Newspapers all around the US reported about the initial report of the US Census today. Major migration patterns show many people moving West and South, largely from the North and East regions of the US.
Many of the articles in corporatist oriented sites proclaim that reapportionment (redistribution of the 435 seats in the US House of Representatives based on population shifts over the last ten years) has produced, or will produce great gains for the GOP. They say that is because several of the states that will lose one or more seats in Congress have traditionally leaned toward Democrats and the states gaining seats lean toward Republicans. Texas gains four seats and Florida two, while Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Georgia, South Carolina and Washington each pick up one more seat. Michigan, New York, Illinois, Ohio, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Missouri, Massachusetts, Louisiana and Iowa all will lose one or more seats.
That "analysis" however, fails to consider many factors including the US economy and other demographics such as the growth in Latino populations (and Latino voting patterns).
What is certain is that every state will undergo the process of redistricting in 2011. How that process takes place, whether entrenched pols are allowed to gerrymander or whether (as in Arizona, California and a few other states) the voter approved independent panels are able to fulfill the voter mandate to establish competitive districts for Congress and for state legislatures, will ultimately determine who wins in the short term or the long.
In Arizona, we already know that GOP leadership in the state legislature is trying to co-opt the process. In roughly one week, we may have a better idea of whether they will succeed. No doubt, regardless of the outcome of the December 29 meeting of the Appellate Courts Commission on Appointments, Russell Pearce and Kirk Adams, Senate president-elect and House Speaker respectively, will continue their efforts at subverting the will of voters.
Some links to today's news stories on the Census:
http://stlbeacon.org/issues-politics/280-washington/107026-gop-gains-in-redistricting
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jNWKn2wieRn0R1he_1gzlAZ0QLDw?docId=CNG.b09f63971213429cd871e0860adc30ae.e61
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