Author Archives: Rose Institute

Don't Hold Your Breath V

From Troy Anderson’s article in the Los Angeles Daily News: Los Angeles County’s top voting official said Tuesday he’s confident he can count the majority of 50,000 “double-bubble” ballots that went uncounted on Super Tuesday before the deadline to certify the election next week. Well, that’s nice. So we’re almost done counting? Continue Reading

Steve Westly to Co-chair Redistricting Reform Campaign

As Shane Goldmacher reports at capitolalert.com: Steve Westly, the Silicon Valley Democrat who funded his bid for 2006 bid for governor with his multimillion dollar fortune, has signed on as co-chair of the latest attempt to change how California draws legislative district lines. Westly joins Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, the man he once sought to unseat,… Continue Reading

Dr. Pitney on Clinton, Obama, and Local Elections

From Will Bigham’s article in the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin: Elections will be held this year in 15 local districts, but according to a political analyst, gerrymandered district boundaries make it unlikely that any local district will change party hands. “If we get to the (presidential) election and it’s a real landslide for either Clinton… Continue Reading

Dr. Pitney on Assemblymember Nell Soto

From Monica Rodriguez’s article in the San Bernardino Sun: Jack Pitney, professor of government at Claremont McKenna College, said party leaders can approach an Assembly member to see if the person wishes to continue in their seat. While Soto recovers, steps are being taken to make sure her staff is invited to sit in at… Continue Reading

Dr. Pitney on Portantino, Calderon, and the Next Speaker

From Fred Ortega’s article in the Whittier Daily News: Portantino is still not likely a favorite for the speaker post, said Claremont McKenna College politics professor Jack Pitney. “But at this point he has a reasonable chance,” Pitney said. “He is very well connected both in his professional and personal life, and that is very… Continue Reading

Dr. Pitney on McCain in California

From John Marelius’ article in the Union-Tribune: California Republicans are confident that in Sen. John McCain they have a presidential candidate who can put California back in the Republican column for the first time in two decades. The question facing the all-but-official GOP nominee is whether it is too expensive to try. “He’d definitely be… Continue Reading

Our Steadfast Goal: Redistricting Reform

Steven Maviglio asserts (and he insists he is “not making this up” – always a dead giveaway) that redistricting is being sold to California voters “as the way to balance the budget, solve immigration problems, and create a fair tax system.” And he insidiously links this selling to what he spuriously calls the “right-leaning Rose… Continue Reading

Rose Institute Mentioned by Governor

Steven Maviglio at the California Majority Report has the low down on the new way redistricting reform will be presented to the voters.  See especially the last sentence, referring to the Rose Institute: Partisan redistricting will get new packaging — After six straight times being rejected by voters, political consultants are wrapping redistricting as the… Continue Reading

Unintended Consequences of Texas Gerrymandering

Mayhill Fowler has a good entry over at the huffingtonpost regarding the Texas Gerrymander’s effect on the upcoming Texas Democratic Primary. Here are a few highlights: “In 1992, a panel of three Reagan-appointed federal judges in Texas approved a state senate redistricting map that gave Republicans control of the Texas state senate for the first… Continue Reading

Failure of 93 & Redistricting

Richard Matteis’ commentary at the California Farm Bureau Federation: There is considerable speculation about why the electorate turned down the proposal, but one key factor for many was the belief that changing term limits should be coupled with redistricting reform. As most know, the current legislative districts have been drawn in a fashion to make… Continue Reading