I get what they're trying to address, but it's ironic that three African-American legislators are pushing a constitutional amendment that would establish that a class of individuals would not count as part of the general population during the apportionment process.
Slaves couldn't vote either. Hell, many states said slaves were property and not people. But we still counted them as six-tenths of a person.
Here's another suggestion that wouldn't require a constitutional amendment - why don't we just build prisons in Grigsby's and Turner's and Williams' districts so we don't have to move their constituents so far from home?
MADISON – Rep. Frederick Kessler, D-Milwaukee, today introduced a state Constitutional amendment to change the way state and local electoral districts are drawn. If enacted, the amendment would direct that incarcerated felons, who may not vote, also not be counted toward the population of the districts where their prisons are located. Joining Kessler in proposing the amendment are Reps. Spencer Black, Tamara Grigsby, Robert Turner and Polly Williams.
Slaves couldn't vote either. Hell, many states said slaves were property and not people. But we still counted them as six-tenths of a person.
Here's another suggestion that wouldn't require a constitutional amendment - why don't we just build prisons in Grigsby's and Turner's and Williams' districts so we don't have to move their constituents so far from home?
7 comments:
Wasn't it the southern states that wanted to count slaves as part of their populations for purposes of Congressional representation? Even though they gave them no rights, they wanted to exploit their numbers in order to increase their political power. It is not at all ironic that three African-American legislators are trying to stop communities like Stanely from doing the same thing.
Sure, I get that. But Stanley isn't trying to do anything. This is pretty much how people have been counted since the founding of our country.
The other thing that's curious is that these legislators aren't trying to find an alternate way of counting these prisoners that might be more equitable - for instance, counting them at their last known address. They're simply suggesting that we not count them at all.
Of course, you're correct. On the part of the Democrats offering this proposal, it's all about politics.
Since June is dairy month, apparently this means that playground politics creams the state Democrats all month long.
Hahaha. I like to mix it up. Can't serve the same flavor every day, right?
Nothing wrong with having a little cream in your coffee.
Yeah, you sure like to mix it up.
Why don't you admit right here that you're gay and keep mixing it up?
You won't publish this, I'll bet all the money in my piggy bank.
Because you're a big chicken at heart.
Nope, no chicken here - although I do wonder if you'd be willing to say that if everyone knew who you were. Calling someone a chicken without using so much as an identifiable pseudonym is pretty ironic.
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