Script for animation (draft)

1. The problem is gerrymandering
   • Action: draw picture of MD-04 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maryland%27s_4th_congressional_district#/media/File:Maryland_US_Congressional_District_4_(since_2013).tif). Recommend landmarks of DC, Anapolis, 495, 50, chesapeake bay… start with the weird land bridge to emphasize the oddness of shape. Write “50,000 Republican votes” and “200,000” Democratic votes pointing to the right and left blobs respectively
   • Soundtrack: (10s) My name is Eric Loeb. I’m running for Congress because Democracy needs competitive elections. Most Americans live in gerrymandered districts like ours, the Maryland 4th, where results of Congressional elections are foregone conclusions.
2. But gerrymandering is smart strategy for the states because it helps them increase their power in Congress
   • Action: Sequence showing identifiably same person winning year after year. Each time they win, there’s a bigger stack of $$ flowing back into their district (which is shaped like MD-04).
   • Soundtrack: (10s) The thing is, re-elected members of Congress get more power and influence. Maryland should gerrymander districts because that helps us re-elect the same people and gain power in Congress.
3. Can we break out of this trap?
   • Action: just show these words
   • Soundtrack: (2s) these words
4. We can reduce incentives for states to gerrymander if we can demonstrate that our district increases its power no matter who we elect
   • Action: Sequence showing identifiably different person winning each year but with same increasing stack of $$ flowing back into MD-04 after each election (same but faster)
   • Soundtrack: (7s) We can reduce incentives for states to gerrymander if our district can gain influence in Congress even when we elect a different Representative in every election.

How?

• Action: just show this word
• Soundtrack: (1s) silence

1. First, we need our district to own the benefits of re-election
   • Action: Images that reflect the soundtrack (somehow)
   • Soundtrack: (10s) We need our district to own what re-elected Representatives own. Specifically, an agenda, increasing ability to implement our agenda, and increasing ability to bring in federal resources
2. Sad to say, we don’t own our own agenda
   • Action: somehow show a common operating picture with a lot of people contributing
   • Soundtrack: (10s) You know that website where you can see the common operating picture of our districts’ plans for the next 20 years, make recommendations, and vote on priorities? Me either
3. There’s more at more4md4.org
   • Action: (not sure) Ends with website
   • Soundtrack: (10s) To achieve our objectives we first have to know what we want. My name is Eric Loeb; I’m running for Congress; and my plans for strengthening our voice in Congress are at more4md4.org.