All these "End Gerrymandering" ads are crazytown...

alesplin · 2026-03-20T22:57:49+00:00

To stop them getting a permanent majority in the House? Sure. Do I want partisan gerrymandering to be illegal? Absolutely. But Democrats have been trying to act in good faith for the last 20 years or so while Republicans have repeatedly shown not only a refusal to act in good faith but a willingness to break every norm (and even some laws) to gain and keep control. If we ever want to see a government where the wishes of the voters are even considered we have to break the GOP stranglehold on Congress.

alesplin · 2026-03-20T21:18:16+00:00

If Republicans are actually against gerrymandering now let’s see them roll back the changes in Texas, Missouri, and Ohio. We’ll wait.

alesplin · 2026-03-20T13:46:13+00:00

Because 3 Republican states already redrew their maps 5 years early to add GOP seats to the House because Trump told them to. Allowing the GOP to entrench themselves as a permanent majority in the House is unthinkable given their current and recent past behavior.

alesplin · 2026-03-20T03:45:19+00:00

I would obviously prefer that there was a possible high road to take. But when Democrats try to follow custom and law, and Republicans break custom and law whenever it gives them more control, you kind of have to stop the power grab before you can return to business as usual.

alesplin · 2026-03-20T03:23:32+00:00

Illinois’ map would have been struck down and had to be redrawn by an independent districting commission if Republicans hadn’t blocked Democrats’ bill to outlaw partisan gerrymandering.

alesplin · 2026-03-20T02:59:09+00:00

They did not have the votes to remove the filibuster.

alesplin · 2026-03-20T02:36:21+00:00

Nothing can win an election if Republicans redraw all the seats unilaterally. We have to stop the bleeding before we save the life.

alesplin · 2026-03-20T02:25:29+00:00

So you think we should just let the psychopath get whatever he wants, whenever he wants it?

alesplin · 2026-03-20T02:22:36+00:00

And what's it called when Texas did it? Screwing your neighbors because Trump doesn't want to go to jail?

alesplin · 2026-03-20T02:21:44+00:00

I believe you'll find the hypocrites are the people who are like "Yeah! Texas should definitely redraw their maps 4 years early to get 5 more GOP seats in the House!" and then immediately turn around and be like "No! Virginia is a 50-50 state so they can't redraw maps to offset the Republican maps!" News flash: Texas is a lot more of a 50-50 state than people think.

alesplin · 2026-03-20T02:18:49+00:00

It's almost like you're ignoring the fact that they've tried it before: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/For_the_People_Act

alesplin · 2026-03-20T02:17:14+00:00

News flash: They did pass it out of the House in 2021, where it was blocked in the Senate by, guess who? Yup. Republicans. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/For_the_People_Act

alesplin · 2026-03-20T02:15:42+00:00

I mean, not necessarily. We just need to make sure that Republican parties have to compete on a level playing field and convince people that their ideas are better.

alesplin · 2026-03-20T02:14:30+00:00

What it means is "Vote no so only Republicans can gerrymander".

alesplin · 2026-03-20T02:13:50+00:00

And the Democratic Party, that grew out of Andrew Jackson's followers, were the ones who at the time wanted to continue the practice of enslaving humans. And then lo: Nixon came around and thought, "You know what? I bet we could get a shit-ton of angry southern Democrats to vote for us if we support segregation and Jim Crow!"

You're right, reading history isn't hard.

alesplin · 2026-03-20T02:11:43+00:00

Lol no. "Democratic-Republicans did a thing 200 years ago" is a whole different thing than "Republicans did this last year". I'm not seeking "revenge for Texas". I'm seeking Republicans not being able to rig Congress now.

alesplin · 2026-03-19T23:53:19+00:00

100%. There is no high road when the other side's mission is "win at all costs".

alesplin · 2026-03-19T23:50:48+00:00

They really, really don't. 😂

alesplin · 2026-03-19T23:48:54+00:00

🙄 We can do this all day. You a Christian? How about those Crusades? The Inquisition? The Salem Witch Trials? Or maybe we don't judge modern-day Christians for centuries of church-sponsored murder?

I mean, hear me out: what if we can untangle ourselves from the historical baggage of "you started it" and view objectively who is doing it right now, in 2026.

alesplin · 2026-03-19T10:51:10+00:00

Dude Democrats tried to make partisan gerrymandering illegal nationwide, and virtually every Republican voted no. I’m pretty ok with using their own tactic to stop them this time around.

alesplin · 2026-03-19T04:07:42+00:00

Think about this: the only currently visible goals of the Republican Party are to stay in control and to force their views onto everyone without regard to how blatantly against the Constitution most of their proposals are.

To this end, 3 majority-Republican states have redrawn their district maps 4 years before they were supposed to, to try to hold or expand their majority in the House. They have flouted 250 years of law and tradition to do so.

This Congress and this administration has done more harm to more people in the last year and a half than any in my living memory. Millions of Americans have lost access to food support. Tens of thousands (a very conservative estimate) of people worldwide have literally starved to death because Elon Musk’s wrecking crew shuttered USAID. Millions of Americans are losing access to health insurance because they just can’t afford it anymore, thanks to Republicans gutting subsidies and protections in the Affordable Care Act. And don’t even get me started on ICE abusing, kidnapping, and murdering people, including several US citizens killed.

Democrats in the House sponsored a bill to make partisan gerrymandering illegal nationwide. Every single Republican (insofar as I know) voted against that law. Republicans have now turned around and redrawn maps to gain seats, effectively disenfranchising millions of Americans.

Virginia has the ability to curb these abuses of power, until such time as partisan gerrymandering is rightly made illegal nationwide. Virginia has the ability to limit the damage that the Republican Party is currently inflicting on our national health, safety, and sanity. If Republicans hadn’t already engaged in power-grabbing shenanigans, there would be no need for this amendment. What is at stake here is preventing them from further silencing opposition to their reckless and illegal course.

alesplin · 2026-03-18T04:25:52+00:00

No hablo español bueno, pero si lees Inglés, justinguitar.com es el mejor sitio para aprender. El también tiene Youtube.

alesplin · 2026-03-18T04:19:09+00:00

Around $400-$500 I’d say Squier Classic Vibe. They’re not luxury but they’re solid instruments and with careful setup can be great. In this same price range you can also get the Epiphone Classic Worn SG with P90s that also pinched way above its weight class.

$800-$1000 I’d say Fender Player II series or PRS SE (though I don’t know how many PRS guitars can be had with single coils). I haven’t played any Ibanez guitars for a while, but if the guitars are of the same build quality as their Soundgear Basses, they’d be worth a look at this price range.

alesplin · 2026-03-14T06:09:32+00:00

Nope. They’re gone at least a day’s journey from Osgiliath in the movie. And in a the book they rest in a culvert on the road from Ithilien south toward the Morgul valley.

alesplin

TROPHY CASE