The push for California redistricting begins...

[Cassandra]

First There Was the Recall, Now We Need the Revamp
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-costa11dec11,1,3788698.story?coll=la-news-comment-opinions

" The root cause is remarkably simple — most members of the Legislature are protected from the voters. They won their seats in "safe" districts; that is, districts so heavily weighted with voters registered in one party or the other that the incumbents are protected from any real challengers. When they won a primary, with as low as 13% of the voters, those legislators were guaranteed reelection.

Why are those seats so safe? Because the Legislature draws up the boundaries of its own districts, making each one as safe from challenge as is possible. This produces a body that is overwhelmingly unresponsive to the public. It seems to be responsive only to pressure groups that seek their favor and ply them with money. Legislators can follow their own ideology, without regard to whether it is what the people want. "

Of course they're only worried about the voters who vote for Democrats. When everyone is forced to vote for Republicans, this guy will be very happy. :puke:

[theivoryqueen]

1. I think this is all coming to a (Judicially enforced) head soon

in light of the ruling in support of the McCain-Feingold act, looks like those big spenders are going to have to work harder.... and if the court follows MY advice and rules against the redistricting plans pushed through recently (pennsylvania's the case they are looking at) we might actually have a fighting chance!

[zbdent]

2. Isn't the breakdown of CA 33 Dems, 20 Reps?

Unless the Reps cross the border to hide in Nevada, then they'd be losing in the redistricting race.

Let them whine (if I have the right info).

Get the heavily concentrated Repuke voters stuck into one or two dense districts. They've already said that gerrymandering is when the minority party whines about the majority party.

[beyurslf]

3. it seems like a computer simulation could be

designed to create districts that are fair. Put in population info and tell it how many seats to create and the approximate size of each seat. Tell it not to divide cities unless necessary (as in NYC has to be divided because it is so large). Do not put in the demographic info that we use today,

[slackmaster]

4. Sounds about right to me

Dividing a county, a city, a neighborhood, or a block should be done only when absolutely necessary to achieve the required population per district. Districts should reflect regional and local common interests. Any effort to make it "fair" by putting demographics into the mix messes things up.