It's a Calimander!

According to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerrymandering

"The word gerrymander (originally written Gerry-mander) was used for the first time in the Boston Gazette newspaper on March 26, 1812. The word was created in reaction to a redrawing of Massachusetts state senate election districts under the then governor Elbridge Gerry (1744–1814). In 1812, Governor Gerry signed a bill that redistricted Massachusetts to benefit his Democratic-Republican Party. When mapped, one of the contorted districts in the Boston area was said to resemble the shape of a salamander."

But here in California we have taken the process much farther than Elbridge Gerry could have imagined. Here is the last Calimander you will ever see:



Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-maps-20110610,0,3926097.story

Maybe three blocks wide. ;-)

Here's another view: http://www.govtrack.us/congress/findyourreps.xpd?state=CA&district=23

Oddly shaped spheres that extend and grow in all sorts of strange shapes...

This one is California's contribution!

This map shows the location of the city of Los angeles (red) and other incorporated areas (grey) within Los Angeles County in the state of California.



The weird shape of the city has nothing to do with partisan politics. It has everything to do with the city's tax base.

The pseudopod to the south includes the Port of LA, which (like the port of Long Beach right next to it) carries a huge volume of trade, especially containers.

Another pseudopod, which reaches the Santa Monica Bay, contains the LAX airport, which is another huge source of revenue for the city of Los Angeles.

The pseudopod that gobbled up part of the San Fernando Valley was explained by John Huston in the movie "Chinatown" as follows: "If you can't bring the water to Los Angeles, you bring Los Angeles to the water.'' This theme was continued in the movie, "The Two Jakes."

The city of LA took the choicest pieces of land. Nearby cities have had to fight over the scraps that LA didn't want.

Does Texas have a lot of Gerrymandering? Please forgive my complete ignorance of Texas politics.

The 2003 Texas redistricting refers to a controversial mid-decade congressional redistricting plan appealed to the United States Supreme Court in League of United Latin American Citizens v. Perry. On June 28, 2006, the Supreme Court upheld the statewide redistricting as Constitutional, but struck down Congressional District 23 as racial gerrymandering in violation of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act.

It may not be sexy but it's actually one of the most important.

I agree. Up to now, the legislators in California have been remarkably unresponsive to the public. Those that aren't termed out are not particularly worried about being re-elected. That will change as the districts are redrawn this year.

Democrats and Republicans are equally at fault in California. The current districts were designed to protect incumbents of both parties.

New districts are being drawn in a more open and honest fashion. There will be few "safe" districts in the future.

The redistricting that happens every 10 years is what gets us these crazy over the top types in office..

but it allows the wealthy coastal cities to have a representative, and the rural inland areas to have a representative.

It might be better than letting Santa Barbara control central coast politics.

representatives from districts that are either solid red or solid blue are likely to take extreme positions and refuse to compromise. If there are too many of these, then the House of Representatives will not accomplish much.

Similarly, the state assembly and state senate won't accomplish much if they are filled with extremists.

Voters put an end to that at the ballot box in 2008 and 2010 by creating the California Citizens Redistricting Commission. The measures they passed called on the 14-member panel to draw contiguous districts of equal proportion ensuring that minorities, when their numbers dictate, have an opportunity together to elect politicians of their choice. In addition to congressional and legislative lines, the panel determines districts for the State Board of Equalization.

The commissioners — five Democrats, five Republicans and four unaffiliated — must ensure that minorities are not disenfranchised and should aim to respect community boundaries and produce districts with a "fairly regular shape." They are forbidden to consider how any boundary would affect an incumbent or a political party.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-maps-20110610,0,3926097.story

"They are forbidden to consider how any boundary would affect an incumbent or a political party".

How novel - meeting the wishes of the people. Democracy at large.

K & R.

That's what I meant when I wrote: "Here is the last Calimander you will ever see".

The California Citizens Redistricting Commission won't solve all our problems, but the new districts will be an important first step toward a more responsible legislature.

Thanks for your post, and thanks for the K & R.