under Biden (because we have great healthcare and some work right's issues and are generally a bit critical of America anyway) - but under Trump? Boom - 25%. Canada was 60% - now about 30%, and on and on it goes.

DEMOCRACY​

But the world's biggest fear is for American democracy. If Trump and Project 2025 get their way - American democracy goes bye bye.
And I'm not sure what happens to the world after that.

Always in His Presence said:

It is always edifying to me to be able to point out the obvious. Including the good Governor attempting to influence the Mid Term National Elections.

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It’s not generally “illegal” to attempt to “influence elections”; it’s called “politics”.

eclipsenow said:

Yes - it's amazing what someone has to do to even the playing field and prevent the slide into autocracy.
It's amazing what Newsom has to do to defend democracy!

See - Republicans can't have it both ways. They didn't even attempt to disguise Texas as an attempt at a fairer redistribution of voting electorates. As so many social commentators are noticing today - they're so bold under Trump they're saying "the quiet bits out loud!"

They declared they were out to help the Republican party get 5 more seats.

Just as Newsom is imitating Trump in his social media feed (which I personally find hilarious - Go Captain Gav!) - he is also imitating Republican power grabs. To balance the USA. To save democracy.

Republicans don't get to have your cake and eat it too.

Republicans don't get to NAKEDLY run a gerrymander power grab in one state, and then whine about it in another!

That's not just hypocritical - it's reflects a poor self-understanding. It brings into question the entire Republican mindset. It smacks of the very same fragile mindset that the alt-right are famous for accusing the left of - the kind that melts in direct sunlight. The teary kind.

SO - either the Republicans and Democrats abandon this whole process and have a Constitutional Referendum and make ALL States in the USA move to an independent American Electoral Authority - or Republicans should just accept that California is revoking theirs when it suits them - because they are genuinely frightened of Trump's NPD and the Department stacking power-grabs of his beloved Project 2025 group.

Australia has an independent Federal Department called the AEC, the Australian Electoral Commission. There you are - the initials work for America as well! They are constitutionally bound to perform basic electoral roll tasks, but also to REDISTRIBUTE electoral maps if the population ratios of different states shift. This is mathematically prescribed, as the Redistribution wiki explains. It works both Federally and each State has their own electoral commission as well.

In Australia the House of Representatives (like your House in Congress) has electoral districts called 'Seats'. Because our Seats are Redistributed by an independent body, they tend to be more geographically consistent blobs rather than the crazy looking, selective, discriminating shapes of the American electorates. Sure - we have some larger seats stretching across the huge rural areas - and more tightly packed seats in the cities where far more of our population lives. But they are mathematically equal - and tend to look like vaguely similar sized blobs rather than some of the more eccentric looking districts in America.

The very term gerrymandering is a portmanteau of a salamander and Elbridge Gerry, the 5th VP who was the first to cook the books like this. His districts were described as an awful looking salamander monster - and so the 'Gerrymander' was born!

View attachment 368940

The Gerrymander wiki describes it as:

"The manipulation may involve "cracking" (diluting the voting power of the opposing party's supporters across many districts) or "packing" (concentrating the opposing party's voting power in one district to reduce their voting power in other districts).[3] Gerrymandering can also be used to protect incumbents.​

​

Wayne Dawkins, a professor at Morgan State University, describes it as politicians picking their voters instead of voters picking their politicians."​

Basically - what right do Republicans have to whine about California doing it if Texas are doing it to?
Also - what right do republicans have to do this in the first place - especially when Trump is so unpopular right now? In the middle of a video about why the Democrats are so unpopular, TLDR had to put up this caveat about Trump.
View attachment 368942

WE'RE AFRAID OF HIM​

You have to understand something. Those of us that respect reality - you know - climate science, vaccines, the right of citizens to basics like food and clean water and shelter and healthcare, 'normal' stuff like that - we're genuinely frightened of Donald's NPD.

DECISION MAKING​

Look at the way his team defend his every quirk and brain-bubble? Look at the team of yes-men and women they've stacked the room with. Look at the the way they run his errands, seeking out more praise for him. Psychiatrists have a term for these enablers of a narcissist. They're called 'flying monkeys' - the servants of the Wicked Witch from Wizard of Oz. So when the Press Secretary gets up and starts the entitled whining about Donald deserving a Nobel Peace Prize because he brought peace between Pakistan and India - when both PM's have said he had NOTHING to do with it! - you know what is happening. Flying monkeys. He needs his 'supply' - and as he gets older and more insecure - his fragile worldview all about how wonderful he truly is will need more and more of it. As his enablers massage his fragile ego - do you really think they're going to tell him the truth - on anything? As his NPD deteriorates as his general health and vitality and mood deteriorates as he ages - which all of us are prone to near the end - do you think he's interested in learning new things about the world?

