CA: Some GOP House members have doubts about Schwarzenegger redistricting idea

Bakersfield Californian ^ | 1/26/05 | Erica Werner - AP

[NormsRevenge]

WASHINGTON (AP) - Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's push to redraw political district lines is running into skepticism from California House members, including from some fellow Republicans who fear the party risks losing seats.

"From a realistic standpoint, it looks like we can lose more than we gain," Marysville Republican Rep. Wally Herger said Wednesday, a day after the state's GOP House delegation met on the issue. "My sense is the majority were probably against it, but I think everybody has their ears open ... and wants to do what's best for the state."

As part of the reform plan he unveiled in his State of the State address this month, Schwarzenegger proposed having a panel of retired judges draw legislative and congressional districts. He wants the lines redrawn next year, instead of after the 2010 census, as would normally happen.

Lawmakers themselves now draw political district lines, and generally create districts that are safe for one party or another. In California, 33 congressional districts are essentially safe for Democrats and 20 for Republicans, and not a single one changed party hands in November.

"We want to have the district lines drawn in such a way that it is fair competition, that it is open for both parties to compete in a fair way so there will be changes in parties over the years," Schwarzenegger told reporters in Sacramento Wednesday.

Ken Mehlman, the new chairman of the Republican National Committee, attended Tuesday's meeting of California Republicans where some participants expressed skepticism. An RNC spokesman said later the party hasn't taken a position and is still gathering information.

Schwarzenegger's closest Washington ally, House Rules Committee Chairman David Dreier, R-San Dimas, has said he would prefer to wait until after the census. One of the delegation's leading conservatives, Rep. John Doolittle, R-Rocklin, opposes the plan because it could lead to a loss of seats and more moderate districts, his spokeswoman said.

But several high-profile GOP delegation members said they support Schwarzenegger's proposal or are keeping an open mind, among them House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Bill Thomas of Bakersfield, and Homeland Security Committee Chairman Chris Cox of Newport Beach.

"Given the things that we need to do, something as difficult and fundamental as completely redistricting both the state Legislature and the representatives in Congress is part of the solution," Thomas said.

For Democrats, who discussed the proposal at a meeting Wednesday, the idea is a painful reminder of the redistricting plan House Speaker Tom DeLay engineered in Texas, costing four Democratic incumbents their jobs in November.

"The concern here is what happened in Texas," said Rep. Sam Farr, D-Carmel. DeLay has "poisoned the well on the motivation for redistricting, and just because Schwarzenegger is warming it up doesn't make it appealing."

But opposition from the delegation may have little practical impact, since the decision on any plan will happen at the state level. And Schwarzenegger shrugged off the concerns Wednesday.

"It's one of those things that both parties don't like, but you know something, I was not sent to Sacramento to go and represent both parties. I was sent to Sacramento to represent the people," he said.

[Amerigomag]

"We want to have the district lines drawn in such a way that it is fair competition, that it is open for both parties to compete in a fair way so there will be changes in parties over the years," Schwarzenegger told reporters in Sacramento Wednesday.

Sounds like Schwarzenegger's plan is just as contrived as the one the legislature concocted. What is needed is districting laid out without political consideration and limited geographic considerations.

Please remember that up until WWII local considerations were paramount and each community needed representation to preserve its sovereignty and protect its interests. Today the state has removed most local autonomy and geographic considerations are not as important. Voters in Ukaiah and Los Angeles today have essentially the same responsibilities and could vote in the same district on state wide matters.

A system set up by computers in five minutes would probably change the make up of the legislature appreciably. More than half of the single issue, culturally or racially based ideologues would face defeat. Remember, California's problem is not too many Democrats but too many single issue, cultural/racial ideologues who can legislate personal favors for their monolithic constituents with impunity because they aren't subject to review.

No method of establishing political districts is going to reduce the power of liberals or organized labor or Mexicans in California politics and redistricting shouldn't be designed around those objective. Redistricting should be undertaken to eliminate the favorable treatment of any class at the expense of the others. We can't, for example, keep bankrupting scores of school districts around California to financially subsidized the failed Los Angeles Unified School District.