Is it really a choice?: Walter Cronkite wrote an interesting op-ed that appeared in Friday's Minneapolis Star-Tribune. I think he was fair in saying that the current power grab in Texas is not simply a right-wing takeover, but part of a long sad process of politcal parties choosing their voters. I wholeheartedly support Cronkite's assertions that states need to follow Iowa and create independent commissions that can choose the districts. Allowing the parties themselves to come up with districts is crazy. Why in the world should political parties who have nothing but their own interests at heart be able to define the poltical districts? The Republicans want primarily white districts that help them, while Democrats want minority districts to shore up their votes. And in the end, democracy gets screwed.