It's why he repeats and repeats and repeats the same things. He's reinforcing his own worldview. He does not want to know that immigrants benefit America! He does not want to know that wind turbines offer incredibly cheap power - and solar is the cheapest energy the human race has ever enjoyed - period! Even including the extra costs of batteries and distributed energy grids. He does not care that his BBB strips TRILLIONS off the poor and gives it to the billionaires, removes 16 MILLION poorer Americans from Medicaid which will kill an estimated extra 50,000 Americans each year, and is GROWING the Federal Debt that he promised to fix! Look at the bust up he and Elon had over the BBB! If you voted for Trump to fix the debt - Elon is just correct on this. Elon's METHOD of fixing the debt was atrocious. (As I always say - just nationalise half your hospitals and offer universal healthcare and you'll save those 50,000 lives AND eventually save $1 TRILLION a year - but no American wants to listen to little Australia's lesson in healthcare!) He does not care that his energy policy is shooting America in the foot, both kneecaps and the left kidney! That it risks 75% of American scientists leaving the country - and Europe and China have hundreds of millions allocated to lure them all overseas as well.

He does not care about anything other than pampering and supplying his ever more fragile ego with all the praise it can get - all the 'narcissistic supply' possible. As over 230 experts warned, his NPD is just like that.

GEOPOLITICS​

But worse - look at how the tariffs are alienating the world and hurting America.

Look at the kowtowing to Putin and rolling out the red carpet for him. Because - Donald has rich friends to please.

Look at the shouting match against Zelenskyy in the Oval Office - and how the world winced.

Look at the threats to the EU and NATO - when America receives over 105 TIMES the money back in arms exports by having the EU dependent on American leadership of NATO.

Look at his naked profiteering from the Presidency.

Look at his general behaviour on the world stage - and how perceptions of America have changed between 2024 under Biden (white) and Trump (red). The line is a percentage of approval - where the right edge of the graph is 100%. Just LOOK at some of the country's perceptions of America now! A few have increased under Trump, like Turkey, Israel, and Nigeria. Congratulations - nations with authoritarian leanings like Trump. What else is new? But look at Australia! About 40% liked America under Biden (because we have great healthcare and some work right's issues and are generally a bit critical of America anyway) - but under Trump? Boom - 25%. Canada was 60% - now about 30%, and on and on it goes.


View attachment 368941

DEMOCRACY​

But the world's biggest fear is for American democracy. If Trump and Project 2025 get their way - American democracy goes bye bye.
And I'm not sure what happens to the world after that.

Click to expand...

I’m an independent so don’t care much for Trump. You seem to have all the answers there in your post but I have a question since no one here has replied to my comments yet. How come California has 9 Republican congressional seats out of 52 total congregational seats when the voting party split is 40% Republican and 59% Democrat? I think I see some previous gerrymandering going on. At least Texas has 13 Democrats out of 38 seats. So if Newsom gets its way then the Republican seats will drop to 4 out of 52. I just love California’s definition of democracy.

Hentenza said:

I have a question since no one here has replied to my comments yet. How come California has 9 Republican congressional seats out of 52 total congregational seats when the voting party split is 40% Republican and 59% Democrat?

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essentialsaltes said:

In the 2024 Congressional elections in California, the vote totals were:

Democratic 59.6%
Republican 39.9%

Obviously, if every district looked like that, Republicans would lose all of them. Republicans are concentrated enough in some areas to win, which means their proportions sink even lower than that average 40% everywhere else, and they lose.

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Really, it's more surprising that Republicans win anything at all.

I'm not quite bored enough to try to calculate it, but imagine randomly dropping 60 blue balls and 40 red balls into a box with 10 divisions. How many of those divisions will have more red than blue balls?

It's a good thing for the Republicans they are not randomly dropped into the state. It's only because there are clusters of them that they win anything at all.

But clearly they are not all maximally segregated, where 40% of the state is only Republicans. So we shouldn't expect them to win 40% of the races.

essentialsaltes said:

Really, it's more surprising that Republicans win anything at all.

I'm not quite bored enough to try to calculate it, but imagine randomly dropping 60 blue balls and 40 red balls into a box with 10 divisions. How many of those divisions will have more red than blue balls?

It's a good thing for the Republicans they are not randomly dropped into the state. It's only because there are clusters of them that they win anything at all.

But clearly they are not all maximally segregated, where 40% of the state is only Republicans. So we shouldn't expect them to win 40% of the races.

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Blue balls and red balls? Interesting. Elections are not a lottery.