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Hmm, Why Has Bachmann Stopped Bashing The Census?
Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN)
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The state of Minnesota could be on the verge of losing a House seat after 2010 -- and interestingly enough, it's been a while since we heard Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) talk about refusing to participate in the Census.
Last year, Bachmann repeatedly said she would defy the Census by not completely filling out the information on the forms, but would instead only give the number of people in her household. She said that Census data was used to conduct the 1940's Japanese-American internment, and warned that the government was seeking to gather information about people's mental health. But as far as we can tell, her last anti-Census public statement was in August.
The largest newspaper in Minnesota, the Star-Tribune, is calling on the state's citizens to vigorously participate in the Census. The key issue here is that according to current population estimates, Minnesota is right on the cusp of losing one of its eight seats in Congress, and will be in a close competition with Missouri, Texas and California for that district. The Strib points out that "Minnesota traditionally has had one big advantage -- the cooperation of its civic-minded citizens."
The Star-Tribune says in its editorial over the weekend:
It's ironic that a Minnesota member of Congress, Republican Michele Bachmann, went so far last summer to declare her intention to only partially complete her census forms, and to suggest reasons for others not to comply with the census law. If Minnesota loses a congressional seat, Bachmann's populous Sixth District could be carved into pieces. She likely would have to battle another incumbent to hang on to her seat. We've noticed that her anticensus rhetoric has lately ceased. We hope she got wise: Census compliance is not only in Minnesota's best interest, but also her own.
The really fun fact, as I've learned from Minnesota experts, is that Bachmann's district would likely be the first to go if the state lost a seat. The other seats are all fairly regular-shaped, logical districts built around identifiable regions of the state (Minneapolis, St. Paul, the Iron Range, and so on). Bachmann's district is made of what's left over after such a process, twisting and turning from a small strip of the Wisconsin border and curving deep into the middle of the state. As such, the obvious course of action if the state loses a seat is to split her district up among its neighbors.
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plan69
January 4, 2010 12:33 PM
Yay1
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JEP07
January 4, 2010 6:40 PM in reply to plan69
Yay2
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Sotadeoros
January 5, 2010 6:08 AM in reply to JEP07
Yay3
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Msinformed
January 5, 2010 10:54 AM in reply to Sotadeoros
Yay4
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Sailormarlowe
January 5, 2010 5:40 AM in reply to plan69
Michele Bachmann is a powerful voice of the loyal opposition in the US Congress, and she is a strong defender of the Bill of Rights. We need her in the House of Representatives.
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Sotadeoros
January 5, 2010 6:09 AM in reply to Sailormarlowe
Crazy is back!
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Msinformed
January 5, 2010 10:55 AM in reply to Sailormarlowe
Who is this "we", kemosabe?
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margoharris
January 5, 2010 11:05 AM in reply to Sailormarlowe
Huh? Wow, you really are a true beliver. She is a liar and is stunningly inane.
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JEP07
January 6, 2010 12:43 AM in reply to Sailormarlowe
"Michele Bachmann is a powerful voice"
Bullshit. She's an opportunistic hack who appeals to the lowest common denominator. and depends on ignorance rather than enloightenment in ther supporters to retn her political power.
She's a certifiable caricature for historians of the future to quite righteously ridicule in their classrooms, as an example of what was wrong with the now-defunct Republican Party in the early years of politics in the 21st Century.
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bushwhacked
January 5, 2010 4:48 PM in reply to plan69
YAY! x 10e9
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plan69
January 4, 2010 12:34 PM
damn shift key.....
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Jon from Chicago
January 4, 2010 12:36 PM
What say ye madame nutjob?
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LuxVeritas
January 4, 2010 12:40 PM
DOWN WITH THE CENSUS!! (in Minnesota) :P
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Overreach THIS!
January 4, 2010 1:22 PM in reply to LuxVeritas
Indeed!! The census (in Minnesota) is a Kenya-Yemeni plot to make Obama an Al Qaeda dictator! Stop the census (in Minnesota)!
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Hussein Stemper
January 4, 2010 12:42 PM
Buh bye!
Now you'll have time to be all mavericky like your BFF Sarah!
