Americans didn't intend to elect a Republican majority to the House. Thanks to GOP-engineered redistricting, they did:

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Americans woke up on November 7th having elected a Democratic president, expanded the Democratic majority in the Senate, and preserved the Republican majority in the House.

That's not what they voted for, though. Most Americans voted for Democratic representation in the House. The votes are still being counted, but as of now it looks as if Democrats have a slight edge in the popular vote for House seats, 49%-48.2%, according to an analysis by theWashington Post. Still, as the Post's Aaron Blake notes, the 233-195 seat majority the GOP will likely end up with represents the GOP's "second-biggest House majority in 60 years and their third-biggest since the Great Depression."

So how did Republicans keep their House majority despite more Americans voting for the other party—something that has only happened three times in the last hundred years, according to political analyst Richard Winger? Because they drew the lines.

After Republicans swept into power in state legislatures in 2010, the GOP gerrymandered key states, redrawing House district boundaries to favor Republicans. In Pennsylvania, Democratic candidates received half of the votes in House contests, but Republicans will claim about three quarters of the congressional seats. The same is true in North Carolina. More than half the voters in that state voted for Democratic representation, yet Republicans will fill about 70 percent of the seats. Democrats drew more votes in Michigan than Republicans, but they'll take only 5 out of the state's 14 congressional seats.

"Partisans manipulate the process to their advantage," says Sundeep Iyer of the Brennan Center, a left-leaning public policy group which has been pushing for redistricting reform to limit partisan gerrymandering. "Not only did redistricting make it easier for Republicans to keep control of Congress this election," Iyer and his colleague Keesha Gaskins wrote at the Brennan Center's website, "but it also may have made it easier for them to keep control over the next decade." (My colleague Nick Baumann warned of exactly this two years ago.)

Republicans point to Illinois and Maryland as examples of Democrats playing the same game, and it is true that Democrats in those states drew maps favorable to their interests. In Maryland, Democrats got 62 percent of the combined vote in House races and 88 percent of the congressional seats; in Illinois they won 54 percent of the vote and about two-thirds of the congressional seats.

"It's difficult to take all of the politics out of the process," Iyer admits. But he points to two methods states have used to mitigate partisanship in redistricting. In California, an outside commission was adopted to handle the redistricting process. In Florida, voters approved a ballot measure that alters the state constitution so as to prevent lawmakers from drawing the lines in a way that would "favor or disfavor an incumbent or political party." If the maps violate the amendments, they can be challenged in state court and possibly declared unconstitutional.

These measures have had limited impact. In California, Iyer acknowledges, "Democrats managed to find a way to manipulate the process even though partisans weren't overtly involved." According to ProPublica, California Democrats "surreptitiously enlisted local voters, elected officials, labor unions and community groups to testify in support of configurations that coincided with the party's interests," going so far as to invent "a local group to advocate for the Democrats' map." And in Florida, Democrats won nearly half the House race votes but will fill about a third of the state's congressional seats. Believe it or not, Iyer says, that's actually an improvement.

Redistricting only happens once every ten years. So Americans may have to learn to live with a Republican House, no matter how they vote.

http://www.motherjon...-election-chart

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

[Karee 4,190]

[Harsh_77 718]

Conspiracy……lol

Do I need to add pic of the tinfoil hat??

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

Americans woke up on November 7th having elected a Democratic president, expanded the Democratic majority in the Senate, and preserved the Republican majority in the House.

That's not what they voted for, though. Most Americans voted for Democratic representation in the House. The votes are still being counted, but as of now it looks as if Democrats have a slight edge in the popular vote for House seats, 49%-48.2%, according to an analysis by theWashington Post. Still, as the Post's Aaron Blake notes, the 233-195 seat majority the GOP will likely end up with represents the GOP's "second-biggest House majority in 60 years and their third-biggest since the Great Depression."

So how did Republicans keep their House majority despite more Americans voting for the other party—something that has only happened three times in the last hundred years, according to political analyst Richard Winger? Because they drew the lines.

After Republicans swept into power in state legislatures in 2010, the GOP gerrymandered key states, redrawing House district boundaries to favor Republicans. In Pennsylvania, Democratic candidates received half of the votes in House contests, but Republicans will claim about three quarters of the congressional seats. The same is true in North Carolina. More than half the voters in that state voted for Democratic representation, yet Republicans will fill about 70 percent of the seats. Democrats drew more votes in Michigan than Republicans, but they'll take only 5 out of the state's 14 congressional seats.

"Partisans manipulate the process to their advantage," says Sundeep Iyer of the Brennan Center, a left-leaning public policy group which has been pushing for redistricting reform to limit partisan gerrymandering. "Not only did redistricting make it easier for Republicans to keep control of Congress this election," Iyer and his colleague Keesha Gaskins wrote at the Brennan Center's website, "but it also may have made it easier for them to keep control over the next decade." (My colleague Nick Baumann warned of exactly this two years ago.)

Republicans point to Illinois and Maryland as examples of Democrats playing the same game, and it is true that Democrats in those states drew maps favorable to their interests. In Maryland, Democrats got 62 percent of the combined vote in House races and 88 percent of the congressional seats; in Illinois they won 54 percent of the vote and about two-thirds of the congressional seats.

