Pelosi Seeks To Eliminate Citizen Commission In California
Posted: Friday, February 19, 2010
by Richard Vail
Chisel & Plane
In 2008, the people of California passed by referendum Proposition 11 that changes the method used to redraw state Assembly and Senate districts. This proposition calls for the Redistricting Commission to be made up of 14 Californians that will include Democrats, Republicans as well as independents to redraw those districts instead of the traditional methods of the State Legislature. This non-partisan commission would then redraw the districts instead, however, the Legislature would continue to draw Congressional districts.
By gerrymandering representatives districts', has led to districts that have split up many communities and that favor politicians who are much more to the left or right than their constituents are. That means a legislature that contains very liberal Democrats as well as much more conservative Republicans and almost no moderates.
What has followed is gridlock. Neither party has any interest in compromise, or actually crafting legislation that is anything but extreme. "It just seems to me like it puts the cats in charge of the hen house," said Rebecca Ashworth, a retired teacher who has applied to be a commissioner. "The way political boundaries were drawn, it just kind of makes safe districts for everybody. I think that's where a lot of our trouble is."
But fear not, Nancy Pelosi and a dozen other Democratic members of the California Congressional delegation have led the charge against this proposition that puts the people in charge, and have donated large sums to a campaign to cast aside the Citizens Redistricting Commission, that was created by the passage of Proposition 11 in 2008. However, their real target is a proposition that will be voted on this fall places Congressional districts within the purview of the Citizens Redistricting Commission as well as state districts. That has them VERY nervous.
The Pelosi supported measure, which is called the Financial Accountability in Redistricting Act, or FAIR Act, would place the power for all of California's legislative districts - for Congress and the state Assembly and Senate - are drawn by the state Legislature, not by the citizens commission that was passed by a large majority of voters. However, she must gather nearly 700,000 signatures supporting the measure before it could appear on the November ballot.
"Congressional Democrats are very concerned," said Assemblyman Curt Hagman, R-Chino Hills. "They want control. But it's not their government; it's the people's government." State Sen. George Runner, R-Lancaster, who represents parts of San Bernardino County's high desert, said the FAIR Act is "why people hate the Legislature and the Congress."
That's the problem...politicians don't want the people to decide districts because that would make things difficult for them. They would actually have to pay attention to the will of their constiuents rather than their own self interest which is exactly why gerrymandered districts must be eliminated in the first place.
Politicians, regardless of party affiliation, on both the state and federal level have worked very hard to lose the confidence of the people they are supposed to represent. One recent poll has found that a majority of people believe that randomly choosing Congressmen from the phone book would be more effective than what we have now...
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Top-level comments on this article: (3 total)Hey Richard...oohrah for the Marine Corps! Living in central Florida, this gerrymeandering has been a significant political nightmare for all ionvolved. Only in America can be redraw our political lines on a whim. I suppose that is good, too!Yes, but several times in the past...floridians tried to do the same citizen commissions and redraw political districts geographically instead of gerrymandering them...but were beaten back by politicians. It's time We The People remind our politicians that they work for us.
From two of my more admired political opinionists, John Friedman and Richard Holden:"All else equal, changes in redistricting have reduced the probability of incumbent reelection over time."From the timbre of this article, I would guess Mr. Vail is complaining about redistricting on the sole basis of its negative effect on Republican votes, rather than on any inherent lack of fairness. I suppose we wouldn't be reading his opinion if the reverse were the case.Thanks for stopping by and commenting.To be perfectly honest...I would like to see political districts that actually reflect the percentage of voters of all parties, Dem, GOP & independents...that are reflected by the voter rolls in each individual county...then we'd see far fewer "safe" seats for EITHER party.I think we'd actually see far more politicians who were in fact moderates, rather than the extreme of either party.
Rich,Thank you for another great article! I enjoy reading your work since they are always well-researched and informative! Thanks!TerenceThanks for coming by and reading as well as commenting, TT.
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