Gerrymandering? Bite your tongue

Happy Tuesday!

You know, I get aggravated when politics becomes so arrogant it just breezes by citizens as if we don’t even exist. 
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That’s what this latest redistricting thing is. A total, “we’re in charge, we don’t care what you think” move. If politicians want to box us out, they’ll do just that.

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We've been pushed out of the 12th District and into the 15h. Have you seen the new 15th Congressional District? We’re now besties with Tampa, Brandon, I-75, and I-4 — just what conjures to mind when we consider the Nature Coast.

Rep. JJ Grow must have lost his lunch when he saw this map. Grow’s House district is Citrus County and Dunnellon — you know, a neighbor, close by, a cousin.

Hillsborough County? Might as well be Idaho.

Let’s talk about it.

First up, it’s fair to say most people have no idea who their congressperson is. I mean, they may know the name, but very little familiarity. Few people ever have the need to contact their congressperson unless it is to offer an opinion.

So, congressional representation isn’t at all like the County Commission or even the Legislature. While gerrymandering takes place under any circumstance where humans are involved, legislative districts are meant to have uniformity. Similar communities lodged together.

Congress has always been much trickier because the stakes are so much different. In Congress, it’s all about partisan power. I’m not revealing anything you don’t already know. Congressional districts are never designed to provide balanced representation; they're meant to boost the party in control.

Organizations are contesting the map in court as being gerrymandered. Well, duh. No one in their right skull would place Inverness in the same congressional district as Tampa. It’s clearly done to jack up the prevailing party’s voter ranks somewhere.

That’s what we are to these decision-makers — a means to an end. We are pawns in their power agendas. Meanwhile, gas is skyrocketing, insurance costs are out of sight, and no one earning under $100,000 a year can afford to buy a home. But, yes, please, let’s move the congressional district lines around so the Power can have more power.

Just a few weeks ago, I met with Chris Irizarry, a Democrat from Hudson taking on U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis, who is/was our congressman. We had a very pleasant Cattle Dog chat, and I looked forward to hearing more from both of them on the campaign trail.

Bilirakis, meanwhile, has established a great rapport with Citrus County political types and business leaders. His office people regularly show up at all the important events. After eight years with the wooden Rep. Daniel Webster, Citrus was happy with Gus. (That’s not a political statement. I realize Bilirakis has his detractors.)

The new congressperson is Rep. Laurel Lee, a Brandon Republican. First elected in 2022, she announced her re-election plans right after the map was approved.

“Our new district maintains the majority of my constituents, and it’s where my home and district office are located. I look forward to continuing the good work we’ve done for our community.”

Laurel Lee may be the best congressperson we’ll ever have. Or the worst. Or somewhere in the middle. But her role as Citrus County’s representative in Congress is the result of a shameful political act, meant to bolster no one but the very people who are behind it.

Guess what? That ain’t us.

Have some fun today, friends.

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