Inform, Entertain, Inspire
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Intelligence Squared US: Has Gerrymandering Destroyed The Political Center?

Friday, Nov. 25, 2016, 9 PM

It is alleged that the practice of gerrymandering —dividing election districts into units to favor a particular group— subverts democracy by making congressional districts “safe” for one party or the other.  As a result, only those voting in primaries are in effect choosing our representatives.   Are primary voters more extreme in their views, and therefore pulling democrats to the left and republicans to the right?  Or is the impact of gerrymandering actually overblown, while other more divisive contributing factors like the emergence of ideologically charged TV and radio outlets, the role of the internet and social network “echo chambers,” and campaign finance practices are in fact the real drivers of increasing partisanship?  If gerrymandering is a major problem, is there policy or constitutional principles that might be part of the solution?  

Presented in partnership with the National Constitution Center

 

http://www.intelligencesquaredus.org/debates/gerrymandering-destroying-political-center

Tony became WVPE's program director in 2022, after working as operations manager since 2014. He also produces Michiana Chronicles and works on other special programming and digital projects. He joined the station as All Things Considered host in 1997, hosted Morning Edition in 2000 and 2001, then returned to the ATC host chair from 2007 to 2016. One of his Morning Edition newscasts earned WVPE a Best Radio Newscast Award from the Associated Press in 2002. An Iowa native, Tony got his start in radio as a student at Eastern Mennonite University (EMU), Harrisonburg, Va., and managed the radio station there for three years after graduating. He also worked in commercial and Christian radio prior to his time at WVPE. Tony lives in Goshen.