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lousgirl84
January 4, 2010 12:45 PM in reply to Hussein Stemper
Yeah and we've gone a whole long weekend without hearing from Sarah "Moose" Palin
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margoharris
January 5, 2010 11:09 AM in reply to lousgirl84
The Tundra Tart will be trying to get attention soon, no doubt.
She'll have a nasty twit soon, the nasty twit.
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lousgirl84
January 4, 2010 12:45 PM
You can be sure I will be contributing to the dem running against her.
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Peter Principle
January 4, 2010 12:48 PM
Bachmann . . . warned that the government was seeking to gather information about people's mental health.
And in her case, there's a lot of information to gather.
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merlot
January 4, 2010 12:55 PM in reply to Peter Principle
Fortunately, that "lot of information" will be easily to summarize and translate into easily understood terms: crazy idiot.
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gparks
January 5, 2010 12:29 AM in reply to merlot
That IS a medical term ... right? Yea ... a very accurate one for her condition.
Wasn't it Regan that closed the mental Hospitals in the 80's? UUMMM another conspiracy in the making!
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bluestatedon
January 4, 2010 12:52 PM
What the national Dems and Minnesota Dems ought to do is IMMEDIATELY launch a sustained pro-Census advertising campaign squarely aimed at Bachmann, highlighting her anti-Census rhetoric and pointing out how damaging it is to Minnesota's interests. The end of each commercial ought to ask: "Congresswoman Bachmann, will you now endorse the census for the good of Minnesotans?"
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CT Voter
January 4, 2010 12:55 PM
The really fun fact, as I've learned from Minnesota experts, is that Bachmann's district would likely be the first to go if the state lost a seat.
Oops.
Thanks for the laugh!
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kevbo
January 4, 2010 1:04 PM
Dear Congresswoman Bachman,
Neither the government, nor anyone else, needs to conduct a census to learn whatever they might care to know regarding your (lack of) mental health.
Carry On,
Kevbo
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John F
January 4, 2010 1:04 PM
I don't know enough about the MN congressional districts. If she loses
hers, won't she just run in the one she lands in, potentially against an
existing (Democratic) incumbent, with much of her supporting constituency
intact?
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Frex
January 4, 2010 1:28 PM in reply to John F
John F: Redistricting in Minnesota has long been influenced by 'good government' types and as the article points out the districts are fairly regular shaped, Bachman's district does look like the result of a gerrymander, but in reality it simply reflects the odd growth patterns of the Twin Cities x-urbs. Thus her district is prime for being carved up. Furthermore, if she were to challenge an incumbent most likely it would be a Republican in a district that would likely be more moderate than her current. In terms of political influence in Minnesota, Bachman is also the weakest of all members of Congress.
LOL
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The Old Grouch
January 4, 2010 1:49 PM in reply to John F
Depends on the redrawn boundaries. She could end up against Betty McCollum (MN-4) in a solidly blue district. (McCollum won 89%-31% last time.)
And Bachmann could not bring all of her district with her. Certainly not enough.
She'd otherwise end up in 7 against Collin Peterson (slightly larger margin of victory in '08) or in 3 against Erik Paulsen, for a Republican-on-crazy Republican primary fight.
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SBG
January 4, 2010 2:06 PM in reply to The Old Grouch
She lives in Stillwater, so I would think that she ends up against Oberstar D-8th (in House since 1975) or McCollum. She's not going to end up against Klein. Even if Minnesota keeps 8 seats, a big chunk of the northern 'burbs will be stuck into 4 and 5. Those seats will remain safely Democratic, but that's also Bachmann's base. So her district could veer to the left even if we keep 8 seats.
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Hello from MN-6
January 4, 2010 4:45 PM in reply to SBG
Bachmann left Stillwater some time ago for a newer, much more expensive place in Woodbury, closer to her hubby's Christian counseling clinic. Voting records from the last 2 elections show she can't win over the Stillwater city folks. Guess we're too educated or maybe still smarting from her attempt to subvert the school board years ago. Her fans are located farther west and north in the sprawl that goes up to St. Cloud (talk about a massive foreclosure market). This is the opposite end of where she's now living, which for me is further proof she gives diddley-squat about her constituents. She would run up against McCollum if the 6th were dissolved. I think she has other plans beyond her current gig.
