Redistricting: It's dog eat dog.

The Texas GOP is remapping congressional districts in Texas. 

Yesterday I posted saying Oregon should do the same. 

Joe Yetter, the 2022 Democratic candidate for Congress in Oregon's second district, responded: 

     "Must we destroy democracy in order to save it?
      Let us not race to the moral bottom."

Democrats in Congress proposed independent commissions in every state to map congressional districts. If every state did it, congressional districts would be fairer for everyone. Republicans filibustered and killed their bill.

Trump isn't bothering with hypocrisy. He openly admits he wants Texas to do a mid-decade redistricting to create five new Republican seats.

There are two philosophies at work here. One, voiced by Joe Yetter, is that it is a moral good to set up rules of fair play to achieve a working democracy. Trump represents a different school of thought. He believes everyone fights to win, using whatever advantage they can find. The resulting equilibrium reflects the relative power of each competitor. There is no such thing as "cheating." It's a dog-eat-dog world.

Trump spoke to European leaders early in his first term. He said that America's role in the world had changed. He said the old, post-WWII world was rules-based. There was international law. There were treaties. The U.N. announced norms and forbidden acts. Trump said a rules-based order disadvantaged the U.S.

He announced his philosophy: The powerful take what they want. Everybody plays to win. He said, to muted applause:

“As president of the United States, I will always put America first. Just like you, as the leaders of your countries, will always and should always put your countries first.”

The redistricting controversy presents this clash of values. Democrats passed laws in some states that require independent commissions to set districts. They were doing rules-based government, with a procedure that shares power and opportunity. In a dog-eat-dog world, "fair" is whoever wins the struggle and grabs the most. You don't leave money on the table. 

Americans should not be surprised by Trump's approach. His behavior as a real estate developer was notorious. He would stiff vendors and subcontractors, because he could. After they had concluded their work and expected final payment, Trump would claim some pretense of faulty work. He told them to sue and be tied up in court for a decade. It was sharp business, as with Trump University or Trump's strategic bankruptcies. 

Democrats are about to make a big mistake. They think we are considering rules of fair play in elections. No. That debate came and went. That game was played in the Congress, where Republicans killed the independent commission law. It was played in the Supreme Court, where the Court decided that the judiciary had no role in forbidding partisan gerrymandering. 

An important life skill is to recognize what is happening around you. Call it "situational awareness" or "street smarts." Democrats are in a fight. This isn't about fairness or norms. It is about using the tools -- weapons -- available. Trump is doing exactly that right now. He doesn't dither or apologize.

The question is whether Democrats recognize that they are in a fight. My state senator, Democrat Jeff Golden -- also a college classmate, said at a town hall meeting last night that he was of two minds on the issue of Oregon redistricting. Redistricting seemed wrong, he said, but maybe Democrats were erring by "bringing a pillow to a knife fight."

Yes they are. Democrats should wake up to what is happening. It is a knife fight. Trump has a knife.

Joe Yetter woke up. On reflection, after Joe wrote the headline comment at the top of this post, he wrote me this: 

     Well, heck. I went all moral-high-road when Peter asked me to comment.

     But honestly, Peter's map is ethically defensible: it maximizes the efficiency of each vote, creates more competitive districts, and it groups voters with common interests.

Kudos, Peter.  Let justice be done, though the heavens may fall.

Oregon should try to do what Texas is doing. If Republican Congressman Cliff Bentz, who defeated Yetter, faced having to run and lose in a competitive district, he might urge GOP House Speaker Mike Johnson to stop supporting the aggressive gerrymandering taking place in Texas, because it is hurting bystanders like himself. The current Oregon map gives four districts a pizza slice touching Portland-area Democrats. It may not be possible to put an extra slice into there, but Democrats should try.

 

Current map.

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