Vote Republican and die

United States Congress : Elections : Partyism : Civil liberties

I got some books at work, wrapped in the 12th September Philadelphia Enquirer - it had an interesting map of life expectancy in the US, which, on close examination gives the clear message - vote Republican and die. At least, die ten years younger. Almost every area that strongly supported bush had a significantly lower life expectancy (mostly the dreaded south). The article is online, sadly the mapo isn't: Here: ... low-income whites in Appalachia and the Mississippi Valley die four years sooner than their northern neighbors.

Related to this is the interesting article from Electoral vote which looks at Gerymandering in the US - check out the article and teh horrific maps here - also, see this list here which shows the victory margins (often stupendous, and sometimes unopposed) in Congressional contests.

Clearly, such obvious gerrymandering throws big questions over claims to democracy - albeit modified, apparnetly by one correspondent, by the claim that some of these bizarre districts are attempts to protect african-american voters' representation under the voting rights act. Victories in the high eighties, sometimes even nineties indicates a corrupt electoral practice, eitehr through gerrymandering or simply through making the barrier to entering the contest so high as to deprive electors of a meaningful choice.

More clearly still, electors whose votes can be taken for granted are less likely to have their interests looked after.

Update: Follow the US Senate race here