The Virginia Supreme Court's decision today to strike down a voter-approved congressional map

is a major shake-up in the national redistricting battle. To discuss that and developments in the

war with Iran, we turned out to Brooks and Marcus. That's the Atlantics, David Brooks, and Ruth

Marcus of the New Yorker. Jonathan Capehart is away. Great to see you both. So the Virginia

Supreme Court striking down that map is a huge blow to see you both. So the Virginia Supreme Court striking down

that map is a huge blow to Democrats. Virginia Democrats are now saying they will appeal. But I want to

put to you with Governor Gavin Newsom of California, where they did change the map to benefit Democrats

after voters back the move, posted this. He listed states that now have new Republican-leaning maps pointing out there

were no votes here in Tennessee, in Florida, Missouri, North Carolina, and Texas. He ends with

this. Virginia's voter-approved maps are thrown out. MAGA has rigged the system. David,

what do you make up that? Are Republicans rigging the system? Well, he's got a lot of company, I would say.

You know, this is a classic case of how democracy decays.

People have always been doing gerrymandering.

It started getting worse in the 2010s, 2020s, when you had states like north carolina maryland illinois

wisconsin uh... pennsylvania these had totally rigged maps

but the inhibition and they were democrat republican

they were the inhibition was you only did it on the census

did it once every ten years so there was some constraint trump through blew through

that restraint.

And now you can redistrict it whatever the hell you want to. And that's what Texas is. That's what

Gavin Newson did. Only honorable Indiana has restrained. But most of the others are doing it. And now

we are stuck in a pseudo-democracy where voters, when voting for House candidates,

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