N.H. Congressional Redistricting Plan Released

Compare the current Mirski/Bates plan with others. (4.00 / 3)

Representative David Hess has proposed a number of other plans each of which would result in far fewer people being shuffled from one district to the other.  Two of his plans are available for review on the committee web site.  At the subcommittee hearing on Thursday, he pointed out that a deviation of less than two persons could be achieved by moving only Waterville Valley and Sargeant's Purchase.

Rep. Hess cited the US Constitution's goal to "insure domestic Tranquility" for his decision not to offer any of the three plans he prefers.  He voted instead for the Mirski/Bates plan which moves some 25,000 people from one district to the other.

Several current Representatives from Merrimack who attended the subcommittee meeting thanked me for my vote against the Mirski/Bates plan.  Apparently, people who actually live in Merrimack do not want to be moved into the other district.

The irony was not lost on them that all but one of their fellow Republicans voted for the plan that they oppose, while the subcommittee Dems preferred a more restrained approach.

The full committee will hold a public hearing on the Mirski/Bates plan on Monday, March 12, at 1:00 in LOB 308.

Stay tuned.

Here is a fact that should help you to fight a little longer.
Things that don't actually kill you outright make you stronger.

Piet Hein, Grooks

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by: Lucy Weber @ Sat Mar 10, 2012 at 12:17:53 PM UTC

The little boys fail to play nice and share... (4.00 / 2)

Having now read the UL article cited in the above diary, I am once again saddened and angered by the clear acknowledgment that Republican committee members have totally abdicated their responsibility to conduct the redistricting process for the benefit of the citizens of New Hampshire.

Rep. Paul Mirski, R-Enfield, chair of the House special redistricting panel, said he's unclear why the two congressmen can't come to an agreement.

"We recessed the hearing to give them more time to sort it out," he said. "There are various factions for both folks doing what they can and it's something we've got to wait out.

"Every time I thought I could see a door opening, it just didn't get very far. I don't think anybody but Frank and Charlie could tell you where it's going," Mirski said.

Even the Union Leader acknowledges that this most important of legislative decisions has been turned over to two squabbling individuals, feuding over their fiefdoms.

Here is a fact that should help you to fight a little longer.
Things that don't actually kill you outright make you stronger.

Piet Hein, Grooks

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by: Lucy Weber @ Sat Mar 10, 2012 at 12:35:45 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

So it is the natural right of the elected (0.00 / 0)

to choose their electors? And the chair of the redistricting committee of the New Hampshire Legislature sees sitting back and awaiting the Congressmen's self-serving diktat on the divvying up of their electorates as not only his role, but as so obviously his role that the very concept of justifying it, never mind apologizing for it, never flits across his dim imagination?

If I had less restraint I would make uncharitable comments about the waddling and insufficiently frequently bathed Rep. Mirski's ossified batrachian intellect, atrophied conscience, and lard-fingered grasp of the fundamental tenets of republican government, but as that would be beneath my dignity, I shall simply comment that while honesty, sincerity and competence are respected both within and beyond partisan lines, the entirety of the respect which Rep. Mirski is accorded beyond partisan lines -- and a very great deal of the respect accorded him within them -- is on the sole basis of his fleeting position of authority.

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by: Tim C. @ Sat Mar 10, 2012 at 21:26:47 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Republicans count on people being creatures of habit, like themselves, (4.00 / 1)

who go to the polls and vote by rote. No doubt, there are some people who are like that and when candidates for public office can be presumed to be competent, their party affiliation is an easy way to make a choice without a lot of specific information or need for thought.
However, if the last four years have proven one thing definitively, it's that the Republican party is promoting incompetents by the dozens, in large part because they disrespect the process, lawmaking and, most of all, the public.
Now that we've deciphered the Republican code:

small government = dictatorship
balanced budget = cater to special interests
family values = authoritarianism
socialism = obligation
free market = steal public resources and sell them back

we need to develop some short hand of our own.

crooked legislators are scofflaws
parasitic corporations practice human husbandry
privatization sets up a command economy
planned parenthood means fewer fungible troops
money is to be spent

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by: hannah @ Sat Mar 10, 2012 at 12:18:12 PM UTC

I wonder if Merrimack is a plum because of corporate donors. n/t (4.00 / 1)

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by: The Money Magician @ Sat Mar 10, 2012 at 15:11:48 PM UTC

Merrimack is one of those towns (4.00 / 2)

...that make me wonder about the value of the rating system, especially for the down-ticket races.  Merrimack is rated a D+4.  However, all eight seats are currently held by Republicans, including the now notorious Rep. Janine Notter.  Even at the Democratic high watermark of 2006, the Merrimack delegation consisted of 7 republicans, including the also notorious Rep. Nancy Elliott, and only 1 lone Democrat.

Here is a fact that should help you to fight a little longer.
Things that don't actually kill you outright make you stronger.

