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Over the last week, we have seen that Tennessee is not alone around these parts in considering redistricting of seats at the Congressional and state level. Mississippi’s potential shift has also drawn attention, although that state is not taking the express lane-approach — like Tennessee — to President Trump’s desire to redraw the boundaries. Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves canceled a special legislative session in Jackson because of time constraints and the fact that the state already held its party primaries for this year’s election cycle. The primary reason for the session was to change the boundaries for the state Supreme Court’s three districts. But with the door open for change, the possibility is on the table for a shuffling of state and federal representation. Reporter Aarron Fleming, new to covering North Mississippi/DeSoto County, ventured the 200 miles south down Interstate 55 to the state capital. Protesters still gathered Wednesday against the suggested change, even though Reeves delayed the special session. Despite the pause, I think it is a fair bet that the districts are a-changin’. Of course, all this began with the U.S. Supreme Court decision regarding a case in Louisiana, Mississippi’s neighbor to the west. The 6-3 decision – in the simplest terms – said redistricting was based too heavily on race. That, and the president’s call for redistricting set the wheels in motion. All of this is not only confusing, but extremely divisive. Both sides of the debate can point to unfair tactics. That certain states are only represented in Congress by one party. Then there are all the other disagreements. Who started all this first? Does the redistricting fairly provide representation to all citizens? Or does the party in power slide its finger on the scale to benefit their group? I mean, there is “majority rules.” To the winner go the spoils. And all the other cliches that can fit a given argument. Look, Republicans still hold the advantage in Tennessee and Mississippi. And — like it or not; fair or not — gerrymandering is a staple of politics. I remember looking at the districts for some local state representatives in both parties, and the lines looped around their cove where they were still in their district even though the heart of it stretched into another part of the county. Ah, politics. I will let others on The Daily Memphian staff deal with the Tennessee questions and redistricting. Much has been written about that since Gov. Bill Lee’s special-called session, and what representatives were effectively eliminated from office. As for Mississippi, the question will linger for months if not longer. Reeves doesn’t act like any changes can be accomplished this year before the mid-term elections in November. More than likely the Mississippi Legislature will address the matter in time for next year’s elections. That’s a lot of time for debates and protests and commentary on what will happen. Who will be represented? Who will be carved out by the various shifting of district lines? Plenty will consider the changes unfair. That the new districts don’t provide representation for segments of the Mississippi populace. That genders, races and parties do not have a proper voice in Washington or Jackson. But the majority has the hammer. And as we have seen for years, that doesn’t always result in fairness. It just means majority rules until the pendulum shifts again. — Suburbs Editor, Clay Bailey
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Activists, elected leaders and politicians from Mississippi and beyond gathered in the state’s capitol Wednesday to rally against redistricting efforts.
By Aarron Fleming
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