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Panel's makeup is a concern
Bee Capitol Bureau ^ | Thursday, October 27, 2005 | Jim Sanders

Posted on 10/27/2005 10:14:34 AM PDT by Amerigomag

Statistics show that three elderly white men will likely draw political boundaries if voters approve Proposition 77, which critics say could shortchange minority communities.

The measure would place redistricting of the nation's largest state in the hands of the smallest redistricting commission drawn from a pool of retired judges, with no requirement that it contain women or minorities.

Racial and ethnic composition of the judges would be relatively unimportant, supporters claim, because district boundaries must adhere to strict criteria and any final plan must be approved by voters.

Critics counter that the process must be viewed as fair and impartial, a goal harder to achieve if the panel ultimately consists of three wealthy men, of the same color, from the same region.

(Excerpt) Read more at sacbee.com ...


TOPICS: US: California
KEYWORDS: federalcourt; prop77
McClatchy is already framing the arguments to gin up support within the Democrat base for the inevitable legal challenges in either California's Central or Northern US District Courts should Prop 77 be approved by the voters on November 8.
1 posted on 10/27/2005 10:14:34 AM PDT by Amerigomag
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To: Amerigomag

Whatever happened to "judging people by the content of their character, not the color of their skin"?


2 posted on 10/27/2005 10:18:22 AM PDT by talleyman (There is no shortage of dangerous idiots...)
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To: Amerigomag
"McClatchy is already framing the arguments to gin up support within the Democrat base for the inevitable legal challenges in either California's Central or Northern US District Courts should Prop 77 be approved by the voters on November 8."

Somehow I don't think the idea that white judges are automatically racists is going to go down well with the predominantly white, predominantly liberal 9th circuit.

That doesn't mean they won't find another excuse to invalidate Prop. 77.
3 posted on 10/27/2005 10:18:23 AM PDT by Moral Hazard ("Now therefore kill every male among the little ones" - Numbers 31:17)
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To: Amerigomag

If redistricting is left to the legislature, doesn't it come to the same statistical possibilities?


4 posted on 10/27/2005 10:18:30 AM PDT by wickedpinto (The shortest path to peace is a straight line, usually down the barrel of a gun)
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To: talleyman
Whatever happened to "judging people by the content of their character, not the color of their skin"?

Whatever happened to "do the right thing"? Gerrymandering is indefensible, and it doesn't matter who delineates the lines so long as the rational guidelines are followed.

Inserting class warfare, gender warfare or race warfare into the discussion can only be intended to create heat, not light.

Up whose skirt is this clown trying to blow smoke?
How, exactly, is gerrymandering good for any party?
Where is the defense of the current system?

5 posted on 10/27/2005 10:25:02 AM PDT by Publius6961 (Liberal level playing field: If the Islamics win we are their slaves..if we win they are our equals.)
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To: Moral Hazard
That doesn't mean they won't find another excuse to invalidate Prop. 77.

They would have to argue successfully that gerrymandering is a constitutional right!
Good luck.

6 posted on 10/27/2005 10:27:12 AM PDT by Publius6961 (Liberal level playing field: If the Islamics win we are their slaves..if we win they are our equals.)
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To: Amerigomag
elderly white men.....

Isn't that ageist, racist and sexist?

If it were three black women, three black men, three Hispanic womem, three Hispanic men, three American Indian women, three American Indian men, three Asian women, three Asian men or three white women who were NOT Catholic or Evangelical Christians, or ANY combination of the above, it WOULD be hunky-dorey in our racist-Democrat majority led state of Kaleefornee-uh.

Reverse racism and sexism are OKEY-DOKEY with the Democrats, right across the board. Zell Miller would be the exception, but then, he's an anomaly and from Georgia.

Go Arnie!

7 posted on 10/27/2005 10:33:00 AM PDT by starfish923
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To: Publius6961

Wouldn't that make it Democrat gerryPANdering?


8 posted on 10/27/2005 10:33:46 AM PDT by starfish923
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To: Amerigomag

"Racial and ethnic composition of the judges would be relatively unimportant, supporters claim, because district boundaries must adhere to strict criteria and any final plan must be approved by voters.

Critics counter that the process must be viewed as fair and impartial,...."

If district boundaries must adhere to strict criteria and any final plan must be approved by voters, I would think that would go far to make any decision 'fair and impartial'. It doesen't require board members to be every ethnic background under the sun.


9 posted on 10/27/2005 10:53:41 AM PDT by WmCraven_Wk
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To: WmCraven_Wk
If district boundaries must adhere to strict criteria and any final plan must be approved by voters

In this particular instance the "strict criteria" refers to federal, rather than state code, hence the move to promote a timely review in US District Courts.

In this particular instance electoral review wouldn't be available until after two statewide election cycles hence the move to promote judicial review prior to the first cycle in a favorable venue.

Liberals have been able to cherry pick favorable justices in the California's Northern and Central Districts and the Circuit itself has traditionally been good to liberals during appeal, hence the promotion in that venue.

10 posted on 10/27/2005 11:15:48 AM PDT by Amerigomag
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To: Amerigomag
Panel's makeup is a concern

The concern seems to be that none of the members USE makeup!
11 posted on 10/27/2005 11:19:33 AM PDT by Adam-ondi-Ahman
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