Supremes block democracy in North Carolina

The Supreme Court has blocked a lower court's order requiring North Carolina's legislature to redraw the state's congressional district boundaries for this year's elections.

The justices appear to have split, 7-2, in deciding to put on hold the ruling that tossed out the state's map as "an unconstitutional partisan gerrymander" in favor of Republicans. The map will likely remain in effect for the 2018 midterm elections.

[...]

The stay request the high court granted Thursday was made by several Republican leaders of the North Carolina legislature.

  Politico

Of course it was.

The lower court ruling said GOP leaders' improperly considered partisan vote history in redrawing the lines two years ago to comply with a court ruling that struck down the previous map as an unconstitutional racial gerrymander. The map, the court ruled, was drawn to ensure Republicans controlled 10 of the state's 13 House seats, despite the fact the state is divided roughly equally between voters who typically prefer Democrats, and those who prefer Republicans.

[...]

The Supreme Court's move does not necessarily mean it will hear arguments in the case. The justices are currently considering a case out of Wisconsin that raises the issue of partisan gerrymandering and whether it can be so severe that it violates voters' constitutional rights. The apparent, 7-2 split by the justices Thursday could mean that they are reluctant to upend the status quo in North Carolina before the high court attempts to clarify the legal question through the Wisconsin case.

I'm not feeling encouraged.

Will we be in the era of democracy deconstruction until at least seven Supreme Court judges die?

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.