Good-government groups have long sought to change the once-a-decade redistricting process in Albany that has resulted in oddly shaped legislative lines favoring incumbents. But with a proposal on the November ballot to finally and dramatically alter the process, the reformers are launching a campaign against it.
Common Cause New York, NYPIRG and others are opposing what they call "fake redistricting reform" that would be enshrined in the state's constitution if a majority of voters back it. The groups say the proposal is a far cry from truly impartial redistricting, which has been adopted in states such as California, because final approval of the district maps would remain in the hands of the Legislature.
"In the end, this is an attempt to constitutionally memorialize a system where both parties run roughshod over the voters," said Susan Lerner, executive director of Common Cause New York.
But some fear that reformers' solutions would run roughshod over the business community instead by facilitating a Democratic takeover of the state Senate, which could lead to more regulation and mandates for employers. Democratic voters outnumber Republicans two-to-one statewide, requiring the GOP to gerrymander to keep its numbers up.
Common Cause plans to raise money for a grassroots advocacy effort, though its funding is expected to be relatively modest.
4 comments:
"But some fear that reformers' solutions would run roughshod over the business community instead by facilitating a Democratic takeover of the state Senate, which could lead to more regulation and mandates for employers. Democratic voters outnumber Republicans two-to-one statewide, requiring the GOP to gerrymander to keep its numbers up."
See that last sentence? Sounds to me that EVERYBODY knows and openly admits that the current Republican party does not believe in what is supposed to be the American way where the PEOPLE get to decide who is elected. NO, they would rather have big business leaders run everything.
Man that model has sure turned out great - for big business that is (they've recovered quite nicely).
So thank you big business for the financial crisis and all of the other BS we've had to deal with in the last fourteen years or so.
The only reason why we have so many Democrats is because 60 percent of the people who vote are either illegal or foreigners. They will keep voting the same crap into office because those pieces of crap allow these foreigners and illegals to keep breaking the laws. American citizens in ny need to start getting out to vote or else NY will get even worst!
C'mon! did you really think that our Albany pols are going to give up the gerrymandering that keeps them in office?
I would trade redistricting reform for a strict enforceable government-issued photo-id as a requirement to vote in a heartbeat.
(And I am not counting the proposed no-questions-asked id's to be issued by the city).
Post a Comment