The Middle Clash

By Bill Maher

You want to know why Congress doesn't get anything done? Because there's no middle left on either side. 

(Image courtesy of Mehlman Vogel Castagnetti)

The Washington Post cites a recent study finding that, "In the last three decades, the number of members in the middle in the House dropped from 344 (79 percent of the House) in 1982 to four (.9 percent of the House) in 2013. As the slide suggests, redistricting - the decennial redrawing of the nation's congressional lines - plays a major role in that decline. The last two nationwide redraws have largely been incumbent-protection efforts, making Republican districts more Republican and Democratic districts more Democratic."

California did away with political redistricting in 2008, and now our lines are drawn by an independent commission. It's not a panacea, but it has led to more competitive districts and more competitive races. And that's what we want. Shouldn't we want this nationally too? If America really is a centrist country, and they want the political center back, shouldn't we take the power of redistricting away from politicians and make it as non-partisan as we can?

Hell, why not let a computer program do it? Anyone but Mitch McConnell.