#congressional maps

[whenweallvote]

For the first time in decades, Louisiana has a second majority Black congressional district! After a two-year fight for fairness and equal representation, the new congressional map was signed into law Monday when a federal appeals court ruled the state’s congressional map to be withdrawn to comply with the Voting Rights Act.

As Ashley Shelton, President of Power Coalition of Equity and Justice, said, “This is a win for Black voters and a powerful moment in Louisiana’s history.”

[tomorrowusa]

North Carolina may have just gerrymandered 3 US House seats out of Democratic control. But the New York Court of Appeals (what the state supreme court is called in NY) just indirectly gave the Democratic legislature the power to draw a new Congressional map. It will probably result in Dems flipping 3 or 4 seats and possibly as many as 6. In effect, the North Carolina gerrymander has been neutralized – or even more than neutralized.

Under a new map, Democrats could flip as many as six seats currently held by Republicans, enough to seize control of the closely divided House. The New York Republicans who rode a state-level red wave to Congress in 2022 are about to watch their districts shift dramatically to the left. The big question is whether New York Democrats will squander this opportunity with the kind of mismanagement and infighting that led them to disaster last year. Tuesday’s decision was the latest episode in the years-long saga over redistricting in New York. It began when residents voted for a constitutional amendment in 2014 that gave primary responsibility over the process to an Independent Redistricting Commission, or IRC. The 2014 amendment, however, divided the IRC equally between Democrats and Republicans, and the commission deadlocked on a plan after the 2020 census. So the legislature stepped in with its own congressional map—which the New York Court of Appeals struck down as an unlawful partisan gerrymander by a 4–3 vote in 2022. (The Court of Appeals is the state’s top court.) The conservative-leaning majority, appointed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo and led by Chief Judge Janet DiFiore, directed an outside mapmaker to redraw the plans. The mapmaker’s submission was heavily influenced by analyses from experts who specialized in GOP-friendly redistricting. It gave Republicans an edge while pushing two top Democrats into the same district, forcing them to compete against each other. As a result, Republicans seized five or six additional seats (though one was vacated when the House expelled indicted Rep. George Santos).

So we probably have that 2022 NY map to thank for George Santos's brief House career. His district, NY-03, is currently a tossup. But with a redraw of the map, much of that area would probably find itself in bluer territory.

In the peculiar world of NY politics, nothing is simple.

First crack at a new map will go to the IRC (Independent Redistricting Commission). But it will deadlock because it is evenly split along party lines. Then the task goes to the legislature with Dem majorities in both chambers. Dems will get out their mapping software and have a go at it. Republicans will inevitably appeal the new Democratic map and the case will end up back at the New York Court of Appeals which just handed down this decision on Tuesday.

All this has to be done before filing deadlines for the 2024 US House primaries. However, no date has been set for those primaries in NY. The primaries can be held as late as early September. Stay tuned!

[archaalen]

https://apnews.com/article/new-york-congress-redistricting-house-elections-4b8768b63e0ab7a05d184a52f8979968

New York Democrats reject bipartisan congressional map, will draw their own

[mapsontheweb]

The congressional districts of Houston, Texas

[gayarograce]

Man fuck SCOTUS. "Checks and balances" my ass! They barely have shit keeping them in check

[headlinehorizon]

New Mexico Supreme Court Upholds Democratic-Drawn Congressional Map, Shaping Political Landscape

The New Mexico Supreme Court's groundbreaking decision to uphold the Democratic-drawn congressional map has significant implications for the state's political power. This article discusses the court's verdict and its impact on future elections.

[damnyousubdermalirritants]

UPDATE: NOVAVAX NOW AVAILABLE!!!

Hi everyone, it's been about a year since I posted about updated COVID vaccines and it's time for another update if you are in the US:

THE BRIDGE ACCESS PROGRAM IS ENDING!!!!

If you are uninsured or your insurance does not cover covid boosters, please schedule a new booster appointment before the end of August because the Bridge Access Program (the way the government will still pay for your booster) ends in September. The updated mRNA boosters from Moderna and Pfizer are available now. Go Go GO!!!

Shitty, I know! If you can call your congressional reps, the FDA, the CDC, whomever to tell them you want this program to continue/be reinstated, that would be great. Also, while you're at it, call the FDA to tell them to expedite the approval for the updated Novavax booster (3017962640).

The new Novavax vaccine is designed for the JN.1 strain which is one of the most recent mutations of the virus going around. If you have insurance and can afford to wait, I highly recommend getting the Novavax booster when it becomes available.

