Comments on: Gunning for Bachmann’s job http://www.secretsofthecity.com/mnspeak/gunning-for-bachmanns-job Minneapolis + St. Paul Sun, 22 Nov 2009 07:11:27 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: justpbob http://www.secretsofthecity.com/mnspeak/gunning-for-bachmanns-job#comment-225933 justpbob Wed, 22 Jul 2009 13:10:14 +0000 #comment-225933 <p>Update: according to <a href="http://www.twincities.com/politics/ci_12890003?source=rss">this article</a> from the AP, as few as 3,000 people in the next census could tip the balance, one way or another, on Minnesota losing a seat in Congress.</p> Update: according to this article from the AP, as few as 3,000 people in the next census could tip the balance, one way or another, on Minnesota losing a seat in Congress.

]]> By: noodleman http://www.secretsofthecity.com/mnspeak/gunning-for-bachmanns-job#comment-225347 noodleman Thu, 16 Jul 2009 17:25:13 +0000 #comment-225347 <p>Here's a link that shows the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_congressional_apportionment#1789-1800" target="_blank">periodic increase in House seats</a> based on population and apportionment.</p> <p>It's interesting to note that a Representative in 2008 has a constituency that is approximately 10x greater than that of a 1789 Representative.</p> Here’s a link that shows the periodic increase in House seats based on population and apportionment.

It’s interesting to note that a Representative in 2008 has a constituency that is approximately 10x greater than that of a 1789 Representative.

]]> By: noodleman http://www.secretsofthecity.com/mnspeak/gunning-for-bachmanns-job#comment-225346 noodleman Thu, 16 Jul 2009 17:17:53 +0000 #comment-225346 <i>With the current House set at 435 seats, each member represents about 300,000 people.</i> Bad math. The current US population is around 300,000,000. 300MM/435=689,655. Much closer to the figure I used above. With the current House set at 435 seats, each member represents about 300,000 people.

Bad math.

The current US population is around 300,000,000.

300MM/435=689,655. Much closer to the figure I used above.

]]> By: Rat http://www.secretsofthecity.com/mnspeak/gunning-for-bachmanns-job#comment-225337 Rat Thu, 16 Jul 2009 16:38:22 +0000 #comment-225337 "You show me a 50-foot wall and I'll show you a 51-foot ladder" Any reporter wouldn't leave that one out of his or her notes. That's glib enough. Not sure if it's much more than that, though. “You show me a 50-foot wall and I’ll show you a 51-foot ladder”

Any reporter wouldn’t leave that one out of his or her notes.

That’s glib enough. Not sure if it’s much more than that, though.

]]> By: justpbob http://www.secretsofthecity.com/mnspeak/gunning-for-bachmanns-job#comment-225335 justpbob Thu, 16 Jul 2009 16:33:02 +0000 #comment-225335 <p><em>"You show me a 50-foot wall and I'll show you a 51-foot ladder. Never underestimate a person's sense of desperation. So, building a wall is not the answer."</em></p> <p>--Janet Napolitano, speaking during her 2006 re-election campaign as governor of Arizona.</p> “You show me a 50-foot wall and I’ll show you a 51-foot ladder. Never underestimate a person’s sense of desperation. So, building a wall is not the answer.”

–Janet Napolitano, speaking during her 2006 re-election campaign as governor of Arizona.

]]> By: CINF http://www.secretsofthecity.com/mnspeak/gunning-for-bachmanns-job#comment-225331 CINF Thu, 16 Jul 2009 16:14:25 +0000 #comment-225331 Oh, and I like the idea of a wall around the 6th, if nothing else it'll keep the riffraff (I'm looking at you, Bob) out of the rest of the state. Or we can just give the 6th to Wisconsin. Oh, and I like the idea of a wall around the 6th, if nothing else it’ll keep the riffraff (I’m looking at you, Bob) out of the rest of the state. Or we can just give the 6th to Wisconsin.

