The Center Ain't Holding

Political corruption is as old as human civilization. Going my usual speculative route, the underhanded and corrupting nature of politics will certainly be a permanent fixture until humans agree to turn over the running of our various institutions to computer-based artificial intelligence. Which hopefully, will be benign administrators that lack any desire to have a sexual relationship with porn stars or run private businesses while in office.

One of the worst forms of political trickery and corruption that plagues the United States is the gerrymandering of districts. In a country that acts like an obnoxious a-hole to the rest of the world extolling the virtues of democracy, far too many American politicians at all levels of government are able to pick their constitutes instead of the voters choosing them. I admit, gerrymandering districts is a form of art given the way differing populations are carefully divided and watered down to the point a political party is able to maintain an iron grip on power.

To be sure, neither political party is free of the sin of gerrymandering. And it must also be said that there are occasions where a certain political party is so dominate in a district or state that a viable two-party election contest simply isn't possible. Sure, non-partisan groups should be in control of drawing up representative districts but democracy is a terribly flawed system requiring constant vigilance to keep it from descending into forms of government that are far worse.

For the informed and rational American, of both political parties, gerrymandering is a betrayal of the very principles our country is supposed to believe. But what amounts to another sign that our society is severely screwed another form of political corruption worse than parasitical gerrymandering is raising its head out in California.

A group out in California has recently published a declaration of independence and want to break the most populous and liberal-leaning state apart. Their proposed new state would be called “New California” and be comprised of most of the less populated, and curiously enough far more homogeneous rural counties. This of course would leave the much more heavily populated and ethically diverse coastal urban counties in “old” California.

This New California group call the current state of California a “tyranny” and blames it on over taxation, excessive regulation, best of all, “mono-party politics.” Word of advice to the New California folks, I personally think the use the words like “tyranny” and “mono-party politics” are heavily telegraphing your inherent racism and angry white people views. Reminds me of the metaphorical petulant brat on the playground that's going to take the ball and leave since the other kids don't want to follow his rules. You might as well just come out and openly say that since you don't want to share the state with Hispanics, Asians, African-Americans, and numerous other ethnic groups you want a white homeland.

Now as an “oppressed” political minority living in a state so red the sighting of a Democrat out in public is akin seeing Bigfoot, UFOs, and the Loch Ness monster combined, I personally like your idea about splitting California apart. There are plenty of Democratic-leaning areas down here in the American South but through gerrymandering they are at best contained to token districts. Maybe we should copy your efforts and start carving off our own states since we too are tired of the bullshit that comes from the mono-party politics that dominate our lives.

I can only imagine the charges of treason, sedition, and political terrorism that would erupt in the right-wing controlled state capitols all through the South if a lefty-version of the New California movement were to take root.