Pennsylvania

bronxiteforever

(9,287 posts) Wed Apr 11, 2018, 04:03 PM Apr 2018

Pennsylvania House Republicans Gut Gerrymandering Reform to Ensure Permanent Control of Pennsylvania

Today, any meaningful gerrymandering reform coming out of the Pennsylvania House has died and our democracy may have gone with it. If House Republicans decide to go forward with the language they just added to House Bill 722, it will ensure Republicans permanent control of the Pennsylvania legislature for decades to come.

House Bill 722 aimed to change Pennsylvania’s constitution by creating an independent citizen-led gerrymandering commission. That language was stripped from the original bill and replaced with a legislative driven gerrymandering commission that would give Republicans a 4-2 majority when it comes to redrawing the maps in 2022. The amendment will allow one member from the 4 legislative caucuses and then allow the House and the Senate to elect one more member. The new language would also remove the Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s say in the issue and hand any gerrymandering cases to the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court. The bill, however, was not voted out of committee but if Republicans were to go forward with this power grab, it would take them at least one more year to do so.

https://ragingchickenpress.org/2018/04/11/pennsylvania-house-republicans-gut-gerrymandering-reform-ensure-permanent-control-pennsylvania-legislature/

16 replies

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Pennsylvania House Republicans Gut Gerrymandering Reform to Ensure Permanent Control of Pennsylvania (Original Post) bronxiteforever Apr 2018 OP

This doesn't change the current predicament though, right? Tiggeroshii Apr 2018 #1

Not 2018. But they will steal the rest. bronxiteforever Apr 2018 #3

Hard to see them keeping enough seats Tiggeroshii Apr 2018 #7

What if dems take over in the next election cycle (2018)? AJT Apr 2018 #8

Right. Also any bill the GOP passes is assuming they have Tiggeroshii Apr 2018 #9

Republicans have held the state senate for all but one year since 1992. bronxiteforever Apr 2018 #11

Wow! Tiggeroshii Apr 2018 #12

For now we have Gov Wolf for which I am very grateful! bronxiteforever Apr 2018 #14

What are they going to do when the Republican voters Iliyah Apr 2018 #2

Find another way to cheat and steal. bronxiteforever Apr 2018 #5

Why is this not a war on our democracy? Eliot Rosewater Apr 2018 #4

They would still have to amend their state constitution.. not that easy Thekaspervote Apr 2018 #6

It will run in an off year so there wont be many voters. 2019. bronxiteforever Apr 2018 #10

When it's our turn Freddie Apr 2018 #13

Doesnt PA have paperles voting machines? THey did for a long time but I dont know about now. Amaryllis Apr 2018 #15

This is solely Metcalfe DeminPennswoods Apr 2018 #16

Tiggeroshii

(11,088 posts)

1. This doesn't change the current predicament though, right?

Reply to bronxiteforever (Original post)

Wed Apr 11, 2018, 04:05 PM

Apr 2018

They can't change the map that has been slated for use in this election?

bronxiteforever

(9,287 posts)

3. Not 2018. But they will steal the rest.

Reply to Tiggeroshii (Reply #1)

Wed Apr 11, 2018, 04:12 PM

Apr 2018

Tiggeroshii

(11,088 posts)

7. Hard to see them keeping enough seats

Reply to bronxiteforever (Reply #3)

Wed Apr 11, 2018, 04:44 PM

Apr 2018

To be able to do that. Fingers crossed though.... we never know.

AJT

(5,240 posts)

8. What if dems take over in the next election cycle (2018)?

Reply to Tiggeroshii (Reply #1)

Wed Apr 11, 2018, 04:45 PM

Apr 2018

I believe they have to use the court mandated map. So if the dems take over I bet the rotten GOP will change their minds about changing how the maps are done.

Tiggeroshii

(11,088 posts)

9. Right. Also any bill the GOP passes is assuming they have

Reply to AJT (Reply #8)

Wed Apr 11, 2018, 04:47 PM

Apr 2018

The votes to overrule a veto.

bronxiteforever

(9,287 posts)

11. Republicans have held the state senate for all but one year since 1992.

Reply to Tiggeroshii (Reply #9)

Wed Apr 11, 2018, 05:37 PM

Apr 2018

Republicans have held the state House for 18 of the past 25 years.

Tiggeroshii

(11,088 posts)

12. Wow!

Reply to bronxiteforever (Reply #11)

Wed Apr 11, 2018, 05:46 PM

Apr 2018

The governor is definitely a safeguard against their bufoonery.

bronxiteforever

(9,287 posts)

14. For now we have Gov Wolf for which I am very grateful!

Reply to Tiggeroshii (Reply #12)

Wed Apr 11, 2018, 06:17 PM

Apr 2018

The problem has been GOP trifecta. Republicans have held two trifectas since 1992 for a total of 12 years! 12 years where they had everything. Pa state GOP have ruled the roost for too long. I hope we start kicking them out this year.

Iliyah

(25,111 posts)

2. What are they going to do when the Republican voters

Reply to bronxiteforever (Original post)

Wed Apr 11, 2018, 04:07 PM

Apr 2018

vote for someone else?

bronxiteforever

(9,287 posts)

5. Find another way to cheat and steal.

Reply to Iliyah (Reply #2)

Wed Apr 11, 2018, 04:21 PM

Apr 2018

Eliot Rosewater

(31,112 posts)

4. Why is this not a war on our democracy?

Reply to bronxiteforever (Original post)

Wed Apr 11, 2018, 04:14 PM

Apr 2018

Thekaspervote

(32,767 posts)

6. They would still have to amend their state constitution.. not that easy

Reply to bronxiteforever (Original post)

Wed Apr 11, 2018, 04:40 PM

Apr 2018

bronxiteforever

(9,287 posts)

10. It will run in an off year so there wont be many voters. 2019.

Reply to Thekaspervote (Reply #6)

Wed Apr 11, 2018, 05:01 PM

Apr 2018

Freddie

(9,265 posts)

13. When it's our turn

Reply to bronxiteforever (Original post)

Wed Apr 11, 2018, 06:08 PM

Apr 2018

**and it will be*** we draw the map blue! To hell with fairness.

Amaryllis

(9,524 posts)

15. Doesnt PA have paperles voting machines? THey did for a long time but I dont know about now.

Reply to bronxiteforever (Original post)

Wed Apr 11, 2018, 08:42 PM

Apr 2018

DeminPennswoods

(15,286 posts)

16. This is solely Metcalfe

Reply to bronxiteforever (Original post)

Fri Apr 13, 2018, 01:13 AM

Apr 2018

He sat on HB 722 since it was introduced and never gave it a hearing. He was forced into doing something because the state senate just held a hearing on SB22, the same bill. Local reporting says the Metcalfe amendment has not moved out of committee.

AFAIK, there's a house rule where 102 (half+1 of 203) votes can move a bill to the floor and HB 722 had more than that many co-sponsors. I'm not sure where this goes next, but maybe they'll try that tactic.

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