Brian Moran and nonpartisan district drawing

By: Rob
Published On: 12/28/2006 4:19:34 PM

I blogged a month ago about HB 1629, a bill to create a nonpartisan commission for drawing legislative districts. (A system already used effectively by Iowa).

Maybe this bill will die an unnoticed death. Or maybe some HOD leaders will get behind the idea? From a Brian Moran email:

Election Reform - Delegate Moran will also submit a constitutional amendment to create a bipartisan redistricting committee to draw district lines.  For too long the redistricting process has let legislators choose their constituents.  This law will finally allow the voters to choose their legislators.
And this isn't the first time Del. Moran has focused on this issue.

This is an effort that the entire Virginia blogosphere should get behind - whether it's manifested in HB 1628 or Del. Moran's amendment or some other method of taking the politics out of drawing districts.  This isn't a liberal or conservative matter - this is a "good government" issue. Politicians should not be able to gerrymander voting boundaries to protect their own jobs. Natural districts, those that do not divide communities and lump together far flung areas, are the best thing for democracy in our Commonwealth. Let's make it happen.

Comments



I am really for this (demnan - 12/28/2006 4:50:39 PM)
The 11th District used to include 3 precincts in the southern Woodbridge area that are heavily Democratic.  I canvassed these for Kerry in 2004.  Now they are in the 1st District.  Had the 11th had these precincts, Andy Hurst might have beaten Tom Davis.  At any rate I don't think it is fair for the Rippon area to be part of a district that extends so far south.  The Representative can't be looking out for the needs of the Rippon Landing people, he will worry about his more rural constituents.  It doesn't serve a community well to be carved out of a district, no matter which party wins the election.


Wishful thinking (DukieDem - 12/28/2006 5:07:57 PM)
I love this idea, but it won't happen as long as the other side controls the GA and if we take it we'll have to resist temptation to draw the lines favorably for ourselves.

I hope that some of our newly elected Democratic governors will take a step in redrawing lines in 2010 that are fair, hopefully sparking a nationwide trend.



Maybe ... (Rob - 12/28/2006 5:17:30 PM)
but perhaps some pressure from all sides of the Virginia blogosphere might make a difference. 


Here's to hoping that everyone gets behind it! (Eric - 12/28/2006 9:34:05 PM)
It's fairly safe to say that the GOP delegates currently in power will have no interest in a non-partisan plan.  So the only way it has a chance is if their own followers put serious pressure on those leaders. 

Are the Conservatives willing to join that fight?  The cynic in me says no - in today's political environment there is too much pressure to win.  Idealism, fairness, and even long term practicality take a back seat to winning the next election.  And the best way to do that is to redistrict in your party's favor.



tain't the governor... (Bwana - 12/29/2006 6:04:04 PM)
...but the legislature that draws the lines.  Otherwise, the GOP would have gotten much better shakes in the 1970's and 1980's (in both 1970 and 1980 there was a GOP governor and a demo majority GA).


This is a must-pass bill (Teddy - 12/28/2006 5:50:14 PM)
Why is there such apathy at the polls? Even in this last election only a pitiful percentage of voters turned out. Why bother to vote when the results are a forgone conclusion, as evidenced by the huge number of "safe" districts?

If we want to revitalize our democratic system of government, removing redistricting from the paws of politicos is absolutely the first step. Is Brian serious? Will he fight for his bill? It will take a full court press by the voters to force the calcified leadership of BOTH parties to bring this reform to pass. And that will mean sustained pressure for at least two years. Other states have managed it, why not Virgnia, where we are so proud of our fine historical record in political matters (the Virginia Bill of Rights was the model for our national Constitution's Bill of Rights). The League of Women Voters is a natural ally in this battle. Ken Plum has submitted a bill on this matter in past legislative sessions. Time for letters to the editor, phone calls to delegates and so on.



That's what I like to hear! (Rob - 12/28/2006 5:57:10 PM)
I recall that both sides of the blogosphere helped lift the hold on the Coburn-Obama bill on pork spending transparency.  Maybe we can do something like that hear in Virginia?


Bipartisan issues have great chances of becoming law... (mosquitopest - 12/28/2006 8:25:54 PM)
It won't hurt "anything" if the VA blogosphere unites behind a bipartisan issue...In fact, this could be a good thing given the current state of affairs....

Sorry, but I don't ascribe to the "it will never happen mindset" and thank heavens Jim Webb and all of us that worked for him didn't either....It's amazing what can happen when a group of determined folks start working on something...

Bzz...



Bipartisan Issues (old g. - 12/29/2006 12:00:15 AM)
I was struck today while reading a blog on dailykos by an assertion that "bipartisan" does not really describe issues. Perhaps we should start characterizing these issues as being "Milquetoast" issues. 


What do you mean? (Rob - 12/29/2006 9:27:04 AM)
Can you expound on that?  It sounds like you're saying that if an issue has support from both sides of the aisle, then it's a wishy-washy compromise.  Did I interpret that correctly?


Great idea... (Bwana - 12/29/2006 6:16:33 PM)
...but I will bet in his heart of hearts Moran does not expect nor want this bill to go through.  Bills like this were proposed years ago when the Democrats were in the majority, and the proposals went nowhere.

Moran doesn't really want reform, he wants an election issue.  Why do I say this?  Because he wants a bi-partisan commission (see text in post).  I tend to think that if he were serious he would make it a non-partisan process as in Iowa.

I think most members in the minority delegation, especially one who has just won a governorship and a US senate seat and think they are riding the wave-will be unlikely to energetically and sincerely back this bill.

Yeah, I know...call me cynical.