"It's difficult to take all of the politics out of the process," Iyer admits. But he points to two methods states have used to mitigate partisanship in redistricting. In California, an outside commission was adopted to handle the redistricting process. In Florida, voters approved a ballot measure that alters the state constitution so as to prevent lawmakers from drawing the lines in a way that would "favor or disfavor an incumbent or political party." If the maps violate the amendments, they can be challenged in state court and possibly declared unconstitutional.

These measures have had limited impact. In California, Iyer acknowledges, "Democrats managed to find a way to manipulate the process even though partisans weren't overtly involved." According to ProPublica, California Democrats "surreptitiously enlisted local voters, elected officials, labor unions and community groups to testify in support of configurations that coincided with the party's interests," going so far as to invent "a local group to advocate for the Democrats' map." And in Florida, Democrats won nearly half the House race votes but will fill about a third of the state's congressional seats. Believe it or not, Iyer says, that's actually an improvement.

Redistricting only happens once every ten years. So Americans may have to learn to live with a Republican House, no matter how they vote.

http://www.motherjon...-election-chart

Oh dear lord do you not think people know who they voted for ...

[Danno 1,228]

Steve why not post districting maps?

What you will see is boundary lines often oddly drawn to enable enough predictably democratic voter in any given area to insure a diversity of representation.

If it were done closer to a grid-map.... you would really feel pain.

Look at some of the crazy ones in my area, one starts in the middle of the state and snakes up I-85 from Meckinburg going north.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Democrats must be the stupidest people on earth! First, ONLY Democrats voted for Bush by mistake, Republicans did not make the mistake on the same ballot of voting for Gore, and now the Democrats have elected Republican congresspersons when they did not mean to. Idiots. Edited November 14, 2012 by Gary and Alla

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Steve why not post districting maps?

What you will see is boundary lines often oddly drawn to enable enough predictably democratic voter in any given area to insure a diversity of representation.

If it were done closer to a grid-map.... you would really feel pain.

Look at some of the crazy ones in my area, one starts in the middle of the state and snakes up I-85 from Meckinburg going north.

This is done to minimize the balck vote in congress. By setting out those "safe" districts for black representation they limit black influence to the few districts they are given, the other districts can ignore them, their votes have no effect. Most racist thing I ever saw.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

This is done to minimize the balck vote in congress. By setting out those "safe" districts for black representation they limit black influence to the few districts they are given, the other districts can ignore them, their votes have no effect. Most racist thing I ever saw.

As always short on facts there, Gary. The only Congressional delegation that is lacking minorities and women is the GOP delegation.

New U.S. House: Women and minorities to the left; white men to the right

On the Democratic side: Women and minorities -- a coalition that, along with young voters, largely helped re-elect President Barack Obama -- collectively will for the first time in the nation's history outnumber white male Democrats.

On the Republican side: The majority of the House seats will be held by white men -- a group which far outnumbers the now dwindled numbers of House GOP women and minorities after the losses of two minority members and about a half dozen women from that caucus.

[Danno 1,228]

As always short on facts there, Gary. The only Congressional delegation that is lacking minorities and women is the GOP delegation.

Speaking of "lacking in minorities"

are you concerned that the "-Congressional Black caucus" also seems to be lacking in a minority.. at all.

Whites (or hispanics) who are down for the struggle, need not apply.

Thats just un american!

And to think we have a race-based group right there in the nations Capital.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Speaking of "lacking in minorities"

are you concerned that the "-Congressional Black caucus" also seems to be lacking in a minority.. at all.

Whites (or hispanics) who are down for the struggle, need not apply.

Thats just un american!

And to think we have a race-based group right there in the nations Capital.

Danno, that's not the issue. The issue is that this country consists of more than white men. You wouldn't know that looking at the Republican delegation, of course. It's the least representative delegation there is. That is the issue. There's only one party that works its heart out to keep minorities and women out of Congress. And that is the Republican Party. Bunch of old white geezers drooling over a brainless MILF from Alaska.

[elmcitymaven 9,712]

Democrats must be the stupidest people on earth! First, ONLY Democrats voted for Bush by mistake, Republicans did not make the mistake on the same ballot of voting for Gore, and now the Democrats have elected Republican congresspersons when they did not mean to. Idiots.

D+ for reading comprehension.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

D+ for reading comprehension.

Gotta cut him some slack. He's a government dependent libertarian. That's gotta cause a number of issues.

[Danno 1,228]

Danno, that's not the issue. The issue is that this country consists of more than white men. You wouldn't know that looking at the Republican delegation, of course. It's the least representative delegation there is. That is the issue. There's only one party that works its heart out to keep minorities and women out of Congress. And that is the Republican Party. Bunch of old white geezers drooling over a brainless MILF from Alaska.

"Works its heart out" is my line.... don't take my chit man.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

"Works its heart out" is my line.... don't take my chit man.

Hey, gotta give credit where credit is due. I'm sure it must be hard work to reduce the panel of candidates to old white men.