Red Mapping

[SamIam]

Last night, NPR news reported on a phenomenon known as “Red Mapping.”

In early 2010, Republican strategists launched a new project called RedMap. The idea was to flip as many statehouses across the country to Republican majorities during the 2010 election cycle — particularly in states where congressional redistricting was pending.

"The thinking behind it, which was very ingenious, was that state legislative races are cheap, and if you can just put a bit of money into them and flip the statehouse, then you can control the redistricting process, which in turn gives the Republican Party a great advantage in putting members of Congress in the House of Representatives," says New Yorker staff writer Jane Mayer. "And most people don't pay a lot of attention to what's going on in the states. ... But it's kind of ground zero for where politics is playing out."

The Supreme Court’s ruling that corporations are individuals has allowed wealthy CEO’s and business owners to pour massive amounts of money into electing the candidate of their choice. One example of this is Art Pope, chairman of a discount store chain, who pumped millions of dollars into the 2010 North Carolina election for state representatives.

Pope and his family, either directly or through shell outfits, spent 40 million dollars on a series of smear campaigns – mostly through the mail – against Democratic candidates. 40 million dollars is an unheard of amount for a single individual to spend at the State level. The Dems were overwhelmed and Pope bought himself the North Carolina State Legislature. How nice for him.

What the country is seeing is what looks like spontaneous combustion of far right-wing Tea Party politics, but behind that there are some very instrumental players who have great family fortunes, corporate fortunes — and who are coordinating to a certain extent.

Interesting stuff.

http://www.npr.org/2011/10/06/141078...licans-win-n-c

[Lamplighter]

Thanks for that post...now I'm sorry I missed the program.
No wonder the Repubicans in Congress are de-funding NPR.

It seems that ever since Nixon's "Dirty Tricks Team" the Repubicans
have become more and more virulent in their tactics to block voting by
citizens that do not vote their Party line.

When it comes to their feeble rational of "preventing voter fraud"
there is no credibility... and I'd laugh if it was funny, but it's not.

[Lamplighter]

Originally Posted by Lamplighter

<snip>
When it comes to their feeble rational of "preventing voter fraud"
there is no credibility... and I'd laugh if it was funny, but it's not.

Oooops, maybe I will laugh after all.
It seems the Repubicans just cain't hep it...

CBS News
October 8, 2011 4:42 PM

Values Voter straw poll organizers suggest a fix in Ron Paul's win

Rep. Ron Paul scored a decisive victory Saturday in a mock presidential election
at the Values Voter Summit, trouncing fellow Texan, Gov. Rick Perry,
but an organizer of the straw poll suggested ballot-stuffing may have skewed the results.
<snip>

[ZenGum]

The only thing I am doubtful about here is that you seem to think this is something new. The USA gave the world the word Gerrymander, but if you analyse the power structure in the "democratic" phase of ancient Rome, it was equally corrupted by the influence of the rich and already-powerful. The same can be said for English democracy for most of it's history.

At times, and in places, there is improvement.

A free and critical media and an alert citizenry are the only factor that works against this corruption. The rights to vote, to access information, and to publish information and opinion critical of the powers-that-be are crucial.

Hence the struggle for the media. Having the right to publish is unimportant if the editor doesn't want to publish.

[Lamplighter]

I see your point and agree.

I guess it's because I became politically aware during the Nixon years,
when Republican and Democratic party conventions here were nationally televised,
and you saw the sausage being made from beginning to end.

At that time there were the "Dixie Democrates"
and there were some (actual) moderate Republicans,
so polarization wasn't so extreme, except as it was forming
over the Viet Nam war and civil rights.

But that's when the Dixie Democrates moved into,
and the moderates were pushed out of the Republican party,
and when the Repubican's "Southern Strategy" began.
Because they were/are a minority party, this was also when
the Repubicans began their efforts at blocking voter access
and gerrymandering in the extreme.

[SamIam]

Originally Posted by ZenGum

The only thing I am doubtful about here is that you seem to think this is something new. The USA gave the world the word Gerrymander, but if you analyse the power structure in the "democratic" phase of ancient Rome, it was equally corrupted by the influence of the rich and already-powerful. The same can be said for English democracy for most of it's history.

At times, and in places, there is improvement.

A free and critical media and an alert citizenry are the only factor that works against this corruption. The rights to vote, to access information, and to publish information and opinion critical of the powers-that-be are crucial.

Hence the struggle for the media. Having the right to publish is unimportant if the editor doesn't want to publish.

