# Gerrymandering Damages?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gerrymandering-damages/967899>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [July 13, 2022, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gerrymandering-damages/967899 "2022-07-13T20:33:58Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Max\_S](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@Max\_S](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_S)\
**Post date:** [July 13, 2022, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gerrymandering-damages/967899/21 "2022-07-13T23:21:00Z")

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> [@Martin\_Hyde](#):
>
> Small relative to whom?

I was thinking relative to wrongful death of the breadwinner, who has earning potential. My point was that unlawful potential earnings cannot justify a claim for damages. You don’t get more in a wrongful death suit by arguing that you have a property interest in unrecognized proceeds from selling the kid into slavery, etc.

~Max

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**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\
**Post date:** [July 13, 2022, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gerrymandering-damages/967899/22 "2022-07-13T23:29:57Z")

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> [@Martin\_Hyde](#):
>
> The proper mechanism to stop gerrymandering is to abolish it by State law or to abolish it by a Federal law, as was the case around 100 years ago.

A law passed by… whom, again? The legislators who are not representative of their jurisdiction, and who are holding office only by virtue of the existing gerrymandering? This is exactly the sort of situation where a court finding of “political question” is not relevant.

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**Author:** ![Martin\_Hyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)\
**Post date:** [July 13, 2022, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gerrymandering-damages/967899/23 "2022-07-13T23:32:43Z")

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I understand that concern–but the Congressmen of 1910 who drafted the 1911 apportionment act that prohibited gerrymandering were at least in part beneficiaries of gerrymandering as well. A number of States throughout the country have also adopted various anti-gerrymandering provisions since 2010. That doesn’t mean the world is all happiness and light, but even in our current political culture changes can happen, and gerrymandering is actually an issue where activists have been able to get groundswells of bipartisan voter support behind reform, even in States with fairly red electorates.

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**Author:** ![Max\_S](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@Max\_S](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_S)\
**Post date:** [July 13, 2022, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gerrymandering-damages/967899/24 "2022-07-13T23:40:56Z")

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Well, in my state it was pretty much the governor (Ron DeSantis) who drew up the district maps. He vetoed two maps the legislature had prepared after weeks of grueling compromise, then had some staffer draw a map with no input from anybody and told the legislature to pass that if they wanted to go home. So the legislature capitulated.

DeSantis is a statewide official meaning the problems of gerrymandering have no effect on his election.

So there’s that.

~Max

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**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\
**Post date:** [July 14, 2022, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gerrymandering-damages/967899/25 "2022-07-14T00:05:41Z")

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> [@Sage\_Rat](#):
>
> If your congress has a better research department, I certainly won’t complain about taking some hints on how to acquire the same.

First off, they could always talk to these guys:

> **[Australian Electoral Commission](https://www.aec.gov.au/)**
>
> The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) is responsible for providing the Australian people with an independent electoral service which meets their needs and encourages them to understand and participate in the electoral process.

Then these guys:  
[Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme](https://www.pbs.gov.au/pbs/home) (PBS)

Not to mention these guys:  
[https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/medicare](https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/medicare)

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