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Response to Bob Dunning, re: the nine misconceptions about Prop 50

By Roberta Millstein

Bob Dunning featured my “Nine misconceptions about Prop 50” in a recent Substack article, here (requires a paid subscription to see the whole thing). I appreciate the shoutout to the Davisite and my article and his spreading the word about the nine Prop 50 misconceptions with wit and humor.

Here is my response to what Bob says about the first misconception, which I also left as a comment on his page:

I should clarify the first misconception a bit more. I saw, on more than one occasion, people having the temerity (SAT word) to say that Texas was constitutionally required to redraw its districts because they were racially biased. Of course the reality is that it is the new, gerrymandered districts are the ones that hurt minority voter representation in Texas.

(The origin of this misconception is the DOJ itself, who claimed that four districts had been impermissibly created using race. This was such a howler of an excuse that even Texas stopped using it, but the misconception persists out in social media — details here.)

And not to blab on, but although you’re [i.e., Bob is] right that Trump would surely have leaned hard on Texans if they hadn’t done what he wanted, it’s people like the Texas Democrats, who risked arrest and their jobs to hold up the gerrymandering vote, that we really need right now. People who are willing to stand up to bullies.

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Comments

7 responses to “Response to Bob Dunning, re: the nine misconceptions about Prop 50”

  1. –>KeiTh

    So should the Republicans in CA who are getting disenfranchised by Newsom’s redistricting also stand up to his bullying?

    Reply
    1. Roberta Millstein

      Let’s recap. Newsom asked the legislature to consider putting redistricting on the ballot. They deliberated and voted and did so. It survived several court challenges. Now it is up to the voters whether redistricting happens. No bullying, so there is nothing to stand up to. If the redistricting happens, it will be because voters voted in favor of it. Texas did not put their redistricting up to a vote.

      Reply
      1. Ron O

        The argument that I believe Keith is making is “tyranny of the majority”. (The same reason that we periodically see the state of Jefferson arise.)

      2. Roberta Millstein

        You mean democracy?

        (and yes, I am being a bit facetious — but just a bit)

        But Keith’s point was about Newsom’s supposed bullying. I suppose he can say what he means.

      3. Ron O

        Yes – the type of “democracy” that Democrats in Texas are feeling (both the elected representatives, and their constituents). Seems likely that if it was put to a vote in Texas, the same type of result would occur (that’s now hoped-for in California).

        Also, the same type of “democracy” that causes some people to advocate for secession from a state (or even a country).

        Maybe that’s ultimately the way it should be – consistently.

  2. Marjorie Johansen

    Prop 50 is gerrymandering- politicians drawing their own districts. Amending the CA Constitution is a very serious issue & all the comments I hear are about Trump. No concern for citizens in the rural northern counties whose districts are being changed. Has Newsom even ever been to Yreka or Tulelake ? Their concerns & needs are different than those in Sonoma & Marin.

    Reply
    1. Roberta Millstein

      The politicians are NOT drawing their own districts. That is one of the common misconceptions that I debunked in the earlier article. With Prop 50, CA legislature drew districts for our representatives in the US Congress. And we, the citizens, get to vote on them.

      Trump’s demolition of our democracy is bad for everyone – and, to repeat myself from the earlier article “Rural voters are the ones who are being hurt the most by Republican cuts to health insurance and other benefits for low income workers. They are also being hurt by Trump’s tariffs and by his decision to import beef from Argentina. Democrats in Congress have been fighting these policies, but with a minority in the House it is an uphill battle.”

      Also, look at this map — a lot of rural people won’t be receiving SNAP benefits very soon, courtesy of the Republicans refusal to open the government and refusal to spend the money set aside for SNAP benefits when the government is shut down: https://www.kcra.com/article/northern-california-snap-calfresh-interactive-map/69195667

      Reply

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