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Bruce Webb
January 4, 2010 4:47 PM in reply to John F
Nope in that scenario she could conceivably lose seven eighths of her supporters to the other districts.
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ericAZ
January 4, 2010 1:06 PM
Thanks, Michele.
We will put your seat to good use in Arizona.
The unemployment rate here is high, and we could use an additional good-paying job with health care benefits.
Also, the state Republicans are having a meltdown, inability to govern and civil war, to say nothing of a creepy stalking scandal involving the state party leadership.
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yellowdogD
January 4, 2010 1:08 PM
But Michele, the Japanese internment was a good thing.
Just ask that other Michele. Malkin.
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loria
January 4, 2010 1:12 PM
Now that's karma.
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Sailormarlowe
January 4, 2010 1:14 PM
Michele Bachmann will never lose her seat. She might give it up to run for Senator or Vice-President. She is a magnificent woman, and a brilliant legislator. She is beloved as a leader, because she is dominant but delightful, stern but satisfying, strict but seductive. Palin/Bachmann 2012.
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Overreach THIS!
January 4, 2010 1:25 PM in reply to Sailormarlowe
Slow-brained but sultry!
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Kuyleh
January 4, 2010 1:29 PM in reply to Sailormarlowe
Is living in constant denial starting to wear you out yet? It must take a metric Fuckton of effort to deny basic facts 24/7/365, muchless taking those facts and contorting them into what you believe.
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CT Voter
January 4, 2010 1:38 PM in reply to Kuyleh
Don't know the poster, but I do believe you may have a broken snark-o-meter.
"dominant but delightful"?
"stern but seductive"?
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slb
January 4, 2010 2:48 PM in reply to CT Voter
It's clear you don't know the poster. He's serious. Or at least as serious as a troll ever gets.
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kenga
January 4, 2010 3:02 PM in reply to slb
Maybe a slip, of the Parodian type ...
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CT Voter
January 4, 2010 3:03 PM in reply to slb
I clearly don't know the poster--and realized that after reading some other comments.
My apologies to kuyleh. No broken snark-o-meter at all.
"dominating but delightful"? Sounds like something someone would write for the worst opening sentence in a novel competition.
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JNagarya
January 4, 2010 3:17 PM in reply to CT Voter
Or as a cereal commercial.
(Ever notice that both "commercial" and "communism" have two "m"'s bunched together?)
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donquijoterocket
January 4, 2010 4:22 PM in reply to JNagarya
There's that and all the cars at a NASCAR oval track race turn ever left.
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Kuyleh
January 4, 2010 6:09 PM in reply to CT Voter
Oh, no. No, no, no...He believes the stuff he says. And you should hear him on Palin.../shudder
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jeffgee
January 4, 2010 1:46 PM in reply to Sailormarlowe
Strict but seductive. I love it. Sounds kinky. Is Sarah going to wear her Castro cap along with the leather teddy?
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CityGuy
January 4, 2010 2:05 PM in reply to jeffgee
Oooohhhh........ Bachman, Palin & Orly, think of that threesome, all you red-blooded (pun intended) men!
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free2bme
January 4, 2010 2:00 PM in reply to Sailormarlowe
Sailorboy been out at sea too long...sultry and seductive? yuck, ick, eeewww.
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The Commenter Formerly Known as NCSteve
January 4, 2010 3:37 PM in reply to Sailormarlowe
I'm increasingly convinced this person is just someone with no political convictions other than a gift for insincere fulsome hyperbole and a dream of taking trollery to the level of high art.
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WaitWut?
January 4, 2010 5:55 PM in reply to The Commenter Formerly Known as NCSteve
Agreed.
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Marinus van der Lubbe
January 5, 2010 8:54 AM in reply to Sailormarlowe
Dysfuntional yet delirious...
