RIP Gerrymandering...Hopefully

Vox: "A Wisconsin Court Case May Be the Last Best Hope to Fixing Gerrymandering by 2020"

1. The Supreme Court (SCOTUS) might try to avoid this case, why do they have to hear it? 

There are certain special procedural rules for voting rights cases, so the Court must hear the Wisconsin Case. 

2. How can Trump impact the outcome of this case - in the event that it wasn't decided this year?

He will likely replace left-minded judges, which deprives Justice Kennedy of his swing vote and dashing any chance for changing the policy on gerrymandering.

3. How big do Democrats have to win national elections in order to actually win control of the House?

They would have to win popular vote by 9 percentage points

4. Why has SCOTUS been unwilling to weigh in on partisan gerrymandering before?

It looks bad to the generally uninformed public that the nine unelected judges on the Supreme Court have overruled something that an elected legislature dictates. 

5. Why does SCOTUS look bad for intervening in Bush V Gore?

Elections are supposed to be "democratic" and a power of the people (not really), so many people have blamed the choice of Bush on the Republican-dominated Court. 

6. How does the lack of political parties during the writing of the Constitution allow for political parties to take advantage of the current laws in place?

There is a challenge of preventing institutions from having partisan sentiments and deciding what is "fair" since a court ruling would mean choosing one party's ideology over the other. This allows the majority party in the government to have a large extent of influence on the nation. 

7. Why have judges in the past found it so difficult to come up with a solution for partisan gerrymandering?  (They don't like gerrymandering, but don't have a solution - why?)

They don't want to easily make a decision on gerrymandering since it is so difficult to come up with an easily applicable, easily justifiable standard to drawing district lines. Additionally, a different solution would be like replacing gerrymandering with another politically debatable system. 

8. What do the new litigants mean when they use the term "wasted votes"?

They mean that the votes of those not aligning with the majority party are rendered useless due to gerrymandering: cracking and packing. Regardless of those people's interests, gerrymandering will almost always guarantee a majority victory for the majority party. 

9. Why is Wisconsin a particularly good place to try their ideas?

Wisconsin has ridiculously drawn districts that are compact and feel the full effects of gerrymandering. 

10. If gerrymandering is struck down by SCOTUS, who feels the effects immediately? When would most people feel the effects of the decision?

Only Wisconsin would since the case is about it. However, the effects will be expanded after 2020. 

2.6 Paul Ryan Finally Gets His Way

"The War on the Poor: Donald Trump's win opens the door to Paul Ryan's vision for America"

1. What are the reasons given that suggest that Trump will likely follow Ryan's legislative agenda instead of Ryan following Trump's?

Trump is pretty unpopular with both parties in Congress, so he isn't able to tell Republicans in Congress what he wants them to do. He has to listen to them to keep them on his side.

2. What is the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities?

It is a research institute that conducts analyses on government policies and programs over budget and taxes to help ensure that policymakers consider the needs of low-income families. 

3. What Lyndon Johnson programs are likely to be cut significantly?

Food stamps (1964) and Medicaid (1965). 

4. What happened to welfare in the 1990s that will likely happen to these programs?

In 1996, Bill Clinton signed a bill, the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act, that blocked granting welfare.

5. If states have freedom to make decisions in spending for these programs, what are they most likely to do?

They will probably never implement a program anywhere near as generous or comprehensive as the ones they have now under federal law. 

6. Why does Paul Ryan's plan advocate for allowing insurance companies to sell across state lines?

Ryan plans for selling across state lines to prevent states from enacting stricter regulations.

7. What would be the effect of funding Medicaid through block grants?

This would cut the program's budget by about a third, using the saved money to give to states for their other specific projects. The number of uninsured would rise to 40 million, taking away coverage from people who are in need of it such as the disabled. 

8. What are the two areas the article claims are the things Paul Ryan does not want to cut?

His 2014 poverty plan and 2016 Better Way plan for poverty will not see their budgets cut; instead they will be reformed with opportunity grants, allowing states to receive lump of money and test ways of repackaging welfare benefits.

9. Ryan wants to cut spending for all sorts of programs, but where does he want to increase federal spending?

Defense and retirement spending 

10. According to the article, what was the impact of poverty-fighting programs implemented in the 1960s?

Poverty fell by 40%

11. Who would benefit most from Paul Ryan's tax plan?

Only the top 1%

12. What does he want to do to Social Security & Medicare (programs in which ALL people use)?

He wants to privatize Social Security and Medicare.