Gerrymandering update 1/28/21

I oppose gerrymandering. I want fairly drawn legislative districts. However, Republicans have used gerymandering extensively compared to Democrats. They were smart to concentrate on state legislatures in 2010 and redrew maps to their advantage after that. There isn’t a lot of Democratic gerrymandering but here in Maryland, Democrats used it to make their margin in Congress from 6-2 to 7-1. Ordinarily, I would want them to get rid of it of but now I oppose it unless Republicans stop their gerrymandering. That’s not going to happen.

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NEW w/@NYTnickc: The gerrymandering wars are here.

Republicans may be able to take back the House majority just on new lines drawn by GOP state legislatures in booming Sun Belt states.

Dems fighting back in NY, IL & MD. Lawsuits will abound. https://t.co/ZUQnW4aUOK
— Reid J. Epstein (@reidepstein) January 31, 2021

Five big differences vs. 2011 redistricting cycle:

– Dems much better prepared and GOP less dominant
– New commissions in CO/MI/VA and to lesser extent NY/OH/UT
– New post-Shelby VRA implications
– Heightened public/court scrutiny
– Voters even more geographically pre-sorted pic.twitter.com/U8Z2Fva7nU
— Dave Wasserman (@Redistrict) January 26, 2021

once again, this only really helps the GOP if the entire map remains static. but if R-trending swing states split their EC votes and D-trending swing states don’t, then Republicans may end up losing themselves an election over these schemes. https://t.co/70Xkjnyanf
— b-boy bouiebaisse (@jbouie) January 22, 2021

FWIW, this Dem gerrymander would convert #IL13, #IL14 and #IL17 from Trump ‘16 to Clinton ‘16 districts.

But given GOP gerrymandering opportunities elsewhere, it’s going to be really tough for Ds to hold the House in ‘22. https://t.co/ffDd4YVHOS
— Dave Wasserman (@Redistrict) November 14, 2020

This is how undemocratic US Senate is:

-15 states with 38 million people elect 30 GOP senators

-California with 40 million people elects 2 Dems

-By 2040, 30% of America will elect 70 senators. 70% of America will elect only 30 pic.twitter.com/nX43Oi0kdT
— Ari Berman (@AriBerman) January 22, 2021

GOP gerrymandering slows Wisconsin's Covid-19 response. https://t.co/zyV8QGj1aB
— NBC News (@NBCNews) January 27, 2021

Out of various democracy/governance issues, ending partisan gerrymandering has the broadest support and one of only two issues that commands majority support from Ds, Rs, and independents. #fairmaps pic.twitter.com/ZB5xx1k1JB
— Michael Li 李之樸 (@mcpli) January 21, 2021

The best way to end gerrymandering, with all its vile effects, is for Democrats to gerrymander wherever and whenever they can. https://t.co/84xrjB5LlF
— James Gleick (@JamesGleick) January 27, 2021

Democrats can't stop Republicans from escalating their gerrymandering of the House ahead of the 2022 midterm elections without eliminating the filibuster.

That's what the GOP is counting on. pic.twitter.com/wcNhPB9rhQ
— Waleed Shahid (@_waleedshahid) January 27, 2021

Thanks to @SamWangPhD & the Princeton Gerrymandering Project, this interactive map at the link shows what the best course of action may be to fight for fairer redistricting in every single state ahead of the 2020 redistricting cycle https://t.co/6x4QOXc0gI pic.twitter.com/JgkCs8oQ02
— Stephen Wolf (@PoliticsWolf) July 11, 2019

Virus news 1/28/21

Once again, as it has been throughout the pandemic, what happens next is up to us, writes @DrLeanaWen https://t.co/n7NT4dPo6r
— Washington Post Opinions (@PostOpinions) January 31, 2021

Our team contributed to a new county-level risk alert tracker so people can make informed decisions to protect themselves and others. Thank you @NYTimes for collaborating on this important project. pic.twitter.com/iWgjIhDThz
— Dr. Tom Frieden (@DrTomFrieden) January 28, 2021

If we don’t prioritize minorities in the vaccine rollout, they will be last. https://t.co/EUiQHFZBBt
— Mara Gay (@MaraGay) January 28, 2021

China is not giving up on nasal or throat testing, but the country has adopted a new method for detecting the coronavirus: anal swabs. https://t.co/LDGa36rOXw pic.twitter.com/JSLhdPdcYO
— WebMD (@WebMD) January 28, 2021