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datora
January 6, 2010 7:04 AM in reply to Marinus van der Lubbe
both demented and delusional
erogenous and egregious
flatulent yet fabulous
gorgeous gag-reflex
hubristic horror show of humility
inebriated ignoramus
jacked up jackal of cackle ...
oh ,,here's the one I was looking for:
treasonous traitor
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Marinus van der Lubbe
January 6, 2010 4:55 PM in reply to datora
hadn't laughed that hard since the hogs ate my kid brother...
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Beautiful Mind of Barbara Bush
January 4, 2010 1:19 PM
Michelle would never do anything solely out of self-interest! You take that back!
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bluestatedon
January 4, 2010 1:22 PM
"dominant but delightful, stern but satisfying, strict but seductive. "
So, you're saying that if the whole Congresswoman thingie doesn't work out, Michelle has a dynamite career as a leather-clad, handcuff-wielding dominatrix to fall back on?
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Overreach THIS!
January 4, 2010 1:28 PM in reply to bluestatedon
Maybe with a biblical flair for certain niche fetishists...
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kenga
January 4, 2010 2:54 PM in reply to Overreach THIS!
... wetsuits and suchlike.
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Overreach THIS!
January 4, 2010 4:52 PM in reply to kenga
Well this is positive step, yes. Appreciate your kindly amplifying the scope of our constructive discussion!
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Frex
January 4, 2010 1:31 PM in reply to bluestatedon
Actually in her victory speech at the time of her election, Bachmann claimed to be submissive to her husband. So you have her at the wrong end of the whip.
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chimpale
January 4, 2010 4:39 PM in reply to bluestatedon
Ah, the allure of alliteration.
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Kuyleh
January 4, 2010 1:25 PM
We can only pray that she loses her seat. And takes a bunch of other Retardlicans with her.
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Steaming Pile
January 4, 2010 1:26 PM
If Minnesota loses a congressional seat, Bachmann's populous Sixth District should be carved into pieces.
FIFY
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bibimimi
January 4, 2010 4:23 PM in reply to Steaming Pile
may I propose the district be carved up along with Ms Bachmann herself?
And someone [not me] should ask Sailorman what the 'safe word' is.
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ostinato
January 4, 2010 1:29 PM
"strict but seductive"
thank you... still laughing
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fpie
January 5, 2010 9:52 AM in reply to ostinato
Thank you for getting back to the heart of this discussion: SMUTTY TALK!
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Icon
January 4, 2010 1:43 PM
I'm inclined to say that I'd like to see Bachmann's seat gerrymandered out of existence.
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fpie
January 5, 2010 9:57 AM in reply to Icon
Mmmh. I just get all sweaty thinking about gerrymandering Bachmann's seat.
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kararay
January 4, 2010 1:52 PM
Karma is quite active, and will be much more so this year. In the words of Rev. Wright "the chickens are coming home to roost."
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dnegri
January 4, 2010 1:53 PM
Boy, no more Bachman? Tantalizing thought. And we see exactly how much courage these right-wingers have when their own seat is at stake. (And to be fair, she's just doing what I suspect all pols would do - except she's being hoisted on her own petard).
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free2bme
January 4, 2010 1:56 PM
Bachmans district is all left overs...that was great for ROFLMAO! Makes sense.
I suddenly have a case of the Bachman...I now want Minnesotans to not fill out the census.
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Max Thrax
January 4, 2010 1:57 PM
If Dems were anywhere near as devious as the GOP, Minnesota would be flooded with flyers and maybe robocalls re-stating all of Bachmann's claims vis-a-vis internment camp, etc.,etc.
Dominant but delightful? Is there one single conservative white guy in this country that isn't completely f@cked up about their sexuality?
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ronalley
January 4, 2010 2:05 PM
It's surely possible, though maybe not probable, that Minnesota will lose a seat as a result of the census.
One issue that may affect Minnesota is the number of retired Minnesotan who winter in warmer states. Many will fail to complete Minnesota census forms and may will complete forms counted in warmer states.
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Mumphrey
January 5, 2010 10:13 AM in reply to ronalley
No.
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Mumphrey
January 5, 2010 10:15 AM in reply to Mumphrey
Oops. I meant that in answer to Max Thrax, who asked, "Dominant but delightful? Is there one single conservative white guy in this country that isn't completely f@cked up about their sexuality?"
