David Pepper highlights a troubling proposal in Missouri that undermines majority rule through gerrymandering-influenced thresholds for a Constitutional Amendment. Protecting democracy requires united efforts.
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By David Pepper
Last week, I talked to activists in Missouri about their effort to protect reproductive freedom there—and about the cynical and anti-democratic backlash from their gerrymandered legislature.
Sadly, it’s exactly what I’ve come to expect from these broken statehouses: 1) they are always seeking ways to subvert democracy because they know their policies (like abortion bans) and viewpoints are largely unpopular, and 2) they are always learning lessons from anti-democracy efforts around the country—be they successes or failures.
And in this case, Missouri legislators are proposing to subvert majority rule in a way that adapts to the lesson from Ohio last year — that voters value the principle of “one person, one vote” and will reject efforts to undermine it. (For my Voting Rights Academy on how the Warren Court enshrined the principle of “One Person, One Vote,” go HERE).
So the Missouri politicians are trying to sneak this through by modifying what the GOP tried in Ohio (a straight-up 60% threshold for anything to pass): requiring instead that a Constitutional Amendment earn not just a majority vote of the people across Missouri, but that it alsoearn a majority vote of the the state’s Congressional districts.
On the surface, it’s sounds like majority rule, right?
Wrong.
As I explain above, in a state with gerrymandered districts—whether it’s a Congressional district requirement or statehouse district requirement—this additional threshold becomes a poison pill to majority rule. A popular measure could still lose because the extreme gerrymander of those districts defeats it, as opposed to the vote of the people themselves.
And directly counter to the principle of “one person, one vote,” the voters who are overrepresented in those gerrymandered red districts would be given significantly more weight than the voters in underrepresented, packed districts. A viewpoint shared by a minority of the voters could easily overcome that shared by the majority.
Folks from across the nation helped Ohio topple an attack like this last August.
If they try this in Missouri, let’s commit to fight back in the same way there. Both to protect democracy in Missouri, AND so they don’t try this sneak attack anywhere else (because you know they will if it succeeds!).
How can big tech and a healthy democracy coexist? In this episode Rick is joined by Marietje Schaake, author of The Tech Coup: How to Save Democracy from Silicon Valley. Together, they delve into the growing influence of big tech companies on global democracy, the dangers posed by unchecked data collection, and the rise of tools like Pegasus spyware. Schaake highlights the need for greater transparency, regulation, and accountability in the tech sector, while addressing the potential threats to privacy and democratic freedoms. They also discuss the weaponization of data by companies like Palantir and Cambridge Analytica, as well as potential solutions to safeguard democratic systems in the face of advancing technology.
Marietje's book, The Tech Coup: How to Save Democracy from Silicon Valley, available now.
Democracy is under siege, and state-sanctioned vigilantes are leading the charge. In this episode Rick speaks with Jon Michaels and David Noll, authors of the upcoming book Vigilante Nation: How State-Sponsored Terror Threatens Our Democracy. They discuss the alarming rise of state-backed vigilante activities, particularly through laws like Texas SB8, and how these efforts are aimed at achieving authoritarian political control. The conversation explores the MAGA movement's tactics, the threats to democratic institutions, and the potential dangers surrounding future U.S. elections. It's a chilling analysis of how private actors, with state approval, are shaping America’s political landscape.
Rick speaks with Doug Jones about the documentary “War Game”, which explores the potential for another insurrection similar to January 6. They discuss the fragility of democracy, the role of military personnel in political extremism, the dangers of misinformation, and the increasing radicalization of certain groups, particularly within the MAGA movement. They emphasize the importance of maintaining democratic guardrails and the need for vigilance in the face of political violence and misinformation, particularly leading up to the upcoming election.
Follow Doug Jones on X @DougJones and learn more about the film “War Game” at www.wargamefilm.com.
Follow Rick Wilson at @TheRickWilson on X and subscribe to his Substack at therickwilson.substack.com.
Join the fight with Lincoln Project at www.lincolnproject.us and follow us on X at @ProjectLincoln.
David Pepper writes, "One of the most damaging consequences of the narrative that our battle for democracy is only a federal contest, playing out in just a few swing states, is that it leaves the false impression that most of America isn’t involved in that battle."
Andra writes, "Fascist Republicans underpin their labor policies with the Christo-fascist notion that men work outside the home, and women stay home and mother children."
