A bill to fight gerrymandering
Let the People Draw the Lines Act,
a bill introduced by Alan Lowenthal (D-CA), would appoint panels of
independent experts to adjust electoral district boundaries in an
attempt to remove the "safe seats" created through gerrymandering, by
which electoral districts are
tortuously redrawn to include as many
voters likely to keep the incumbent in and to exclude everyone else. As
Wonkblog
explains,
the bill is a long-shot, but it's also a shining example of the kind of
legislation that fights corruption and creates a climate of real
representative democracy. The fact that this bill is wildly unlikely to
pass doesn't make it laughable: it makes Congress irredeemable.
Lowenthal's "Let the People Draw the Lines Act" would create independent
panels consisting of five Democrats, five repugicans and four
Independents.
"These would be people who haven't run for office, who aren't paid by
either party, and who haven't contributed to either party," Lowenthal
says. "That group would follow set criteria for drawing maps, and would
hold public hearings throughout the state. The commission would approve
the maps, and would not require legislative or governor's approval. If
there was a legal challenge it would immediately go to federal district
court."
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