Reuters: "US Supreme Court under Roberts takes 'wrecking ball' to Voting Rights Act"

Rod, what they are doing is the continued removal of affirmative action from the US in my opinion.

Originally Posted by Russ Carroll

Rod, what they are doing is the continued removal of affirmative action from the US in my opinion.

This is true.   Do you think this is good or bad?

Originally Posted by Russ Carroll

Rod, what they are doing is the continued removal of affirmative action from the US in my opinion.

I hadn't considered that as their stated rationale doesn't but it adds up to as much.

As another example of your example, the Tn house legislature removed all their black democratic reps from their committee assignments because they had locked arms in protest over the redistricting plan in the state:       https://tennesseelookout.com/2026/05/13/tennessee-house-speaker-suspends-dems-for-decorum-violation/

That'll affirmatively resolve the issue, don't ya think?...

Originally Posted by James Brown

This is true.   Do you think this is good or bad?

I should’ve said that “I believe“ this is true. The broader question is a great debate topic. Actually, it is a couple of debate topics. We could debate whether affirmative action is constitutional. We could also debate in the abstract, whether affirmative action is a good or bad idea in 2026.

Originally Posted by James Brown

This is true.   Do you think this is good or bad?

That’s a very hard question to answer in this case. I can honestly see both sides of the issue.

It’s a close call in my mind, but protecting representation by race may be asking too much. What other protected groups would then be entitled to guaranteed representation — Hispanics? Asians? Gays? Straights? Mormons? You get the idea.

In fact, what does the Constitution even say about how a state should apportion House seats in a “fair” way, if anything at all?

Let me add that I would very much like the House of Representatives to truly represent the population of each state in the broadest sense of the term, which I’m certain is what the founders intended. We DO NOT NEED 2 Senates.

We are a million miles from that standard.

Originally Posted by Russ Carroll

Let me add that I would very much like the House of Representatives to truly represent the population of each state in the broadest sense of the term, which I’m certain is what the founders intended.

We are a million miles from that standard.

The Republicans in congress represent the interests of Donald Trump.

Originally Posted by Russ Carroll

Let me add that I would very much like the House of Representatives to truly represent the population of each state in the broadest sense of the term, which I’m certain is what the founders intended. We DO NOT NEED 2 Senates.

We are a million miles from that standard.

I recall that the Constitution requires equal population districts.  After that, the details are left up to the states.  Most states at least used to require districts to be compact and contiguous.  I admired those states that appointed bipartisan commissions to draw geographically rational districts.  It's not an easy job.   One important thing that might be overlooked recently is that the Supremes have said it is not a violation of federal law to gerrymander for partisan gain.  Some states still have laws on the books at the state level banning partisan gerrymandering.   As we have seen, those laws are readily jettisoned by both sides to gain advantage in these polarized times.

It is tough to draw districts that truly represent the population of each state.  CA breaks down as about  45%D,  25%R, and 30% I or unaffiliated.  There is probably no way to draw a map that gives anything but overwhelming partisan advantage to Ds in CA since the R's and I's are not in isolated geographic enclaves, but rather spread all over the map.

Originally Posted by Rod Kaufman

The Republicans in congress represent the interests of Donald Trump.

To wit:    "New settlement term bars IRS from investigating Trump, his family for past tax issues"

https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/trump-irs-settlement-forever-bars-audits-into-tax-claims-trump-his-family-2026-05-19/