1. Every time I write abt prison gerrymandering, find it amazing it is a thing that exists.
That we are so blasé about a FIVE-FIFTHS compromise.
That we are so blasé about a FIVE-FIFTHS compromise.
2. In 44 states, prisoners “live” in their prisons for the purpose of the Census but cannot vote: bodies with no electoral power.
3. Crime is disproportionately concentrated in cities, and those sent to prison are disproportionately POC—and thus disproportionately Dem-leaning. 
4. Yet prisons are increasingly located in more-rural, more conservative communities. Democratic prisoners in Republican counties: johneason.com/prison-prolife…
5. All across the country, rural legislators are holding onto their seats because of the people in their prisons. See prisonersofthecensus.org for so many examples.
6. I mean, look at these counties. Can you identify the prison? (Green = black person, red = Hispanic, blue = whites.) One is NY’s Clinton Prison, the other CA’s notorious Pelican Bay.
7. The Census Bureau right now is in total disarray, which is hugely problematic for ten thousand reasons. But means it won’t fix this.
8. The only states to fix this are CA, DE, MD, and NY: deep blue states that passed changes when Dems controlled both chambers and gov.
9. Even in NY, Senate GOP managed to split a district in half to add a seat bc knew the math: moving counts back to NYC, Buffalo would cause a net GOP loss.
10. Anyway, prison gerrymandering is one of those non-exciting topics (“Hi, can I talk to you about Census enumeration policies?!” does… not keep ppl’s attention) that is HUGELY critical.
11. I was writing about it now, and the deep injustice of it and its seeming intractability meant that I had to vent about it on Twitter, in hopes at least a few more ppl will oppose it.
