Rep. James Clyburn criticizes redistricting push: 'Are we going to make a mockery out of this democracy?'

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: NBC News

Dec. 7, 2025, 11:09 AM EST


WASHINGTON — Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., criticized the nationwide redistricting fight in an interview with NBC News’ “Meet the Press,” arguing that the country is going through “a repeat of a history that led to some catastrophic consequences in our previous history.”

Clyburn was asked at the start of the interview whether he agreed with Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Mo., who opposed his state’s redistricting and argued that “if you fight fire with fire long enough, all you’re going to have left is ashes.” “I agree with him entirely,” Clyburn said.

Clyburn pointed to the emergence of Jim Crow after the post-Civil War Reconstruction period ended, saying these racist laws and Supreme Court decisions like Plessy v. Ferguson “made a mockery of democracy.” “That is what we are approaching today,” he added, asking: “Are we going to continue our pursuit of a more perfect union, or are we going to make a mockery out of this democracy?”

His comments come after the Supreme Court allowed Texas to use a new congressional district map, which could help Republicans gain five House seats in next year’s midterm elections. Texas’ move set off redistricting battles across the country, with state legislators on both sides of the aisle pushing to redraw maps to favor their party.

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/james-clyburn-criticizes-redistricting-push-supreme-court-texas-rcna247817

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Clyburn pointed to the emergence of Jim Crow after the post-Civil War Reconstruction period ended, saying these racist laws and Supreme Court decisions like Plessy v. Ferguson “made a mockery of democracy.” “That is what we are approaching today,”

We are already there Clyburn. The Voting Rights Act is just one more ruling away from being totally repealed. The core racism that came with the founding of this country is still there, but they are using modern tools to spread and magnify it, and countering that is going to need to be YOUR focus (as others are already working on dealing with that).

[Dawson Leery]

1. We have no choice but to defend ouselves.

All blue states with Rethugs in Congress must retaliate by redrawing districts.

[0rganism]

2. One might even call it a ... "demockery"

ba-dum-tis

[LostOne4Ever]

3. The redistricting fight is just a game of Prisoner's dilemma

If everyone were to trust the other side and work together it would lead to the best outcome for everyone.

However if side A trusts side B, and then side B were to betray side A it leads to the best outcome for Side B the absolute worst outcome for side A and a less than ideal outcome for society as a whole.

The republicans, and in particular Trump and his cult, have shown that they will always choose to betray the Democrats and will NEVER put the needs of EVERYONE above their wants or themselves.

This leaves democrats two choices:

continue to do the right thing and watch ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING WE BUILT OVER THE LAST 140 YEARS GET DESTROYED and lose everything we want and give MAGA everything they want on a silver platter…

OR

Fight fire with fire and end up in a situation everyone loses and everything goes to shit for everyone while hoping that the people get fed the fuck up and pass laws and constitutional amendments if necessary to fix this situation and prevent these type of Anti-democratic tactics from ever being used again.

Neither solution is good but only one has even a sliver of a chance of saving democracy and all we hold dear.

That option is to fight fire with fire and gerrymander the fuck out of everything.

[fujiyamasan]

6. This is good old game theory in action

I don’t see democrats having any other options here.

Even if democrats maximized the number of seats they could get when gerrymandering, the party would still be at a disadvantage given the number of states republicans have a majority in states legislatures. We know what direction they have top down and they end up doing the wrong thing in the end anyways (look at Indiana).

The only way to really win the house back is if 2026 becomes a wave election. Republicans seem to be doing their best to make it happen.

[littlemissmartypants]

7. It's like the difference between ice hockey and ballet.

[Scrivener7]

4. Someone else has already made a mockery of it. We're trying to hold onto it with our fingernails.

Because it's going away, and we need to do anything we can to save it.

[paleotn]

9. Exactly!

[littlemissmartypants]

5. Say Jim Crow three times fast. Then ask me what Nazi Germany

& the current crop of Christian Nationalists like about the propagation of slavery and white supremacy in the USA.


It's amazing to me how naive some people are in leadership.

[LiberalLovinLug]

8. I can't stand how "moderate" Democrats frame this and other issues as a "both-siderism"

WE DID NOT START THIS!

But we are obliged to finish it, and defend ourselves.

Huge difference.

[travelingthrulife]

10. California's was voted on and approved by its citizens.

[Cirsium]

11. Say what?

Democrats are making a mockery of democracy???

Dear Rep. James Clyburn: fighting fire with fire is how the Confederacy was defeated.

[Marie Marie]

12. Uuuh - that ship has sailed and it is sporting a Trump Flag.

[orleans]

13. drives me fucking crazy. he either doesn't get it or wants to be so damn politically correct that

it wouldn't matter how fucked democrats were b/c at least we did the right thing

J. C. !!!

[Buddyzbuddy]

14. Because we didn't take action sooner and to the degree necessary

we have a madman in the office, a 34 count Felon. I'm sorry Congressman Clyburn, but the days of civility and decorum are currently non existent. Hopefully sooner rather than later, politics as you've known will return.
But not now and not for years to come. It's a political civil war in which the opposition has all of the weapons. We citizens are using what we can to fight back, patience, the courts and yes, redistricting. Might I remind you that we didn't want redistricting but it's an equal and just response to counter the Republican strategy.

Strength and fortitude will be needed in the next Congress. I hope we can count on you as we have in the past.

[Figarosmom]

15. He better wake up.

Trump is so serious about keeping the House that he pardoned a DEMOCRAT in Texas thinking that he would be so great full he'd switch parties. ( he didn't and now trump is pissed)

[BumRushDaShow]

16. There is one Democrat in the SC House delegation - him

and SC could easily (depending on how their state Constitution is written) remove his seat in an instant - and the SCOTUS obviously doesn't care about Sect. 2 of the VRA, which they seem poised to overturn, in order to make it fait accompli to eliminate the VRA altogether.

[sinkingfeeling]

17. Too late. This regime already has.

[Bengus81]

18. This is WHY Democrats lose elections. If WE play nice then THEY will place nice. Bullshit James!