wandering through the statewide primary results I was stricken by the number of partisan races that did not have an opponent in the opposite party. why are these seats without any whiff of competition? it would appear that most every seat in the legislature is pretty much preordained with little hope of movement. how did this happen, and do we have to accept the status quo? I guess I am a little naive in assuming that most people are open to alternative solutions, but the numbers do not support open-mindedness. the alternative is rather depressing.
Computers give legislators/secretaries of state/courts the ability to draw legislative districts very precisely to protect the majority party's incumbents and create as many safe districts as possible. Dems exclusively drew the lines in 2020. In states where Republicans control, they do the same thing.
gerrymandering... maybe the powers that be know entirely too much about we minions. I hear a lot about the preservation of personal privacy, but it would appear that big brother knows entirely too much about each and every one of us. perhaps it is time to scrutinize the members of the courts, who, it seems, have an inordinate power of control over us all. one might want to question a typical ballot in Oregon, where, at least this time, all of the judges on my ballot were running UNOPPOSED, a very difficult situation to change given our political system. I have great faith in the constitution our founding fathers have given us, but I am very afraid the worms in the woodwork are weakening the structure of our nation. hang in there.
Still 'finding' ballots to tally. Oregon's election system is severely broken. Mr. Knotts had no light shining on him so his race may be one of the few honest races in Multnomah County.
wandering through the statewide primary results I was stricken by the number of partisan races that did not have an opponent in the opposite party. why are these seats without any whiff of competition? it would appear that most every seat in the legislature is pretty much preordained with little hope of movement. how did this happen, and do we have to accept the status quo? I guess I am a little naive in assuming that most people are open to alternative solutions, but the numbers do not support open-mindedness. the alternative is rather depressing.
Computers give legislators/secretaries of state/courts the ability to draw legislative districts very precisely to protect the majority party's incumbents and create as many safe districts as possible. Dems exclusively drew the lines in 2020. In states where Republicans control, they do the same thing.
gerrymandering... maybe the powers that be know entirely too much about we minions. I hear a lot about the preservation of personal privacy, but it would appear that big brother knows entirely too much about each and every one of us. perhaps it is time to scrutinize the members of the courts, who, it seems, have an inordinate power of control over us all. one might want to question a typical ballot in Oregon, where, at least this time, all of the judges on my ballot were running UNOPPOSED, a very difficult situation to change given our political system. I have great faith in the constitution our founding fathers have given us, but I am very afraid the worms in the woodwork are weakening the structure of our nation. hang in there.
Still 'finding' ballots to tally. Oregon's election system is severely broken. Mr. Knotts had no light shining on him so his race may be one of the few honest races in Multnomah County.