We are currently in the largest Covid summer surge since 2021

If you haven't had a booster in the past six months you are essentially unvaccinated. New strains with different spike proteins keep evolving faster than vaccine development and distribution can keep up. All that said, getting Covid is not a moral failing. If you do feel sick, take a rapid test! If it's negative, test again a day or two later. It is better to know than not to know. Here's a refresh on how to take a rapid test correctly:

If you do get Covid, it is worth getting on antiretrovirals within the first week of symptoms to reduce the overall viral load your body has to fight. If your insurance doesn't cover Paxlovid or Remdesivir, here are other low/no-cost ways to access it:

If you get sick, rest radically even after you stop testing positive on rapid tests. Avoid exercising for at least eight weeks after the fact to reduce the risk of developing long covid.

Regardless of your vaccination status, masking with a KN95 or N95 respirator (or equivalent standards in your country i.e. FFP2/3 in the EU) is the most reliable way to protect yourself and others. If Covid protections are a financial burden, there is likely an active Mask Bloc near you doing free distribution of respirators and tests that would be happy to help you. Here's a global map of them from covidactionmap.org

Some quick tips: if you're wearing a bi-fold mask, flatten the nose-bridge wire completely, then mold it to your nose on your face for a better fit. The best mask is the one that you will actually wear regularly to protect yourself. I really like the selection of styles, sizes and colors from WellBefore:

As school is starting, getting you and your family boosted is one of the best things you can do to protect yourselves. Masking is perhaps even more important. If you can advocate for updating and regularly changing the HVAC filters at your local schools to MERV-13 or higher to keep the indoor air cleaner, that can also make a big difference. Better indoor air quality in schools helps protect kids from illness, allergies, wildfire smoke, and more per the EPA's website.

These are steps you can take to improve air quality at home as well. Corsi-Rosenthal boxes are low-cost and highly effective for cleaning the air indoors.

Here's a map of clean air lending libraries for getting access to air purifiers for events from cleanairclub.org

[socialistexan]

So I went through some of the list of "posts flagged for explicit content" on my blog, here are some of the things I found (I have screenshots, but I won't post them because I don't want to be nuked)

A video of my dog playing in the snow for the first time

A jar of hot sauce with just words on it

Multiple screenshots of ads that have run on tumblr

A comic about taking a nap with you're dog

The cover art for the Sonic and Garfield video game double pack

A list of the line of succession in 2017 when we thought maybe Trump might be removed from office

A Congressional district map of Texas

A dog sitting in a seat on a train

A photo of two women dressed similarly sitting at a dog in a restaurant (I think Panera?)

There's more but I got exhausted.

[whenweallvote]

GOOD NEWS: Alabama’s new congressional map now includes two Black-opportunity districts.

Previously, Alabama’s congressional map was struck down for violating the Voting Rights Act diluting the voting power of Black Alabamians. Despite Black Alabamians making up 27% of the state's population, only one of the state's seven congressional seats regularly went to a candidate preferred by Black voters.

[thatnamewill-probably-change]

I ranted for a good chunk of time to SEVERAL, distinct friend groups about that map. As a field staffer, I also have SEVERAL qualms about the outfitting/setdressing of the Texas campaign office.

The Red, White, and Royal Blue movie is a fun little romp that I will cherish always and the chemistry alone makes it a 10/10. But there is one sin I can not overlook: THE FACT THAT THEY MADE MINNESOTA RED. Pennsylvania: Fine. Michigan: Okay. BUT MINNESOTA?! WHY WOULD YOU SLANDER THE DEMOCRATIC NAME OF MINNESOTA? Minnesota literally has the longest unbroken streak of voting dem for pres of all 50 states, two dem senators, a dem governor, and dem majorities in the state house and senate. ANYWAYS, go watch Red, White, and Royal Blue

[thosemotivationalquotes]

Voting resources for the 2024 U.S. Election

Voting and Voter Registration

General voter registration

Absentee ballot info

Update your registration

Voter registration deadlines - by state

Check to make sure you are registered

Early voting - by state

Info for college students living in a different state than where they are registered

Info for unhoused voters

Homebound Voters

Disabled Voters

Info for voters living in another country

Options for people concerned about missing work to vote

Does your work have to give you time off to vote - by state

Voter ID requirements by state

Detailed info for voting guides - by state

Where is my polling place

Resources for non-English speakers

What to expect when voting at a polling place

Track your mail in ballot

Deadlines to mail in your ballot - by state

Information on Political Candidates

Project 2025 overview

Donald Trump political overview

Agenda 47 - full document

JD Vance - Republican VP pick

Kamala Harris political overview

Tim Walz - Democrat VP pick

Senate race overview

Governor elections

School board elections

Other Election/Voting Resources

Swing states map

Abortion related ballot measures

What is a primary election?

