Quote of the Day: On California’s Redistricting Initiative (and Relevance to Ohio)
Syndicated columnist Jill Stewart, endorsing a redistricting reform initiative on California’s November ballot (HT Hedgehog):
“Most people imagine that when they vote, they do so in a real community based largely on geography — a ‘voting district.’ That was true once. But now, the legislature uses computer programs to painstakingly divide voters by party — not community. Without their knowledge, Republican and Democrat are separated into bizarrely shaped ‘districts’ so overpopulated with one party that our two-party system is effectively quashed. Think ‘The Matrix.’ You’re force-fed to support a creepy apparatus that wants to control your world. You don’t even know it. California voters don’t know they’re corralled in fake ‘districts’ and force-fed pre-selected party hacks. The insiders who do know — the media, the think tanks, the supposed ‘civic’ groups — prefer to keep the debate among insiders only. It’s such trouble to involve the public.”
Ohio will have a similar initiative on the ballot in November 2005. I haven’t decided on it yet, because the devil is in the details of who’s in charge of the redraw. But take a look at the OH congressional district map:
Now try to tell me these districts have any other reason besides party politics to exist as they are currently drawn.
Actually, it looks much better than I feared.
The 6th, 5th and 9th are a little weird, but all in all, OK.
Comment by Steven J. Kelso Sr. — September 28, 2005 @ 3:51 pm
Tom,
Concur the current set up is screwy. However, I’ve lost count of the times were a solution is worse than the original problem. So (like you) I’ll play wait and see.
Comment by LargeBill — September 28, 2005 @ 5:19 pm
#1, I would definitely add 18, 7, 4, 8, and 3 to the list. 18 especially, with how spread out it is and how it narrows down to almost nothing in the middle.
Comment by TBlumer — September 28, 2005 @ 7:52 pm