Ohio is a bit more fair

In the primary elections held yesterday Ohio included Issue 1. It proposed a way to reduce gerrymandering in that state. The proposal doesn’t create an independent commission to draw the lines. Instead, it keeps the map drawing in the hands of legislators, but requires 50% approval from the minority party and 60% approval overall. Voters approved it.

JebbaTheButt, writing for Daily Kos, notes there is one potential flaw in the system. Minority voters may vote for a massively gerrymandered map if they are in one of the “packed” or supersafe seats for their party that allow for more seats for the other party.



The nasty guy blew up the nuclear deal with Iran. Part of what is in the nasty guy’s order is sanctions against companies who do business in Iran. In particular, American company Boeing (who, if I remember right, has been a target of the nasty guy), and various European companies.

So, sanctions against Iran will slow its economy and destabilize it. And that may destabilize the Middle East. Vladimir Putin of Russia is good at exploiting power vacuums left by destabilization. US sanctions against European companies drives a wedge between long-term allies. Again, Putin benefits. Which prompts Melissa McEwan of Shakesville to write:

Funny how every appalling decision by the Trump administration ends up seeming to work to Putin's favor, eh? What a coincidence.

The collusion continues to be right out in the open.