As Texas Republicans try to muscle a rare mid-decade redistricting bill through the Legislature to help Republicans gain seats in Congress – at President Donald Trump’s request – residents in Austin, the state capital, could find themselves sharing a district with rural Texans more than 300 miles away.

The proposed map chops up Central Texas’ 37th Congressional District, which is currently represented by Democrat Rep. Lloyd Doggett, will be consumed by four neighboring districts, three of which Republicans now hold.

One of those portions of the Austin-area district was drawn to be part of the 11th District that Republican Rep. August Pfluger represents, which stretches into rural Ector County, about 20 miles away from the New Mexico border.

  • Verdant Banana@lemmy.world
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    4 days ago

    worked for about 250 years for a select group of people only

    didn’t work for the native americans, slaves, poor people, etcetera

    • finitebanjo@lemmy.world
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      4 days ago

      Things have improved for those groups over time, notably. We took a shit system and tried to make it represent all of us.

      • FundMECFS@lemmy.cafe
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        3 days ago

        Arguable that things have improved for poor people in the last 50 years. In relative terms they are objectively far worse off. And native Americans were arguably better off in the early colonial days pre-manifest destiny. I know US liberalism loves the myth of linear progress. But I think it isn’t necessarily accurate.

        • finitebanjo@lemmy.world
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          3 days ago

          Oooh that liberalism! Promoting human rights! Ruining all of my evil schemes to catch the smurfs!

          • FundMECFS@lemmy.cafe
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            3 days ago

            Liberalism promotes capitalism. Which isn’t great for human rights.

            So no, criticising liberalism as an ideology, built upon capitalist and statist-nationalist ideals does not make me an evil person trying to “catch the smurfs”.

            • finitebanjo@lemmy.world
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              3 days ago

              We’re going to have to end all human rights to defeat capitalism, guys. It’s the only way, trust me.

              • FundMECFS@lemmy.cafe
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                3 days ago

                I have a hard time believing your good faith. Are you seriously arguing there’s no pro-human rights ideology except liberalism?

                Liberalism ≠ Human Rights

                If so please please learn about political philosophy. There’s a lot more than “liberals” and “conservatives”.

                • finitebanjo@lemmy.world
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                  3 days ago

                  I’m sorry that I’m not taking this conversation with an anti-human-rights activist seriously. Have you considered that by not respecting others you yourself are undeserving of respect via the tolerance paradox?

                  • FundMECFS@lemmy.cafe
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                    3 days ago

                    Dude when did I ever say I’m anti human rights???

                    This conversation is so frustrating its like talking to a wall.