#political-representation

#political-representation

Neglecting third parties, in the last presidential election, Texas voted 43% Democrat (Kamala Harris) and California voted 40% Republican (Trump), which are similar values for their respective minority parties. In the U.S. House of Representatives, California now has 17% Republicans (9/52) and Texas has 34% Democrats (13/38), twice the proportion. If Texas' redistricting changes five seats as expected, Texas' Democratic proportion will drop from 34% to 21% (8/38), which is still higher than California's 17%. Proposition 50 is not needed for fairness.

The scramble to replace Angela Rayner as deputy leader of the Labour party is well under way. Apparently, it's inevitable the role will go to a candidate with similar claims to Rayner in terms of that much-vaunted quality, authenticity. Whether Bridget Phillipson or Lucy Powell, the next deputy leader will also be a woman from a working-class family from the north of England.

The analysis reveals that inequality between men and women continues across nearly all areas. For example, 64 million more adult women than men suffer from food insecurity, and 9.2% of women and girls (376 million) currently live in extreme poverty, compared with 8.6% of men and boys. Furthermore, in 2024, 46.4% of women of working age were employed, compared with 69.5% of men.

"When you look at 435 House seats, only 35 were decided by five points or less last November. I won by six and a half points."

The Supreme Court's rulings have greatly influenced the landscape of redistricting, shaping how political boundaries are drawn both strategically and in response to demographic changes.

Trump has instructed his administration to start work on a "new" census, calling for an unprecedented exclusion of millions of people living in the U.S. without legal status.

Elections are imperfect reflections of public sentiment, but they are the least worst means to distribute political power. Each vote does count.

This year's Out for America report shows the resilience of our LGBTQ+ elected leaders. Despite hateful rhetoric plaguing the 2024 election cycle, LGBTQ+ elected officials won at the ballot box and made history. We know these exceptionally talented public servants are exactly what we need as the antidote to combat the anti-equality virus in our halls of power.

The statement by the five female Liberal MPs condemned the decision for gender quotas, claiming it demeaned women's capabilities and perpetuated their minority status in politics.

It's not just about showboating or sound-biting; the floor of the Dáil is essential for articulating local issues that concern constituents.