yes, mess with Texas

In 2024, North Carolina Republicans gerrymandered their state to snatch three Democratic seats. This cycle, Texas Republicans are aiming for five. These mid-decade gerrymanders go beyond cynical politics. They are a threat to the franchise itself.

Democrats should put on our brass knuckles in response. California, New York – whatever it takes. High-mindedness must not become feebleness.

It's come to this. But it need not stay like this. There are three elements of democracy renovation for which Democrats should campaign. As part of an anti-corruption platform:

• install independent redistricting instead of partisan maps

• abolish partisan primaries in favor of all-voter elections

• neuter super PACs with contribution caps

Independent redistricting already produces fair maps in states like New Jersey. The Garden State has a bipartisan commission of 13 members. Six each are appointed by leaders of both parties. The 13th is then elected by the 12 to chair the commission.

There's another way to generate representative maps. The parties negotiate directly instead of forming a commission. They would use the Define-Combine Procedure (DCP). It's "I cut, you choose" for redistricting. One party draws contiguous, equal-population semi-districts. The number of semi-districts is twice the number allotted to the state. The opposing party then combines pairs of semi-districts to form the final districts.

For example, Massachusetts has nine congressional districts. Should the Bay State use DCP, then there would be 18 semi-districts. Republicans could draw these 18 semi-districts. Democrats would then combine adjacent semi-districts into the final districts. It works for the same reason that "I cut, you choose" works at birthday parties.

Fair maps are the foundation of democracy renovation. All-voter elections are the walls and windows. I live in Newton, Massachusetts. Consider two different ways that Newton voters decide elections:

1. For mayor of Newton: there is one preliminary election. Every candidate can run and every citizen can vote in the preliminary. The top two vote-getters, regardless of party, advance to the general election. In the general, two Democrats may be squaring off. Or two Republicans. Or one of each.

2. For Members of Congress: there are two primary elections, one for each party. The Republican and Democratic winners square off in the general election.

Number one is much better than number two for democracy. In (1), the median voter is the swing voter. Candidates run through the 50-yard line of the electorate to get a majority. In (2), one party's primary winner is nearly always the uncatchable favorite in the general. The Cook Report lists 395 of the 435 congressional districts as not competitive in November.

Every seat should be competitive in November. The all-voter preliminary ensures that. The primary system, by contrast, disenfranchises the median voter. It pulls each party to its flanks. Wonder why Republicans in Congress debase themselves to the president? Most do not like him. But all fear a MAGA primary.

Finally, democracy renovation needs a new roof. Even with the foundation of fair maps and then strong walls built by all voters, money can still pour in. The long-term goal is a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United. Money is not speech. Immediately impactful is Maine's effort to cap contributions to super PACs. This measure will be litigated. By upholding it, the courts have an opportunity to narrow Citizens United.

Dark money, partisanship, and rigged maps have corrupted our democracy. Americans deserve a renovation. Democrats should campaign on this blueprint.