Once again in a long line of once agains, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and company have given a fat middle finger to the voters of Florida by concocting a secretive scheme that violates the will of the people.<\/p>\n
Aren\u2019t they tired? Physically? Of being this way? It takes special gumption to cheat and deceive this much. You really have to chug eight raw eggs a morning to be this bravely unrepentant to the people you serve. You really have to wake up, kiss the nearby framed photo of President Donald Trump\u2019s gold-embossed patootie, pull on your archival Eric Cartman underpants and declare, \u201cWhatever! I do what I want!\u201d<\/p>\n
In case you have blacked out from overwhelm, which would be reasonable, here\u2019s a recap:<\/p>\n
Trump, facing a growing wave of ick as midterms approach, has been asking states to help him by tinkering with congressional maps. On Monday, DeSantis released a proposal<\/a> redder than a rare filet. There\u2019s a couple blue pity dots, probably for comic effect.<\/p>\n Maps are usually updated every decade along with census data. Florida was not due, especially considering DeSantis already messed with districts in 2022<\/a>. The employee who ginned up the latest map, Jason Poreda, openly admitted to using partisan data. Tampa Bay Times analysis shows that the new map, which DeSantis claims is race-neutral, would increase the number of predominantlywhite districts<\/a>.<\/p>\n Lawmakers didn\u2019t even see the proposal before, of course, Fox News did. Two days later, the Florida Legislature approved the plan<\/a> in a special session after two hours of debate.<\/p>\n If other states are redrawing maps, you may ask, why can\u2019t Florida? Great question. Florida expressly bans partisan redistricting in its constitution and has for a long time. In 2010, 63% of voters supported the Fair Districts Amendment, which says redistricting can\u2019t be done to favor a political party or to strip voting access from minorities.<\/p>\n Not to mention, voters never had a say in this. In Virginia, for example, recent redistricting proposals were placed on the ballot. Remember voters? They are the bipedal types with opposable thumbs.<\/p>\n The governor\u2019s office said it didn\u2019t need to follow the constitution because the U.S. Supreme Court was gearing up to dismantle a portion<\/a> of the Voting Rights Act, another branch of this withering late-stage democracy tree for us to fall from, sinking deeper into mental blackout in the leaves below.<\/p>\n This stuff can be weedy and dense. Let\u2019s break it down even further:<\/p>\n Florida voters banned partisan gerrymandering.<\/p>\n Hey, remember when all those celebrities, including Aunt Becky from \u201cFull House,\u201d cheated to get their kids into universities? The energy of this and other DeSantis-adjacent blights \u2014 the state parks saga<\/a>, the Hope Florida<\/a> debacle \u2014 suggests a sad lack of confidence. It\u2019s giving, \u201cWe can\u2019t succeed in a way that respects the democratic process, so we\u2019re going to brainstorm half-baked workarounds on a crumbling Tallahassee corkboard before heading out for another weeknight of bottom-shelf Old Fashioneds.\u201d<\/p>\n Some wonks have argued that this move was a risk, making certain Republican seats more vulnerable<\/a>. It could be a risk in a more ancient sense, too, one in which cheaters are loooooosers. Who was it that said he doesn\u2019t like losers? Anyway.<\/p>\n Stripping the people of any say in the makeup of their representation is desperate at best, illegal at worst, and it may turn off a few reliable voters who have had enough. Yes, voters, remember them? Despite the state\u2019s best efforts, they do still exist.<\/p>\n Get Stephanie\u2019s newsletter<\/p>\n