“The speed of our countermeasures will decide our fate. What feel like reasonable delays — a few weeks for Congress to debate a bill, a few weeks for the FDA to hold meetings — could lead to the kind of explosive infections that fill our morgues.” https://t.co/RLeBYsogax
— Andrew Romano (@AndrewRomano) January 28, 2021

Recent research has suggested that vitamin D may help guard against severe COVID-19. But how much is enough, and how hard is it to get the right amount? https://t.co/wrQc01dy5J pic.twitter.com/NqzOzush6W
— WebMD (@WebMD) January 29, 2021

COVID-19 may remain in people’s brains after infection and trigger relapses in patients who thought they had recovered, according to a new study published in the journal Viruses. https://t.co/Z586kmJEJo pic.twitter.com/5jwSb90V5C
— WebMD (@WebMD) January 28, 2021

Virus news 1/27/21

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Scientists explain why the new Covid-19 variants could be more infectious.

This article is free to read.
— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) January 19, 2021

Some companies have stopped donations to Republicans who voted to overturn the election

It's growing, and it won't stop until Hawley, McCarthy, Cruz, and Scott are held accountable. https://t.co/Asdns7VXvU
— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) January 26, 2021

A double scoop from @Olivia_Beavers in Huddle today:

—House Republicans are looking for ways to connect w/ corporations & PACs amid the current freeze on donations

—A senior staffer for Tom Cole has left the office after he objected to election resultshttps://t.co/ntBiDJutt7
— Melanie Zanona (@MZanona) January 25, 2021

2. You can find an updated list of corporations that have pledged to suspend giving to this group of Republicans here: https://t.co/r4Z4TjJUCe
— Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) January 25, 2021

Big: Google stops donations to members of Congress who tried to overturn the election.
I don't know if Biden can convince Republicans to work with him. But I think the stop of political donations by the business sector may just pull it off.https://t.co/Ex9bel1dEG
— Frida Ghitis (@FridaGhitis) January 26, 2021

Microsoft has joined in halting PAC donations to Republicans who voted against certification. "The company believes that opposition to the Electoral College undermined American democracy and should have consequences."https://t.co/CS2L9vbGgt
— Jan Wolfe (@JanNWolfe) January 24, 2021

Corporations yanked donations from Dems and Republicans, got some nice regretful statements from Republican leaders, and now Republicans are back to being the party of Trump. https://t.co/93EiXgUGGg
— Susan J. Demas 🏔 (@sjdemas) January 21, 2021

We are calling on all corporations that financially supported House Republicans to freeze all contributions for their complicity in the attack on the United States Capitol.

These are the corporations that have remained silent: pic.twitter.com/jpepb0YBDX
— PA HDCC (@PAHDCC) January 19, 2021

You mean like … THIS list of companies? Yeah it's weird that Microsoft isn't on it. Since January 8th. https://t.co/QxPFeVC4K2
— Rose Bigham ⭐ (@funchefchick) January 23, 2021

More on masks 1/26/21

I agree with Europe: Wearing medical-grade masks will be important to slow the spread of the B.1.1.7 strain. We have consistent evidence that single-layer cloth masks are not as effective as surgical masks, and N95 or KN95 masks are even better. https://t.co/LtwxVVdETz
— Atul Gawande (@Atul_Gawande) January 21, 2021

See https://t.co/jJMuQjXQxy for @Smogdr's excellent data on masks. Shows that adding filter layer hugely improves performance. Washing degrades it. Visit website to see other combinations. Totally consistent with all other results I've seen, including from my lab. pic.twitter.com/oEiJNLQNF1
— Linsey Marr (@linseymarr) January 25, 2021

Masks are everywhere, but which is best to wear to protect yourself from Covid-19?

CNN checked with experts about the pros and cons of the many masks on the market today and which may be best for you. https://t.co/KThzZ6Wdtp
— CNN (@CNN) January 26, 2021

Face Mask for Coronavirus: Types, Best Filters, How to Make (webmd.com)

Wear multiple masks?

A growing body of research shows that two masks are better than one https://t.co/XRIfFAl2kq
— New York Magazine (@NYMag) January 29, 2021

Americans’ renewed interest in double masking also comes as variants that appear to be more contagious emerge from the U.K, South Africa, Brazil and California.