]]> By: CINF http://www.secretsofthecity.com/mnspeak/gunning-for-bachmanns-job#comment-225329 CINF Thu, 16 Jul 2009 16:12:44 +0000 #comment-225329 A classmate of mine had a great proposal this semester: Increase the size of the House of Reps. With the current House set at 435 seats, each member represents about 300,000 people. His proposal was to increase the size so no member represented more than 150,000 people. That would more than double the size of the house, which would then limit the massive fundraising that all members have to do every two years and give citizens greater access to their rep. I love the idea. Totally off topic but since this changed to a redistricting conversation, I thought I'd throw it out. A classmate of mine had a great proposal this semester: Increase the size of the House of Reps. With the current House set at 435 seats, each member represents about 300,000 people. His proposal was to increase the size so no member represented more than 150,000 people. That would more than double the size of the house, which would then limit the massive fundraising that all members have to do every two years and give citizens greater access to their rep. I love the idea.

Totally off topic but since this changed to a redistricting conversation, I thought I’d throw it out.

]]> By: mnblrmkr http://www.secretsofthecity.com/mnspeak/gunning-for-bachmanns-job#comment-225319 mnblrmkr Thu, 16 Jul 2009 15:20:18 +0000 #comment-225319 <p><em>So in 2012, there are no incumbents, then, but presumably everyone will sorta lay claim to the district that most resembles the one they were representing before?</em></p> <p>Most states will only have to adjust district boundaries to reflect the new population distribution. Not sure who frequently two sitting Reps have to decide between moving or facing off against another incumbent if the state hasn't lost a seat.</p> <p>I know at the state level, John Hottinger moved to stay in a district with more favorable demographics. </p> <p>As was mentioned, the 6th district was drastically redrawn (Kline actually ran against Luther in the 6th  twice, before Luther was redistricted out of office).</p> <p>And, of course, there's the Texas case, where the GOP took a second try at redistricting, and forced several Democrats to run against each other.</p> So in 2012, there are no incumbents, then, but presumably everyone will sorta lay claim to the district that most resembles the one they were representing before?

Most states will only have to adjust district boundaries to reflect the new population distribution. Not sure who frequently two sitting Reps have to decide between moving or facing off against another incumbent if the state hasn’t lost a seat.

I know at the state level, John Hottinger moved to stay in a district with more favorable demographics. 

As was mentioned, the 6th district was drastically redrawn (Kline actually ran against Luther in the 6th  twice, before Luther was redistricted out of office).

And, of course, there’s the Texas case, where the GOP took a second try at redistricting, and forced several Democrats to run against each other.

]]> By: mnblrmkr http://www.secretsofthecity.com/mnspeak/gunning-for-bachmanns-job#comment-225316 mnblrmkr Thu, 16 Jul 2009 15:07:21 +0000 #comment-225316 The expectation is that MN will go from 8 to 7 representatives. So, yeah, we will lose a representative. Not because we lost population, but because states in the south and southwest grew much faster. Since the number of representatives in the US House is fixed (though Congress could increase it; they have in the past), one of "our" representative seats will be given to another state. It will be interesting to see what happens after the census. Last redistricting, when we avoided losing a rep, the Republicans tried to carve out a new suburban district by proposing that Mpls-St Paul be combined into a single district. I'm sure that they'll propose it again. The expectation is that MN will go from 8 to 7 representatives. So, yeah, we will lose a representative. Not because we lost population, but because states in the south and southwest grew much faster.
Since the number of representatives in the US House is fixed (though Congress could increase it; they have in the past), one of “our” representative seats will be given to another state.

It will be interesting to see what happens after the census. Last redistricting, when we avoided losing a rep, the Republicans tried to carve out a new suburban district by proposing that Mpls-St Paul be combined into a single district. I’m sure that they’ll propose it again.

]]> By: DouglasG http://www.secretsofthecity.com/mnspeak/gunning-for-bachmanns-job#comment-225312 DouglasG Thu, 16 Jul 2009 14:31:50 +0000 #comment-225312 Remember, you have to live in the district you represent. Thus, you don't get to decide where you run, unless you wish to move. If you spread the party too thinly in an area, you may not be able to overcome the oppositions numbers. Thus, it seems that the best way to assure that your side gets a representative is to overload at least one district. I think that is the thinking... Remember, you have to live in the district you represent. Thus, you don’t get to decide where you run, unless you wish to move.

If you spread the party too thinly in an area, you may not be able to overcome the oppositions numbers. Thus, it seems that the best way to assure that your side gets a representative is to overload at least one district. I think that is the thinking…

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