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tiredofit10
January 4, 2010 2:10 PM
turnabout is fair play
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Backcountry
January 4, 2010 2:12 PM
This is similar to urging people in your district not to vote. I hope all good, right-wing Rethuglicans in Minnesota heed her advice.
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a SC mom
January 4, 2010 2:34 PM
who redraws district lines? the governor?
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ericf
January 4, 2010 2:48 PM in reply to a SC mom
A commission did it in 2000, but I think that was a one-off. However, one senator, I think the majority leader, recently proposed a permanent commission rather than letting the legislature do whatever it wants. If that doesn't fly, then the Democrats will almost surely hold a majority of each house after this election, so if they get the governor too, the Democrats will decide. It might be geographically feasible to stick the part of Bachmann's district in which she lives into the district including St. Paul and a safe Democratic incumbent.
That would be fun.
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scotartt
January 4, 2010 5:40 PM in reply to ericf
I would like to ask someone knowledgeable exactly how America does decide the distribution and shape of its lower house congressional seats? Is this, like the voting mechanisms, decided on a state-by-state basis? Or is there a national mechanism? Even if a state is given X seats on the basis of its population, how are the boundaries formed in order to stop a gerrymander from forming?
In Australia, we have an independent commission, the Electoral Commission, which routinely re-draws the boundaries of the electoral divisions and supervises elections (also, not just national ones, for example my trade union's official postal ballot is supervised by the Commission too). The re-distribution is done every couple of elections at least, and each electorate is based on a target population size of about 80,000-90,000 (I think) voters in each. It is fair and transparent and no-one disputes it except probably the La-Rouchites in the country areas, but they are dismissed here as obvious crazies.
Given we also have what you call the "instant runoff" system of manually-marked ballots (numbered from 1 to X in order of voter preference) and we can count all these in a single night and know the winner of most seats in 2 or 3 hours after voting closes, I must say I find the anachronisms of American electoral system quite astounding.
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ericf
January 4, 2010 6:36 PM in reply to scotartt
The Census Bureau only decides how many seats each state gets. Each state decides where the boundaries go, with the only requirement that each district have close to the same number of people. They're not supposed to gerrymander by race, but they can and do gerrymander by party. The Republicans in Texas even redistricted in the middle of a decade which was unheard of, but the US Supreme Court let them do it. Democrats usually talk about something non-partisan, but Republicans are usually up front that they want to redistrict for advantage, and they assume Democrats would do the same. There's usually some nonpartisan body that makes the decision when a state government is divided, but when one party has control, they do what they want. Since most state legislatures are elected in midterm elections like this year, the stakes at the start of each decade are high. If the district that includes St. Paul gets extended eastward for enough into the suburbs, Bachmann's residence would be included, and she would either have to move, retire, or run in a Democratic leaning district.
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scotartt
January 4, 2010 6:43 PM in reply to ericf
So, it's up to the state then, and only done once every ten years off the census data, and not from the voter roll? And the state might not have a fixed scheme to deal with it, and it's just done on an ad-hoc basis depending what can be pushed through the state legislature at the time? It sounds like an unholy mess in serious need of reform to me.
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ericf
January 5, 2010 1:12 AM in reply to scotartt
A reason for that is the census counts everyone, not just voters. Each state makes its own decisions about district boundaries. Even if a state comes up with a non-partisan means of redistricting, if one party controlled the governor and both houses of the legislature, they could overrule the non-partisans. Unless there was a constitutional change to permanently establish a non-partisan body that couldn't be overruled, I don't see how you get around it.
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JEP07
January 4, 2010 6:54 PM in reply to ericf
"They're not supposed to gerrymander"
Check out "The Claw"...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:CA03_109.gif
California Congressional District 3
{Lungren(R)}
That was no simple gerrymander, and there are a lot of these "tweener" districts that Republicans have gouged into the electoral the map. Delay hammered Texas into a pretzel.
Fair and equitable demographic distribution of power should be second only to ballot count reliability, as pillars of a good democracy.
Wish WE had one like that.
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a SC mom
January 4, 2010 2:42 PM
who redraws district lines? the governor?
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bibimimi
January 4, 2010 2:53 PM
It's that 'mental health' thing that has her irrigating her bloomers.
