Where this is headed
by Tom Sullivan
Conservative resentment of whites' flagging demographic dominance became more pronounced over the 2010s. Hugh Hewitt might blame liberal snootiness if he likes (he does), but that's not why over the last decade Republicans needed "surgical" gerrymandering like Viagra for keeping up their membership in Congress.
Hewitt complains Donald Trump's opponents are "millions whose self-regard was greater than their esteem for the people’s vote" even while admitting, yes, yes, we know Trump lost the 2016 popular vote.
But against that resentment, the GOP's own "autopsy" on the 2012 race found former Republican voters described the party as “scary,” “narrow minded,” and “out of touch,” a party of “stuffy old men.” Younger voters rejected them. Minorities thought "Republicans do not like them or want them in the country." Rather than adjust course, Republicans spent the decade resembling those remarks.
Charles Gaba used Twitter Monday to illustrate how much America has changed and how much the Republican Party has not. Membership in the House caucuses tells the tale.
📣 UDPATE: OK, I've added Native American/Alaskan (4 total) and Asian/Pacific Islander (13). Several members fall into multiple categories, of course...Rep. Bobby Scott is a member of the CBC but is also Filipino by birth, etc.) pic.twitter.com/8pObFqby7J
— Charles #GetCovered-ba (@charles_gaba) December 29, 2019
We stand on the verge of the next redistricting cycle, which will begin in 2021, without the prospect of intervention from the federal courts, with the gerrymander wars headed south and the prospect of states using citizen population, rather than total population, to draw state legislative districts, all, again, with the goal of standing athwart demographic change and shouting “stop.”Republicans found rigging democracy is easier than persuading voters their policies have merit. While accusing the left of looking down its maternalistic nose at voters and knowing what's best for them, Republicans have chosen to trade democracy for the mere appearance of it. That is what its shrinking base demands.