According to Dr. Anthony Fauci, double-masking would "likely be more effective."https://t.co/xqrOUtK2ib
— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) January 26, 2021

Double Masking ‘Makes Common Sense,’ Fauci Says

Mask tips for covid: Fit, filtration, double masks and more – The Washington Post

Biden ends Trump’s worthless 1776 Commission

President Biden: "I've rescinded the previous administration's harmful ban on diversity and sensitivity training, and abolished the offensive, counterfactual 1776 Commission."
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) January 26, 2021

President Joe Biden revokes Donald Trump's presidential 1776 Commission that aimed to promote “patriotic education” in schools but that historians rejected as political propaganda. https://t.co/oEtD6828OO
— The Associated Press (@AP) January 21, 2021

Biden abolishes Trump’s 1776 Commission.
— Michael Beschloss (@BeschlossDC) January 26, 2021

"Trump’s ‘1776 Report’ is an egregious parting shot!" @washingtonpost columnist @kathleenparker argues on @SXMPOTUS @SIRIUSXM! https://t.co/Uku3Zs09KZ
— Laura Coates (@thelauracoates) January 20, 2021

Right-wing extremism in state Republican parties

We need to talk about the number of state GOPs — Arizona Hawaii Oregon Texas — pushing deranged conspiracy theories and conspiracy theorists. This garbage got people killed and police beaten at the Capitol not even 3 weeks ago. https://t.co/FDSvdBRlw8
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) January 25, 2021

There are a number of GOP state parties that are more accurately described as Q Parties. Oregon, California, Texas and Arizona are among them. Understanding what side controls what in the GOP civil war will be key to understanding and covering it.
— Steve Schmidt (@SteveSchmidtSES) January 26, 2021

The January 6th vote is as irreconcilable for the GOP as was the Kansas/Nebraska act for the Whigs. It has broken the GOP in two. @mattgaetz has declared Trump as the forever leader of the Republican Party and more ominously “The America First Movement”. Like its ‘85 year old https://t.co/cCySvBVYcs
— Steve Schmidt (@SteveSchmidtSES) January 26, 2021

.@HawleyMO are all in league with the insanity of the Oregon, Arizona and Texas parties. They have become consumed by Qanon and the insanity birthed from a million lies. @GOPLeader is unsteady and flailing. He betrayed his oath and finds himself in a political coalition that
— Steve Schmidt (@SteveSchmidtSES) January 26, 2021

Oregon Republican Party falsely calls Capitol riot a "false flag" meant to "discredit President Trump" https://t.co/LB32JqAUPN
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) January 26, 2021

The Oregon republican party just compared the impeachment vote to the Reichstag Firehttps://t.co/2USyHPCN9c
— Chris Cillizza (@ChrisCillizza) January 26, 2021

This is insane garbage. People have been arrested and charged, in part because they were on video they shot themselves. I don't what's scarier: that these idiots believe this false flag crap or they don't and think it's important to lie. https://t.co/DXiaECovEQ
— Jonah Goldberg (@JonahDispatch) January 25, 2021

In run-up to 2020, Trump team took care to firm up their control of state party organizations to mitigate any primary challenge. And now… https://t.co/SI31ptAKlr
— Nick Confessore (@nickconfessore) January 25, 2021

One of the reasons I've argued for voting out the GOP down to the roots is that the state parties are even more insane than the national party. https://t.co/k7i4KOOMXk
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) January 25, 2021

Kelli Ward is a two-time loser in GOP Senate primaries, whose next project has been driving the Arizona GOP into a ditch, including most recently by censuring its successful conservative governor, Doug Ducey https://t.co/UnIghhy7p1
— Rich Lowry (@RichLowry) January 25, 2021

GOP congressional candidate Marjorie Taylor Greene has made racist, Islamaphobic, anti-Semitic and conspiratorial comments.

