A Guide to Political Contributions

The New York Times has an interactive guide to understanding several typical types of political donations.  By looking at fiscal electioneering from the perspective a billionaire wanting to donate $10,000 to help Democrats win back the House of Representatives, a college student looking to donate $25 to a candidate in need, or anything in between, we can learn a lot about how the actual donation process - including limitation and loopholes - actually work.

The site, which is updated to reflect ramifications of the Citizens United decision, is well worth the time.

"Creative Cartography" - A Closer Look at Gerrymandering

It just so happens that gerrymandering - the politicized process of redrawing congressional district maps after a census - is still a lingering issue.  While the last census, which is done every 10 years, was done in 2010, the political battles over redrawing the maps in many states continues.  That, in short, is why the issue stays in the news.  The fight is especially intense in Texas, where the Supreme Court has decided to step in, Arizona, Florida, where they are just getting started, and even here in Wisconsin.



To best understand the current battles and likely outcomes, we need to rewind and take a closer look at the 2010 midterms.  While - like the upcoming 2012 election - unemployment and the economy in general were viewed as the most significant issues in the minds of voters, the opportunity to redistrict - the golden political opportunity that comes a long once a decade - also rested on that election.  When we look across the nation and we see that it is often Democrats crying foul about largely Republican-friendly maps, we remember that 2010 was a big Republican victory.

In considering the exceptional impact of these maps, it could certainly be argued that the 2010 midterms were much more important to national politics than was recognized by the electorate, as midterms traditionally do not attract the attention of a presidential election.

In 2010, The New York Times ran an article called "How to Tilt an Election Through Redistricting" that is especially helpful in understanding the strategies used by politicians and their consultants in gerrymandering.  Take a look at the article, especially the example maps that demonstrate "packing," "cracking," and other strategies.