That great incumbent protection racket know as gerrymandering has been frequently documented as a leading cause of debilitating ideological polarization. See for example today's WaPost lead
editorial.
One major driver of polarization is not rooted in unavoidable change: This is the scandalous way in which electoral districts are drawn for the House of Representatives and state legislatures. The redistricting triggered periodically by the census has become an opportunity for party leaders to create politically homogenous districts that ensure incumbents' re-election and remove incumbents' incentive to represent the political center.
But what can be done about it?
More below the fold.
That great incumbent protection racket know as gerrymandering has been frequently documented as a leading cause of debilitating ideological polarization. See for example today's WaPost lead
editorial.
One major driver of polarization is not rooted in unavoidable change: This is the scandalous way in which electoral districts are drawn for the House of Representatives and state legislatures. The redistricting triggered periodically by the census has become an opportunity for party leaders to create politically homogenous districts that ensure incumbents' re-election and remove incumbents' incentive to represent the political center.
But what can be done about it?
Incumbents of Gerrymandered districts have no incentive to change their own safe seats, whether they're in the majority or minority in any given state.
And addressing this on a state by state basis seems inadequate as well, since party moderates within the legislature may well become marginalized by the ideologically "purer" legislators from gerrymandered states (see Arlen Specter's current situation regarding the fate of "moderate" Repubs in the Senate).
So what can be done to address this issue on a national basis?
I'm sorry to say I don't have, nor have I heard about, any blindingly brilliant solutions out there. But I do have a feeling it will have to come from the disgust many honest, moderate Americans feel about the current trend.
My hope is that people of good will, as well as Republicans (sorry I couldn't help myself), can agree that the current partisan re-districting practices do no-one but political panderers any good.
