Redistricting
Apr. 27th, 2009 04:46 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
litchThere was a lovely little intra-republican tiff over redistricting in the TexLege last week. State Sen. Jeff Wentworth (R) tried to bring a bill calling for a bipartisan redistricting commission to set up legislative districts but the hard right republicans had a hissy squealing fit and blocked it.
Partisan districts are the heart of much of the worst in american politics. They are incredibly undemocratic and poorly serve even pre-selected winning constituency. It allows for complete nutbags who can get away with anything by cutting out sinecures that only death or failing upwards can get them out of. One of the best things to happen to california is that they were forced to accept a commission this year as the price of passing their budget.
The failure of this bill vibrantly shows just who in government are the biggest problem (if it wasn't stunningly obvious). Failing to establish a non or at least bi partisan redistricting commission is going to hurt the republicans more than it will the dems in the next apportionment. The simple math of demographics means that texas is going to become a swing state and the only hope of keeping that swing from becoming a hard jerk would be a move to a commission.
Partisan districts are the heart of much of the worst in american politics. They are incredibly undemocratic and poorly serve even pre-selected winning constituency. It allows for complete nutbags who can get away with anything by cutting out sinecures that only death or failing upwards can get them out of. One of the best things to happen to california is that they were forced to accept a commission this year as the price of passing their budget.
The failure of this bill vibrantly shows just who in government are the biggest problem (if it wasn't stunningly obvious). Failing to establish a non or at least bi partisan redistricting commission is going to hurt the republicans more than it will the dems in the next apportionment. The simple math of demographics means that texas is going to become a swing state and the only hope of keeping that swing from becoming a hard jerk would be a move to a commission.
