November 22, 2022

One Daily Link has its site favorites (found in our extensive Index), and then it has its Hall of Fame. That's where columnists like Dr. Theodore R. Johnson reside. Johnson writes from the left with a view of the country as a whole. In at least one of his columns, he framed opposing arguments by saying, "Some of us believe [X]. Meanwhile, some us believe [Y]." It's a simple construction, yet it says volumes about his worldview. This isn't "us vs. them." It's "us figuring this out."

Which brings us to his column on gerrymandering. Gerrymandering is always a deeply concerning issue, but with Republicans winning a razor slim majority in the House last week, it holds particular relevance. A few districts with fewer contortions and the midterms' outcome could have been very different. While many on the right would argue Democrats gerrymander, too, it doesn't erase the fact that a number of voters are not receiving fair representation (see Johnson's example regarding the 2022 vote in Wisconsin). Add to this the issue of minority plurality districts and the matter gets even more troubling. Republican state legislatures eliminated several plurality districts claiming the country was past the need for racially-determined lines. Then they drew new lines with the aim of diluting minority influence, negating their point. No matter your political views, this is objectively problematic and demands solutions. Because while a person voting for a particular candidate may be an "us vs. them" proposition, the issue of voting itself has to be "us figuring this out." 

A final note on Dr. Johnson. On Memorial Day 2022, he wrote what is easily the best column I've read all year. Though it's obviously no longer Memorial Day, I encourage you to read it now. It is a phenomenal example of what our political discourse can be in the right hands.