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kenga
January 4, 2010 2:56 PM in reply to bibimimi
"irrigating her bloomers"
That is a nice turn of phrase - I hope I remember it.
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bibimimi
January 4, 2010 3:27 PM in reply to kenga
If I don't feel my bosom swell for Ms. Bachmann [quite the opposite, I assure you...], I embrace my inner Jane Austen and keep the ad hominem, foul-mouthed gutter-born violent images to myself.
Minnesota to Michele: "Good day, madame".
Now where'd I put that damned rusty corkscrew?
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JEP07
January 6, 2010 12:51 AM in reply to bibimimi
thought at first it said "irritating her boomers" as if she was ignoring or alienating her elder constituents, but I stopped speed reading and looked more carefully, and finally got the "irrigating her bloomers" reference, and am still chuckling after a chortling LOL, followed by good, long, group guffaw.
Now , if someone might ask me how Bachman would react to revealing criticism, I just answer.."it Depends..."
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farnsworth
January 4, 2010 6:31 PM
One interesting aspect of this anti-Census nattering is the cost.
If you only fill out the number of people living at your address and leave the rest blank, that is considered an unanswered form. Therefore, a Census taker (a paid civil servant) is sent out to the address.
So following this plan costs the government money. Ah, the party of fiscal responsibility strikes again.
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gobydoc
January 4, 2010 10:46 PM
A bit off-topic, but there were several stories last week about Bachmann's taking federal handouts while decrying the welfare state... I never saw these issues covered on Fox News or CNN for that matter. Wassup with that?
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RocketEngineer
January 5, 2010 12:06 AM
Bachman's stopped talking about the census, and Sailorman's stopped talking about Bachman... coincidence?
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kgb999
January 5, 2010 1:52 AM
The gods of irony are smiling today .... and I've got a bit of a grin myself. Awesome!
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tom foley
January 5, 2010 8:28 AM
As a native Minnesota, I think you should all be a little careful of what you wish for. Bachman's district, the 6th, borders up against the 4th, 5th, 7th and 8th. Presumably, in a redistricting scheme, those districts would have to take some of her district's voters. This could possibly endanger good DFLers, (democrats) in those neighboring districts. I'm not familiar with the situation in all of them, but my representative, Keith Ellison is from the 5th. He is a first term, rather liberal congressman, and he seems quite popular. Nevertheless, he is black in a majority white district, and he is the only Muslim in congress. If any sitting representatives from a neighboring district might be endangered, I believe it would be Keith Ellison.
It may be better to help us defeat Bachman than to chance losing Ellison in the bargain. As it is, sensible people can always use her as a foil because she is so foolish.
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SBG
January 5, 2010 8:42 AM in reply to tom foley
Ellison is safe. So is McCollum. Both of their districts are now substantially smaller than the sixth (which is now the largest -- in population -- district in the state), due to population shifts over the last decade and will need to be enlarged. The most likely scenario is that parts of the northern suburbs that are in the sixth will be shifted to the fourth and fifth. Those areas are Shelly's base. Moving them into the fourth and fifth will not put those districts into jeopardy, but WILL push the sixth leftward.
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tom foley
January 5, 2010 8:47 AM
SBG
That's good to hear. I still wonder, though, if it's good for Minnesota to lose a seat just to get rid of her. I'd rather defeat her.
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tom foley
January 5, 2010 8:56 AM in reply to tom foley
SBG
By the way, who is Shelly?
I grew up in the 6th. Back in the 50s it always seemed to be a solid DFL working class district. What happened? My guess--there was a strong union movement back then, strong enough to swing the district.
