541: Why Gerrymandering Still Shapes American Democracy

The boys drink and review Crowhill's latest homebrew, then discuss gerrymandering.

Every ten years, new census data reshapes our political maps. But who decides where the lines go—and why does it matter so much? In this episode, we dive deep into gerrymandering: what it is, how it works, and why it has such a lasting impact on elections.

We cover:

* The basics of redistricting and why “one person, one vote” isn’t as simple as it sounds.
* The two key strategies: packing and cracking voters.
* The paradox of race in redistricting: sometimes illegal, sometimes required.
* Why the Supreme Court stepped back from partisan gerrymandering cases.
* Real-world examples from Texas, North Carolina, Wisconsin, and Florida.
* The consequences for representation, polarization, and voter trust.
* Possible reforms: independent commissions, mathematical “fair maps,” and state-level challenges.

At the heart of it all is a question we pose to you: Should drawing political districts be a political act—or a purely mathematical one?

If you’ve ever wondered why election results don’t always match the popular vote, or why so many districts look like Rorschach tests, this episode is for you.

#gerrymandering