The new Congressional map in Louisiana splits--or cracks--the two majority African American cities in the name of creating a second majority-Black district. This is not a win for African Americans. It is not a win for white people. It's not a win for the people. It's a win for the money.
Cracking communities in this manner makes it impossible for them to organize effectively to exercise influence on their elected official, or more importantly, to elect a candidate genuinely interested in that community's best interests.
To win, any candidate running in one of these districts will have to kowtow to those big money interests who will underwrite campaigns and create an assembly line of Super PACs to support their chosen candidate. This map is yet another piece of evidence that the Citizens United decision has allowed big money interests to game the Voting Rights Act so the wealthy and powerful can maintain their wealth and power. There is nothing to celebrate here.
Totally agree. Since Citizens United, every institution in America has been up for sale to the highest bidder. Dirty money has corrupted higher education on down to local school boards. It's terrifying to see how many people have zero ethics when it comes to money.
Sadly true, and so few people are paying attention.