None of the things mentioned in the NPR broadcast surprised me. I, too, came up in the Nixon years and have been skeptical of politicians every since. For those who like their scoundrels to be more modern, I give you Dick Cheney and Halliburten. The beat goes on.

Interestingly, Pope disregarded the media, getting the word out with massive direct mailings attacking democratic candidates and filled with misinformation and out right lies.

The NPR story was based on an article in this week's New Yorker by Jane Mayer. If you want to read a more in depth analysis, its here.

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2...urrentPage=all

[tw]

Understand what is happening here. McCain expressed it once he listened to Supreme Court arguments. Purchasing government is now legal. Anyone can now spend as much as they want to purchase influence and power. No restrictions exist. Those with the deepest pockets are now preparing to spend where they could not spend due to now 'all gone' restrictions.

Americans are protesting for four weeks. It was about time. Majority Leader Cantor is therefore calling them a mob. Not protestors. Not patriotic Americans. He is calling them a mob because the rich are getting richer while common Americans are suffering almost tens years of reduced incomes.

[classicman]

I have watched the manimals go by
Buying shoes, buying sweets, buying knives.
I have watched the manimals and cried
Buying time, buying ends to other peoples lives.

[Lamplighter]

@tw that line sounds vaguely familiar

Gordon Gekko: Someone reminded me I once said "Greed is good.
Now it seems it's legal. Because everyone is drinking the same Kool Aid.

[SamIam]

Originally Posted by tw

Understand what is happening here. McCain expressed it once he listened to Supreme Court arguments. Purchasing government is now legal. Anyone can now spend as much as they want to purchase influence and power. No restrictions exist. Those with the deepest pockets are now preparing to spend where they could not spend due to now 'all gone' restrictions.

Americans are protesting for four weeks. It was about time. Majority Leader Cantor is therefore calling them a mob. Not protestors. Not patriotic Americans. He is calling them a mob because the rich are getting richer while common Americans are suffering almost tens years of reduced incomes.

The Tea Party Protesters were called "American citizens exercising their rights to free speech and freedom of assembly." The protesters on Wall Street and in various American cities are indeed called a "mob" and even accused of attempting to push the country into civil war. They are also accused of being "anti-capitalism," "anti-free market," and, of course, engaging in "class warfare." Guillotines, anyone?

The far right does not want to have the status quo questioned - especially now that the supreme court has made it so easy for corps to buy state legislatures and members of congress. The elephant in the living room that the right refuses to discuss is the fate of our country. They would have us believe that tea party ideology is more important than jobs for our people, education for our children, medical care for ALL our citizens, and programs which help the elderly and the disabled to live with some human dignity.

Taken to its extreme, right wing ideology will turn the US into a 3rd world country with all power in the hands of a small, extremely wealthy elite backed by a powerful military (you will notice that the right wishes the military alone to remain unscathed by any budget cuts). It is disheartening, to say the least.

[Flint]

Jesus ƒuck, you mean these politicians you speak of actually try to get elected, and furthermore have groups called "parties" that devise ways of scheming for enough votes to make this happen? This is unprecedented--I daresay the sky is falling! I will rush right out and vote for the other guys.

[TheMercenary]

.

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by ZenGum

The only thing I am doubtful about here is that you seem to think this is something new. The USA gave the world the word Gerrymander, but if you analyse the power structure in the "democratic" phase of ancient Rome, it was equally corrupted by the influence of the rich and already-powerful. The same can be said for English democracy for most of it's history.

At times, and in places, there is improvement.

A free and critical media and an alert citizenry are the only factor that works against this corruption. The rights to vote, to access information, and to publish information and opinion critical of the powers-that-be are crucial.

Hence the struggle for the media. Having the right to publish is unimportant if the editor doesn't want to publish.

Agreed. Which ever party is in power uses the Gerrymander to construct voting blocks that will support their parties future power prospects. It is not just the Republickins. In the last election the people spoke and through out a whole bunch of Demoncrats, no big deal, that is how the elections are suppose to work. If they vote the Dems out of the Senate in the next election, that is how it works.

The example of NC is one example. No different than the attempted influence of outside money in Wisconsin from the Unions or other attempts by Union money to influence votes. They have a long history of influencing and buying votes in many cities and states. George Soros is the equivalent of this guy Pope and the Koch brothers, and Soros has been around a lot longer. Now that rich conservatives have entered the game in the same way it is suppose to be a new and exciting expose. It's not.

[Griff]

Interesting perspective, which group hates the government? I see potential totalitarians in both camps, but at least the lefties don't have that 1930's style.

[TheMercenary]

I wonder when they will run out of food and a place to take a dump? I am sure those businesses in Wall Street aren't letting them in the door.