WELL, DUH

GE&P has repeatedly contended that, on the whole, every SC redistricting process has devolved into a form of legalized segregation, even on the local level. Now, it seems GE&P has a bit of company in our assessment of the situation. Six Black voters have challenged the current SC redistricting plans submitted to DOJ by the state legislature. These plans concern the 124 State House districts and the 7 US Congressional districts.

Rep. Bakari Sellers, D-Denmark, has testified before the federal three-judge panel hearing the challenge that the redistricting process has "packed" certain districts with Black voters while leaving other districts comprised, almost entirely, of White voters. Rep. Sellers contends this process, in affect, "re-segregates" the voting districts in SC. Rep. Sellers is correct.

GE&P agrees completely with Rep. Sellers' contention that the redistricting process segregates our voting population but we disagree with his assessment as to the "WHY" of the process. Rep. Sellers stated the predominant factor used in the process was "race". GE&P contends, if we are to be completely accurate, the word "race" should be replaced with the words "Political Party".

On this issue, Liberals find themselves in somewhat of a conundrum. It is a demonstrated fact that Liberal Democrats, whether Black or White, have a great deal of difficulty getting elected in SC. Historically, these Liberals have stood a better chance of election if the voting block was predominately Black. Now, it would seem, this mindset is proving unacceptable to many Black voters.

For decades the Liberal leadership has taken the Black vote for granted. The leadership just "assumed" every Black voter would blindly follow the Liberal drumbeat and vote as they "should". Unfortunately for the Liberal leadership, many Black voters are voicing their resentment of this assumption. Consequently, we see the challenges to the redistricting plans.

If anyone needs to see irrefutable proof that "race" is no longer the predominate factor in SC elections, all one has to do is look at the results of the 1st Congressional race where Congressman Tim. Scott won, walking away, in an 80% White District. This result blows a big hole in the Liberal contention that a Black candidate cannot be elected in SC without gerrymandering of the District lines. The fact is that a Liberal Democrat cannot get elected in SC without gerrymandering the District lines.

These same Liberals would go into fits, and rightfully so, if anyone suggested that Blacks could only live in certain areas, only eat at certain restaurants, or only attend certain schools. Why, then, are they proposing that all Black citizens be restricted to only certain voting Districts? Liberal Democrats can claim no intellectual integrity in this argument. GE&P contends, if segregation is wrong in one situation, and it is, it is wrong in every situation.

GE&P has confidence that this panel of federal judges will stand with the citizens protesting this redistricting plan and rule that segregation on any level is WRONG and, therefore, UNACCEPTABLE.