Congressman Devin Nunes argues for the Citizens Fair Districts Initiative in the L.A. Daily News and the San Bernardino Sun:
Like lords from the Middle Ages, California politicians rule our state with virtual impunity. Having built moats around their high offices, each morning state legislative leaders and members of Congress wake up secure in the knowledge that political accountability will not touch them again today.
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Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her allies in Sacramento have attempted to package and sell reforms that vest even more power in party leaders at the expense of an open and fair process. One deceptive plan, posing as reform, would have excluded California’s congressional delegation entirely from the reforms, thus preserving Pelosi’s inflated ratio of representation in the state.
Sean Barry of the California Majority Reports says:
Devin Nunes, kind of a back-bencher Bush Republican, makes the case for redistricting reform . . . Nunes is basically right—we should do what we can to make districts more competitive so voters can “throw the rascals out” if needed be. An initiative for November is in the works, but given the track record of passage, this may be another miss.
Sean Barry also says the new leader of the state senate, Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento) “endorses redistricting reform, saying more competitive districts will give Democrats the chance to make the case for their ideas and pick up seats.”
Alan Katz says:
Or consider the importance of state elections. The governors and legislators elected in 2008 are likely to still be in office when redistricting comes around in a few years. Super delegates are going to want to make sure Democrats are drawing the lines in as many states as possible.
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