Republicans supporting her:

-Donald Trump
-Kevin McCarthy
-Kelly Loeffler
-Doug Collins
-Matt Gaetz
-Jim Jordan
-Andy Biggshttps://t.co/LhwDWU9JR0
— JM Rieger (@RiegerReport) August 14, 2020

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina Republicans on Saturday issued a formal censure to U.S. @RepTomRice, taking the step in disapproval of his vote supporting the second impeachment of Donald Trump. pic.twitter.com/HAxCxUyouL
— Meg Kinnard (@MegKinnardAP) January 30, 2021

QAnon is terrible 1/26/21

QAnon believers seek to adapt their extremist ideology for a new era: "Things have just started" https://t.co/J4BzG7UZF2
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) January 22, 2021

Newsmax and OAN peeled off some viewers and instead of becoming more sane Fox has made an editorial decision to get even crazier https://t.co/H0qK1vxEWR
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 26, 2021

"Like the Hawaii GOP, [Tucker Carlson] didn’t promote or subscribe to the wild and baseless theory about a mass pedophile ring in the U.S. government, but he cast its adherents as victims of looming persecution, denied basic civil liberties." https://t.co/FeYi2yLK9L
— Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) January 26, 2021

Conspiracy theories are dangerous and can be deadly. But we need to stop thinking of QAnon believers as far-off lunatics or tinfoil hat loners in basements. Some, sadly, may be your neighbors. We urgently must try to bring them back to reality. My latest: https://t.co/KxXxFioy2A
— Brian Klaas (@brianklaas) January 25, 2021

Dear god, they literally tweeted a QAnon slogan from their official account. https://t.co/4I2LmwxZOH
— Matthew Chapman (@fawfulfan) January 23, 2021

"A Federal Aviation Administration employee who subscribed to the QAnon conspiracy theory was already under FBI investigation when he took part in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, federal authorities disclosed this week.” https://t.co/YxWWOIiEU5
— JM Rieger (@RiegerReport) January 23, 2021

What a story from @stephemcneal on the world of white women QAnon believers. The idea of one person creating a community that follows extremist ideas couched in millennial pink nearly overnight is so scary.

Come for the reporting, stay for the art. https://t.co/tVcMMNFMwQ
— Jane Lytvynenko (@JaneLytv) January 22, 2021

"There are possibly millions of Americans who have been indoctrinated in conspiracy theories, and just because Biden is the President, that is not going away." — @donie https://t.co/buQssVcLEq
— Chris Cillizza (@ChrisCillizza) January 22, 2021

“All it took was Biden’s inauguration to break the fever dream for some QAnon supporters,” @JohnAvlon says in today’s #RealityCheck as he looks at the “panic on the QAnon message boards.” pic.twitter.com/lDY6cMAPPl
— New Day (@NewDay) January 21, 2021

I wonder what these guys are up to today. https://t.co/p90bVsUBei
— Travis View (@travis_view) January 20, 2021

QAnon conspiracy theorists are having a very bad day. https://t.co/HPuQPhRbeW
— Mother Jones (@MotherJones) January 20, 2021

"Q was a LARP the entire f—ing time."
"There is no plan.'
"It's over and nothing makes sense… absolutely nothing…" pic.twitter.com/I2k8C7708m
— Ben Collins (@oneunderscore__) January 20, 2021

Pro-Trump Telegram channels and other online forums were filled today with posts from users angry and disappointed that Trump did not black out U.S. communications networks and send in the military to arrest Biden and other Democrats and celebrities. https://t.co/1Y2Odm6JM1
— Axios (@axios) January 20, 2021

Ron Watkins, the former 8kun admin who helped keep QAnon afloat for years (and who some suspected of being Q himself), is throwing in the towel. pic.twitter.com/HJdBrOexO2
— Kevin Roose (@kevinroose) January 20, 2021

When talking to doomsday QAnon supporters in West Virginia, this NYT reporter confesses that "You can see the image of Hillary rising to the Presidency in their eyes", further confirmation of what Trump supporters have known all along, that Hillary will emerge from the wings.
— SatireBot (@BotSatire) January 20, 2021

Facebook has new QAnon numbers out tonight that highlights how vast the conspiracy theory is.

Since August Facebook says it has removed:

-3,300 Pages
-10,500 groups
-510 events
-18,300 Facebook profiles
-27,300 Instagram accounts

Under its QAnon policy.
— Donie O'Sullivan (@donie) January 20, 2021

National Park Service spent 4,000 hours working on Trump’s fireworks

corrupt

4000 hours.

That's a staggering amount of time for government employees to have to work promoting the president's re-election campaign. https://t.co/9u0Dlb8O3t
— Citizens for Ethics (@CREWcrew) January 26, 2021

After GOP leaders decided a fireworks display should cap President Trump's acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention in August, the National Park Service got to work, providing 3,957 hours of labor for the job.https://t.co/RRHHDjMwsA
— E&E News (@EENewsUpdates) January 26, 2021