Democrats screaming about “independent redistricting commissions” are being partisan hacks about the whole process. When the Federal Census Bureau, to account for population growth, decrease, and movement finishes its mandated “census a every year ending in a Zero,” redistricting shall happen.
SHOT: Olivia Zink (Executive Director of Open Democracy (that is ANYTHING but “nonpartisan”) City of Franklin Mayor, Democrat Progressive / Socialist): NH needs independent redistricting
Unfortunately, 10 years ago the drawing of new districts took place behind closed doors with the politicians in power doing everything they could to keep their jobs and help their allies. Basically, it’s corruption at its worst.
We’ve already seen the beginnings of this closed-door process happening yet again with the chair of the House Redistricting Committee looking to limit public input. Others proudly boast about using the redistricting process to create a safe congressional district for the party in leadership.
A strong, vibrant and trustworthy democracy depends on voters choosing their elected leaders, not the other way around. No political party should gerrymander any district.
No, we don’t. It’s only a Power Play (and thinly veiled at that).
This is the same technique used to pass the 17th Amendment in which direct election of US Senators happened and effectively removed States Interests from the Federal Government Legislative process (they were elected from each State’s legislators before that who could be recalled if they were not sufficiently standing up for their State’s interest). They became glorified House Reps (albeit with longer terms)).
Hey, Olivia – what about those NY Democrats showing your hand?
CHASER: New York Democrats Set to Gerrymander the GOP Out of Existence in the State
Seven years ago, the New York legislature adopted a new approach to the redrawing of congressional districts. They gave the responsibility for the once-in-a-decade exercise to an independent commission so that the lines would not be based on gaining partisan advantage. But national Democrats are in huge trouble and in dire danger of losing their majorities in Congress in the 2022 midterms. So New York Democrats, along with Democrats in Washington, are looking to submarine the independent commission and substitute a laughably ridiculous congressional map that would take five GOP districts in the state and turn them blue.
A congressional power grab like this hasn’t been seen in decades. It shows what happens when a one-party state decides to put the screws to the opposition.
Under the most aggressive scenarios, Democrats could emerge from 2022’s midterm elections with control of as many as 23 of New York’s 26 House seats in an all-out effort to prop up their chances of retaining control of Congress. For the first redistricting cycle in decades, Democrats control the Legislature and governor’s office, giving them the freedom to reshape districts without having to compromise with Republicans, who long held a lock on the State Senate.
“New York might be the biggest redistricting weapon for either party in the country,” said Dave Wasserman, a national elections analyst with the Cook Political Report.
And here in NH, Olivia Zink and her fellow comrades see the NH Constitution as a mere speed bump in their way. After all, the NH Legislature has ceded vast swathes of its Legislative Power to the Executive Branch, right? What’s just one more little snip taken out of it AND rendering the NH Constitution just that much more toothless?
It’s all about direct Open Democracy, right Olivia? That thing that the Founders feared most, right? Just remove the Power of NH Republican Legislators to handle mandate?
What is wrong with you – hating on the Constitution the way you are?
HANGOVER: NH Constitution, Part 2, Form of Government:
[Art.] 9. [Representatives Elected Every Second Year; Apportionment of Representatives.] There shall be in the legislature of this state a house of representatives, biennially elected and founded on principles of equality, and representation therein shall be as equal as circumstances will admit. The whole number of representatives to be chosen from the towns, wards, places, and representative districts thereof established hereunder, shall be not less than three hundred seventy-five or more than four hundred. As soon as possible after the convening of the next regular session of the legislature, and at the session in 1971, and every ten years thereafter, the legislature shall make an apportionment of representatives according to the last general census of the inhabitants of the state taken by authority of the United States or of this state. In making such apportionment, no town, ward or place shall be divided nor the boundaries thereof altered.
A Constitutional mandate in which Legislators SHALL do the redistricting. No mere law can (or at least, should) just “disappear” that responsibility and the words from the NH Constitution. Yet, that is what Democrats have been trying to do. They know they have little chance of changing the Constitution – they just wanted to skirt it and assume that too few people know our foundational Law to complain.
And never realize that “independent” and “non-partisan” are words that don’t mean anything anymore because the Left has turned EVERYTHING into a political battlefield. They failed in gaining control of the NH Legislature but they are determined to take over a redistricting commission. They’re just howling because they failed and now are doing the PR work to make Republicans out to be Power-mad and selfish because of their failure.
Because it is “unfair” that Democrats don’t hold power.
