Redistricting is a deeply political process, with incumbents actively seeking to minimize the risk to themselves (via bipartisan gerrymanders) or to gain additional seats for their party (via partisan gerrymanders).

Presidents are elected not by direct popular vote but by 538 members of the Electoral College.

The only religious way to think of death is as part and parcel of life.

Speech is civilization itself. The word, even the most contradictions word, preserves contact - it is silence which isolates.

A healthy degree of party unity among Democrats and Republicans has deteriorated into bitter partisan warfare.

While Republican voters have remained universally supportive of their President, Democrats and Independents are returning to a more naturally critical stance.

Votes in federal elections are cast and counted in a highly decentralized and variable fashion, with no uniform ballots and few national standards.