To draw fair maps, don’t give politicians the pen. ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ 
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Brennan Center for Justice
 
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This week, the Brennan Center submitted a proposal to the January 6 committee on ways to reform the Insurrection Act, which allows the president to deploy the military domestically to quell civil unrest or enforce the law in a crisis. The dangerously vague and outdated law is ripe for abuse by a future president. Congress must update the law so that it guards against power grabs while preserving the ability to deploy troops in a true crisis.
Anti-gerrymandering reforms enacted in the last decade have had mixed results. While some yielded politically balanced districts, others required court intervention or resulted in unfair maps. The distinguishing factor between states with successful reforms and those that fell short is whether they removed politicians from the line-drawing process. The latest redistricting cycle makes clear that for reforms to work, they must be designed to overcome partisan interests.
Major decisions last term have given the public ample reason to think that the Supreme Court is not saying what the law is, but rather what the majority of justices simply prefer it to be. An assessment of the recent overreach, unexplained orders, and ethical lapses clearly shows a legitimacy crisis of the Court’s own making. If the institution is to regain public trust, the justices must prove willing to uphold the law without serving their personal preferences.
A new interactive tool by the Brennan Center and the Alliance for Securing Democracy compiles election- and voting-related social media posts by candidates, news outlets, and other prominent messengers. With the midterms fast approaching, this tool will allow users to keep track of emerging narratives around key topics such as election denial and the spread of misinformation.
The census is crucial to American democracy, determining processes such as the number of House seats and federal dollars allocated to each state. But the 2020 census was threatened by underfunding, executive interference, and pandemic-related issues. As such, the final headcount missed 18.8 million people, undercounting communities of color at disproportionate rates. To create a census that is accurate and equitable, legal and policy reforms are needed to address long-standing challenges.
For the second time, New York’s legislature has failed to pass the Clean Slate Act, which would automatically seal old criminal records. The bill would remove barriers to housing, employment, and education for New Yorkers whose lives remain affected by convictions long after serving their sentences, and it would provide a significant boost to the state’s economy. With as many as 1.4 million people poised to benefit directly — not to mention society at large — lawmakers should make it a priority to pass the bill next year.

 
Virtual Events
 
Democracy on the Brink
Wednesday, September 28 // 6–7 p.m. ET
Ahead of the midterms, efforts to interfere with voting are in full swing. The implications are serious, especially for Latino and Black communities. State lawmakers are responding to false claims of a “stolen” election with legislation that restricts the right to vote. These communities also face the growing problem of misinformation. For an inside look at what these issues mean for the 2022 elections and beyond, join the virtual premiere of our recent conversation at the convention of the national associations of Black and Latino journalists. This event will include a live text chat Q&A with Brennan Center election expert Sean Morales-Doyle. RSVP today.
 
Spanish language interpretation will be available for this event featuring live text chat Q&A with Roberta Braga of the Equis Institute.
 
Produced in partnership with the National Association of Hispanic Journalists
 
What’s Prison For? In Conversation with Bill Keller
Thursday, October 6 // 6–7 p.m. ET
With roughly 2 million people behind bars, America’s prison system doesn’t exactly have a reputation for empathy — but could that change? Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Bill Keller has spent years examining what is possible if prisons focus on preparing the incarcerated to be good citizens when they return to society, which the overwhelming majority will. In his new book, What’s Prison For? Punishment and Rehabilitation in the Age of Mass Incarceration, he shows us how we can reform our prisons and why there’s a reason for cautious optimism. Rehabilitation, he argues, is not only an investment in public safety but a moral imperative. Keller will be joined by moderator Jason D. Williamson, executive director of NYU Law School’s Center on Race, Inequality, and the Law. RSVP today.
 
Produced in partnership with New York University’s John Brademas Center

 
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Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law
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