1180 Congressional Rorschach Test

1180 Congressional Rorschach Test

We now know that congressional districts are drawn to insure lifetime jobs for the office holder.  There’s not much we can do about that. But we also can have a little fun while we’re guaranteeing work, health care, pensions, perks and a full time salary for part time hours to our federal representatives, whose day jobs are running for reelection starting immediately after taking the oath of office.

Hence, we look at some maps and try to tell ourselves what picture we’re seeing.  Let’s start with New York’s Third CD. What’s that look like to you?  Maybe a harlequin with its mouth open?  For the record, there’s little in common between people who live in the north and those at the south pole of this thing -- whatever it is.

Then, there’s this carefully and artfully crafted district that looks like a running sheep.  It’s Connecticut’s Third CD.

Moving right along, New Jersey’s Third CD looks like an arrow heading for the Garden State Parkway and on trajectory to miss.

Here’s one from Missouri and it looks like the harlequin has turned around from the New York version.  It’s -- guess what -- the Third CD which also resembles Bart Simpson’s profile.

And not to ignore the west coast, have a look at Oregon’s Third CD which looks like a fish diving southeast or the imprint of a serious skin rash.

How they figure out this stuff is beyond the reach of the normal mind.

It’s even worse on the state level.  The legislative districts in most states look like Jackson Pollock’s interpretation of blood spatter at a mass shooting.

We’re told the human mind strains to find stability and regularity.  And what does that say about the people who draw these maps and pass them into law?

Can you imagine the conversations that take place around the map table?  “Assemblyman Glotz (R-Dade County,) can we please move the east boundary slightly to the left?  There’s an apartment house at the end of that street and it’s just filled with Democrats.  Maybe just eliminate that one building from the new district?”

And what use can we make of these pictures?  Not much.  But if you put your own district in a search engine and if you see something in its shape, you need a real Rorschach test or some decent meds.

Shrapnel:

--All of a sudden, everyone’s all in a twist about bullying, the age old wrong- of- passage for elementary school age kids.  We’re all told how to fight back or what to say or do or not do.  But no one seems to have identified the real problem which is not what other kids think of your kid, but what your kid thinks of him or her self.

--That’s about schoolyard and neighborhood bullies -- cyber attacks are another story.  That kind can be dodged the same way as traditional bullies.  But it requires sharp tongued fingers.

--Looks like we’re going to be treated to yet another trial of the century.  This time it’s George Zimmerman, the Florida toy cop wannabe who killed Trayvon Martin.  Since Martin was black and Zimmerman isn’t, this one is going to be more contentious than Arias, and the defendant isn’t nearly as photogenic, which is a relief after Jodi and earlier Casey.

I’m Wes Richards.  My opinions are my own but you’re welcome to them. ®

Please address comments to wesrichards@gmail.com

© WJR 2013