The Texas Nexus: Where Racial and Partisan Gerrymandering Came Together

As our redistricting comes under further debate today,and as we, the residents of District 23, wait and wonder what will happen I felt it was time to revisit an older article on the DeLay plan that put us where we are today.

The Texas Nexus: Where Racial and Partisan Gerrymandering Came Together: "The DeLay plan also maximizes racial divisions and polarization in Texas by dividing the state primarily into Anglo-dominated Republican districts and a relatively few heavily minority Democratic districts. As a result, the Texas congressional delegate now consists of 21 Anglo Republicans, 9 Hispanic or black Democrats, and only 2 remaining Anglo Democrats. It eliminates both competitive districts and districts that would encourage coalition-building between Anglos and minorities. The plan represents a grim future for Texas and for the nation if the DeLay approach to redistricting became a model for other states.
Nearly as disturbing as the deliberate minority disenfranchisement, is the fact that, if Democrats were in the majority in the U.S. Congress right now, there would be dozens of full committee and subcommittees headed by minorities, blacks or Hispanics. And that�s the basis of significant power within Congress. Under Republican control of Congress, there are no blacks and very few Hispanics. It�s what one observer called a 'peculiar apartheid.' "