Saturday, May 19, 2007

Gianaris says no to gerrymandering

How do you make it look as though you are resolving a problem, when you really would be more than happy to keep the status quo?

From the Queens Chronicle, regarding redistricting:

Assemblyman Mike Gianaris of Astoria hopes an independent commission will be drawing the lines and not the legislators.

Gianaris Hopes Panel Will Eliminate Gerrymandering

In February, Gianaris drafted a bill that called for an 11-member panel appointed by both Democrats and Republicans that would include selections by the attorney general, the governor, the state comptroller, the speaker of the Assembly and the minority leaders in the Senate and Assembly. Appointees can be former politicans, but must not have served in an elected position in the two previous years.

Oh yeah, political guys and gals won't gerrymander. They have no interest in where district lines begin and end. All right, Mike.

Photo from nydems.org

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sound like a community board and we all know about those groups.
Instead of party hacks, why not include good government organizations?

I understand that some midwestern states have highly regarded non-partisan reps on their commisisons.

Anonymous said...

Ooh, an eleven-member panel appointed by both parties! And what kind of music will they play at their meetings? Both kinds: Country and Western!