What are electoral votes?

What is a provisional ballot?

Discounted rides for Lyft and Lime

What congressional district am I in?

Ranked choice voting

I will add more resources as I find them!

I will also be using the tag ‘Kenzie talks election 2024’ to talk about election stuff starting 11/4

[queersatanic]

[This post is a series of images from an infographic by the Slow Factory Foundation originally posted May 2021. The first image is a photo with text over it. The photo shows a massive fireball in the middle of a group of buildings, with a massive black cloud rising from the flames that is bigger than the buildings themselves. The building just behind the fireball is low, rectangular, and lit up bright orange. Behind that building, there is a city lit up at night. Hundreds of buildings stretching into the distance, a thousand glimmering lights.]

What is happening in Palestine is not complicated; it's settler colonialism & ethnic cleansing.

Debunking Misinformation around Palestine.

Myth ❌ Palestine and Israel are in "conflict."

Fact ✅ What is happening in Palestine is settler colonialism, military occupation, land theft and ethnic cleansing. A conflict means there is equal footing, which is not the case. There is an active oppressor (Israel) and an oppressed (Palestine). A colonizer (Israel) and a colonized (Palestine). This is not a conflict.

[Three images of headlines with the word 'conflict' crossed out in red ink.]

Note: According to the Congressional Research Service,

Israeli military occupation has been supported by US aid with $3.8bn a year paid for by U.S. tax dollars since 2016 for the next 10 years.

It's also supported by other colonial countries including Canada, Australia, France and Belgium.

Myth ❌ Before Israel came to Palestine, it was "just a desert" and Israel made the desert green.

Fact ✅ Before the occupation of Israel, Palestine had green, rich and lush land. In fact, Palestine respected the biodiversity of their Indigenous land: Palestinians were producing 92% of Palestine's grain, 99% of its olives and 95% of its melons to name a few.

Since Israel's occupation, biodiversity has decreased. Israel removed Indigenous plants from the land to plant European Invasive species. This phenomenon is called green colonialism, which has been discussed in depth by many, including Naomi Klein in "Let Them Drown."

Myth ❌ Sheikh Jarrah is the only neighborhood in Palestine that is in danger.

Fact ✅ Israel has been gradually stealing Palestinian land, destroying and ethnically cleansing entire Palestinian villages, violently displacing families and building illegal settlements on top them since the first Nakba ('catastrophe' in Arabic) in 1948, where almost 600 Palestinian villages were destroyed, Palestinian history erased and half the Palestinian population were expelled from their homes.

Myth (cont'd.) ❌ Sheikh Jarrah is the only neighborhood in Palestine that is in danger.

Fact ✅ Over the past few decades, the state of Israel has continued the settler colonial project, and Sheikh Jarrah is the latest and not the last neighborhood being violently threatened with dispossession, which Israel has no legal right to do.

[Images of a map showing the drastic decrease in Palestinian landmass from 1946 to 2019. In 1946, Palestine was 99% Palestinian land. In 1947, it decreased to 40%. In 1967, to 30%. And in 2019, less than 20% of Palestine is Palestinian land. The remaining areas are being encroached on by occupied Palestinian land, meaning occupied by Israelis. The rest is Israeli land.]

The mainstream media has been supporting these myths by spreading misinformation that conceal Israel's ongoing genocide and ethnic cleansing of Palestine by saying it's a two-sided conflict, framing Palestinian resistance as terrorism and normalizing the state of Israel.

To learn more about Palestine and the ongoing fight for liberation, follow Palestinian-led organizations, media and frontline activists. [@Instagram / Facebook]

@theimeu / Institute for Middle East Understanding ( IMEU )

@eye.on.palestine

@palestinianyouthmovement / Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM)- حركة الشباب الفلسطيني

@jewishvoiceforpeace / Jewish Voice for Peace

@visualizing_palestine / Visualizing Palestine

@wolpalestine [Censored by Meta]

@mohammedelkurd / Mohammed El-Kurd

@muna.elkurd15 / Muna Nabeel Elkurd

@nouraerakat / Noura Erakat

Sources & Suggested Reading

Freedom is a Constant Struggle by Angela Davis

Let Them Drown by Naomi Klein

Black Power and Palestine by Michael Fischbach

Orientalism by Edward Said

The Question of Palestine by Edward Said

Palestine by Joe Sacco

"Zionist Logic — Malcolm X on Zionism" in The Egyptian Gazette, Sept. 17, 1964

On Palestine by Noam Chomsky and Ilan Pappé

The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine by Ilan Pappé

[End of images]

[mapsontheweb]

Current US congressional districts colored to uphold the four color theorem