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Bluebird
January 5, 2010 11:29 AM in reply to tom foley
In answer to the question of what happened to Minnesota's 6th congressional district after the 1950s (at that time it sometimes elected Democrats; now a reactionary Republican can dependably pick up half the vote), well, lots of things happen in 50 years. The district has shrunk geographically (it used to extend all the way to South Dakota) and it has become exurban. The old 6th was rural and small town, with a substantial additional small-city union base in places like St. Cloud (hard to think of St. Cloud now as a labor union bastion). The new, geographically shrunken 6th is overwhelmingly exurban; it’s the scrappy northern, relatively underprivileged margin of the booming Twin Cities economy. Parts of the 6th are overwhelmingly German Catholic, a politically mixed demographic during the 1950s and 1960s that during the 1970s became zealously anti-abortion, politicized, Republican, and amenable to a whole range of reactionary perspectives on life and government. The evangelical churches that have made inroads among district residents whose parents were mainline Protestants (mainly Lutheran) also are part of the district’s cascade into proud simple truths, cultural resentments, reactionary politics, and the lap of Michelle Bachmann. There’s a silver lining, however, regardless of any redistricting: Even here, in Minnesota’s most conservative district, there’s a solid 45 percent of voters whose tolerance for Representative Bachmann is about equal to that of most readers of TPM.
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aleks
January 5, 2010 9:23 AM
You know who besides Adolf Hitler loves the census? ACORN.
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fpie
January 5, 2010 10:11 AM in reply to aleks
And ya know who else? The framers of the Constitution. Those danged Nazi community organizin' lowlifes! Nosey bastids aughta just mind their own damned business.
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NobleCommentDecider
January 5, 2010 12:16 PM in reply to aleks
YES, DON'T BELIEVE THE LIBERAL MEDIA LIES!
Bachmann would get two seats if the census counted Real Americans, which they don't.
The census will raise your taxes and its a slippery slope from there to gun confiscation and one world government by the UN!
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monet768
January 5, 2010 9:37 AM
Idiot B
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bill
January 5, 2010 10:43 AM
Bachman should be paid by the Fox network not the voters of America.
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Bahstin Boyo
January 5, 2010 11:38 AM
Methinks we're going about this all wrong. Here's an idea... design a 7x9 postcard with MB on it with a few of her "don't do it" quotes... add a few images of her, some shots of the Japanese internment camps, and some of the FEMA 're-education' camps, an American flag and an eagle... mail them to every household in the 6th to arrive the same day the census package does. The resulting confusion would be hys-terical! She would be forced to go on the local tv and radio stations scrambling to convince everyone to fill out the form so she can save her seat. In effect, a personal mea culpa of near Biblical proportions! The added benefit would be the fodder it would create for anyone running against her. A win-win if you will.
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WaitWut?
January 5, 2010 5:25 PM in reply to Bahstin Boyo
Brilliant!!
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Barry Schwartz
January 5, 2010 3:22 PM
I welcome my Washington and Anoka County neighbors to the 4th District. Too bad we lost a House seat, but on the other hand it was going to waste, anyway.
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dbl.r7711
January 5, 2010 11:56 PM
Good riddance ! Michele Bachmann is a stupid ninny,she has no business in congress anyway. Imagine! a sitting congressman ranting and raving about the census, and telling anyone stupid enough to listin, " Don`t participate in the census ", yep, she is a true to form airhead . ( tea bagger ) Idiot...
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dbl.r7711
January 6, 2010 12:00 AM
Good riddance ! Michele Bachmann is a stupid ninny,she has no business in congress anyway. Imagine! a sitting congressman ranting and raving about the census, and telling anyone stupid enough to listin, " Don`t participate in the census ", yep, she is a true to form airhead . ( tea bagger ) Idiot...
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duanes
January 6, 2010 1:06 PM
isnt it sad that the poeple of a state can be so stuid as to elect someone like this idiot,, says alot for the people that are voting,,and just think those same people could be sitting on a jury deciding your future,,,,and you think terrorism is scary,,
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Tosh
June 6, 2010 5:52 AM
Bachmann left Stillwater some time ago for a newer, much more expensive place in Woodbury, closer to her hubby's Christian counseling clinic. Voting records from the last 2 elections show she can't win over the Stillwater city folks. Guess we're too educated or maybe still smarting from her attempt to subvert the school board years ago. Her fans are located farther west and north in the sprawl that goes up to St. Cloud (talk about a massive foreclosure market). This is the opposite end of where she's now living, which for me is further proof she gives diddley-squat about her constituents. She would run up against McCollum if the 6th were dissolved. I think she has other plans beyond her current gig.
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