In what seems like yet another episode of “How the Gerrymander Turns,” the great states of Texas and California are at loggerheads over redistricting. Our so-called Golden State has magnanimously bestowed upon itself five extra Congressional seats, likely in a grand gesture to ensure diversity—or at least that’s the narrative they’re pushing. Just imagine, all that trouble to compensate for a political chess game that’s been playing out for ages out in the open, where the pawns are districts, and the prize is power on Capitol Hill.

Let’s talk about this “radical rigging” of the electoral map. It’s almost like watching a soap opera play unfold. You have Texas responding with a bold move on the chessboard, matching California’s newfound zest for, shall we say, creative cartography. While California’s esteemed leaders rally on about accusations of so-called racial gerrymandering in Texas, they seem to have conveniently ignored the beam in their own eye. Yes, Texas has drawn new lines, but they argue they are simply responding to California’s all-too-transparent gambit.

The idea that California’s moves are labeled as a “responsible” reaction to Republican strategies is particularly rich. Especially coming from a state where the political winds blow with a suspicious one-sidedness, mirroring a rigged table at a poorly lit Vegas casino. Is it just magic that the demographics shift so conveniently in favor of the blue team? Or is there some sleight of hand at play, on a scale Houdini might admire?

There’s a hysterical twist in all this drama, as California has some evidence of pushing the limits of representation, skewing it like a mirror in a funhouse. It’s almost amusing to see them point fingers at ‘racist’ redistricting while gerrymandering their own electoral cake so thick with blue it needs a spatula to serve. The hypocrisy is laid bare when you realize they accuse their opponents of playing a dirty game they practically wrote the rulebook for.

Sure, California’s leaders have managed to spin a sob story about championing the little guy—a bit ironic when many citizens are still camping out on the streets under the flickering lights of the very cities these officials oversee. While the dispute over redistricting rages on, perhaps attention could be spared for the crises closer to home. But then again, in the grand show of politics, who wants to dwell on unsightly issues like homelessness, crime, or the exodus of businesses when there are districts to gerrymander?

So, we witness the spectacle as Texas and California continue their slugfest over mapped lines like two heavyweight contenders in the ring. Yet here’s hoping amidst their brawl, they don’t forget the values of fairness and true representation—if only for the people watching from the cheap seats.