Watershed Year?

This year could be a watershed year politically as several factors make themselves apparent and the voters take notice. Even though it's not an election year so maybe because it's not, the actions of the elected will figure more prominently in the news.

The effects of gerrymandering will be felt as states that voted majority Republican will be saddled with Dem governments which the voters tried to reject last year. In Colorado there were some 120,000 more votes cast for Republicans than for Democrats. We got a 1 seat majority in the Senate and a Dem house and governor. Cram as many Republicans into their own districts as possible, and distribute the remainder into Dem-majority districts, and Voila! a permanent Dem government.

Iowa has a state law requiring districts to be compact and contiguous. We all need this.

Meantime the Republicans are working hard to purge those pesky conservatives from the party ranks to smooth the way for the establishment pols. When they 're done, several of them may find themselves standing in an empty room wondering where everyone went. Remember the Whigs? They went from majority party to zero in one election cycle. Today the Republicans could do the same in 2 years. I suppose the Tea Party or whatever springs up could magnanimously offer to let the remaining Republicans caucus with them. Now would be the time to start that ball rolling.