Obey, Democrats blast GOP redistricting plan

MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Former Congressman Dave Obey and current Democratic leaders in the state Legislature are blasting Republican maps redrawing political boundaries, saying they are unconstitutional.

Obey and other Democrats spoke at a news conference on Wednesday before a joint legislative hearing on the maps.

Democratic state Senate Minority Leader Mark Miller says the lawmakers have not yet decided how best to challenge the maps. One federal lawsuit was filed prior to the maps being released last week.

Obey says the new lines for congressional districts are unconstitutional in part because they remove parts of central Wisconsin from his old 7th District and place them into the 3rd District which runs along the western border of the state.

State lawmakers say legislative boundaries also break up communities of interest, like Kenosha and Racine.

Source: http://www.weau.com/home/headlines/Legislative_hearing_on_Wis_redistricting_plan_125474558.html?storySection=story

there are districts in Texas that have a big bleb at the top followed by a tiny thin (one block) wide section for a couple of miles then another big bleb at the bottom for no other reason than to diminish the number of registered Democrats. Of course all the Democrats lie just outside the tiny thin section in the middle of the district.