Why is it "fair"? What makes 3 specially selected retired judges less corrupt than 120 elected legislators? There are plenty of "unfair" provisions in this legislation (like using the results without voter approval in the instant election, for example).
Doolittle has proven himself a self-serving beaurocrat.
Do you know why he opposes it? (that's what I was searching for when I found the McCloskey maneuvers).
If Holmes were to win the primary (which is unlikely), he'd be unseated in the 2008 primary by a conservative without Doolittle's flaws
Other than opposing redistricting, what "flaws" are you speaking of? He appears to have a solid record from what I've seen.
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/0208-03.htm
"California now has more clout in the House of Representatives than at any time in previous history," said U.S. Rep. John T. Doolittle (R-Rocklin), referring to the committee chairmanships held by California Republicans.
"It would seem to me self-defeating if we set in motion forces that could result in the loss of seats in California, which in conjunction with a loss of a handful of seats elsewhere in the country could spell a return to the minority for Republicans in the House. I just don't think that's a risk worth taking."
Doolittle bristled at an argument made by proponents of new voting districts, who say that the move would bring more moderates into elective office.
"As a conservative Republican, it makes me very nervous when I hear people say that their overt objective is to remove the conservatives," Doolittle said. "I don't want to see that happen. I will fight to the death to make sure that does not happen."
I caught a glimpse of this dastardly deed earlier and meant to ring the loudest alarm bell I could find!!! If this is the same totally un-American gimick that the League of Women Vipers (Voters) was trying to get my county to adopt in our Charter, then by gum Doolittle is absolutely right to oppose this measure and I will work tirelessly to help him.
Doolittle has always opposed fair redistricting.
In 1980 he made a deal with Willie Brown et al to get a district drawn for himself that would elect him to the State Senate. The deal with the dems resulted in fewer Republicans in the State Senate and a decade where the GOP lost on every single issue that went to the senate.
In 1991, Doolittle tried to make a deal again that would guarantee him a cozy safe district but the state GOP said they would endorse the opponent of any Republican who went against the party on redistricting - he backed off. The GOP plan that he had opposed got us 3 new GOP congressman from California.
Now he's opposing the party again. He can't convince me that he has any good purpose. He just likes to have easy easy elections for himself.