Democrats Offer Deal on Remap

[davidinalameda]

http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-me-redistrict1mar01,1,6471118.story?coll=la-headlines-politics

Democratic leaders would agree to give an independent panel the power to decide the boundaries of legislative and congressional districts as long as Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger would wait until after the 2010 census to redraw the lines, Assembly Speaker Fabian Nuñez said Monday.

Democrats would be willing to "have an objective third party that draws the district boundaries," Nuñez (D-Los Angeles) said, adding that he also was speaking for Senate Democratic Leader Don Perata (D-Oakland).


gee, some much for the Democratic leadership--are there any Democrats with backbones or are all of them just looking out for number one?

[Frances]

1. Actually that's not a bad idea

The lines are supposed to be redrawn every 10 years after a census to account for population changes. It's the Repubs who want to change them whenever it suits their purposes.

[NV Whino]

2. I agree

All states need an independent panel to decide redistricting. What I object to here is that states just underwent redistricting and shouldn't do so again until after the 2010 census.

This is purely a partisan tactic to stack congress with republicans.

[davidinalameda]

3. we have like 3 counties that under federal court order re redistricting

and anything has to through the DOJ first

and the current process, while it does create safe seats, it also protects the voting rights of minorities

Ahnuld wants a panel of retired judges--most of the retired judges are white straight men

most of the sitting judges today are white straight men

any plan that they come up with is going to be litigated to death and who knows what will happen--the feds could possibly come in and I certainly don't want the Bush DOJ setting the districts

the Democratic leadership is afraid for whatever reason to take their fight to the people--they've given in without a shot being fired

[LWolf]

4. The real issue here, aside from

waiting until the next census, is just what constitutes an "impartial" panel to redraw the lines. I don't think a panel of judges picked by Arnold is likely to be "impartial."

Where do we find all these impartial people?

[yurbud]

5. GOP appointed judges, businessmen, and American Enterprise Institute.