Piet Hein, Grooks

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by: Lucy Weber @ Sat Mar 10, 2012 at 15:37:10 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Oops (4.00 / 2)

You're right. It looks like I pulled the numbers for Merrimack County rather than the town of Merrimack. (Rookie mistake.) The town of Merrimack has a PVI of R+4. I'll run through the numbers again and revise the diary. Thanks for catching that.

"Politics ain't beanbag" - Finley Peter Dunne

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by: William Tucker @ Sat Mar 10, 2012 at 16:43:34 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Yeah, but the diary is suffocating in its own irony now (0.00 / 0)

The plan moves seven reliably Republican towns, including Atkinson (R+9), Loudon (R+5) and Epsom (R+6) from CD2 to CD1 in exchange for Merrimack (R+4) and the very small towns of New Hampton (R+1) and Hart's Location (D+4).

How many voters in Hart's Location?

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by: elwood @ Sat Mar 10, 2012 at 21:08:14 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

27 (4.00 / 1)

In 2008, Hart's Location cast 27 votes for president.

Regardless, Bass was lobbying to make his district more Republican by replacing some Democratic-voting towns with GOP-voting towns. Instead, he ends up with a district (if this plan is adopted) that cast slightly more votes for President Obama than his current district did.

"Politics ain't beanbag" - Finley Peter Dunne

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by: William Tucker @ Sat Mar 10, 2012 at 22:53:27 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

in 2012, there are 29 (0.00 / 0)

registered voters in Hart's Location. Conway Daily Sun:

On the GOP side in this town of 29 registered voters, Mitt Romney, the perceived front-runner and former Massachusetts governor, was tops with five votes.
Libertarian favorite U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas was second with four votes. Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman was third with two votes.

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich of Virginia and Texas Gov. Rick Perry  garnered a vote each,  while former Pennsylvania U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum received no votes.

Incumbent President Barack Obama received 10 votes in the Democratic primary.

Eighteen voters participated at the polls, with another five voting via absentee ballot.

Six voters on the checklist opted not to vote.

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by: susanthe @ Sun Mar 11, 2012 at 02:20:54 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

or maybe... (0.00 / 0)

Maybe Bass or Guinta are worried about possible primary challengers.  

I can't think of any high-profile state reps in Merrimack, however: the only famous state reps from Merrimack are Jeanine Notter & Nancy Ellliot (who didn't run for re-election in 2010 but who is still around.)  They are both famous for saying dumbfoundingly bizarre stuff, which is OK if you are a sitting Congressperson but not so good if you are just a candidate.



sitting state rep: running for re-election in 2012.

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by: TimothyHorrigan @ Sat Mar 10, 2012 at 16:22:39 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Where's the rating button (4.00 / 1)

for "made me giggle."

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by: Lucy Edwards @ Sat Mar 10, 2012 at 18:51:46 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

My Pet Peeve issue...and the Fitzsimmons Plan (4.00 / 2)

Having worked in the Cartographical division at a Board of Elections in NY during the post-1980 reapportionment, I have grown very impatient at redistricting shenanigans.  To this day there are districts in NY that follow opposite sides of a highway or require a boat to hop-scotch from one neighborhood to another, all gerrymandered districts designed to protect certain incumbants fiefdoms and jeopardize others.  I made many maps in those days that were tossed in the trash, and my job placed on the line because I wasn't putting party before good democracy.

The notion that two members of congress have ANYTHING to say about their district, and are swapping groups of people like discarding and picking up cards in a game of rummy disgusts me.

So - not that this will go anywhere - I came up with my own plan.  I have NO CLUE how the registration or overall voting patterns would emerge in these two districts, but I tried to make geographically cohesive districts that combined towns that had like interests (in spite of their usual division, Nashua and Manchester share urban/suburban concerns and share a common traffic and commuting corridor, and should be in the same district.) I split Hillsborough east/west (Valley vs Monadnocks) and split Strafford north/south.  SO here we go:

District #1:

All of Rockingham County;
Hillsborough Co: Bedford, Goffstown, Manchester, Merrimack, Nashua & Pelham;
Merrimack Co: Hooksett;
Strafford Co: Barrington, Dover, Durham, Lee, Madbury, Rollinsford, & Somersworth.

Total Population: 655,573
Deviation from perfect 50/50 split: .3%

District #2:

All of Belknap County;
All of Carroll County;
All of Cheshire County;
All of Coos County;
All of Grafton County;
Hillsborough not included in #1 above;
All of Merrimack County except Hooksett;
All of Sullivan County;
Strafford County: Farmington, Middleton, Milton, New Durham, Rochester, and Strafford.

Population: 660,683
Deviation from Perfect 50/50: .3%

Have at it.  I dont have the software to create a map, but I think it makes more sense from rural/urban, travel corridors, and interest perspectives.

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by: Tully Fitzsimmons @ Sat Mar 10, 2012 at 21:32:20 PM UTC