The Post and Courier Pee Dee reports that A 1965 “Wizard of Id” comic strip by Johnny Hart and Brant Parker went as follows: The diminutive but tyrannical king is addressing his subjects on the need for peace and harmony.
He then proclaims, “We must all live by the Golden Rule.” The people were confused at what he meant until the Joker clued them in: “He means whoever has the gold makes the rules.” The converse is also true: “Whoever makes the rules has the gold.” I was reminded of this when I saw that Elbridge Gerry is in the news again.
Unfortunately, not for the fact that he was a member of the Second Continental Congress.
Nor that he signed the Declaration of Independence and Articles of Confederation.
Not even that he served as vice president under James Madison.
Instead, he’s in the news because the Democratic and Republican parties are once again “gerrymandering.” The term comes from the shape of a political district that Gerry, then Massachusetts' governor, allowed his Democratic-Republican Party to draw to gain an extra congressional seat.