Comments on: Liveblogging The Special Session (2006 5th) V http://www.utahbrian.com/2006/12/04/liveblogging-the-special-session-2006-5th-v/ Celebrating Utah, Family, Our Wildlands, And Civic Participation Mon, 06 Sep 2010 09:38:05 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.5 by: Brian’s Utah Weblog » Blog Archive » Redistricting Thoughts For Tuesday http://www.utahbrian.com/2006/12/04/liveblogging-the-special-session-2006-5th-v/#comment-60 Tue, 05 Dec 2006 19:56:15 +0000 http://www.utahbrian.com/2006/12/04/liveblogging-the-special-session-2006-5th-v/#comment-60 [...] There were two very good comments under the last post from the liveblogging yesterday.  Read them. [...] […] There were two very good comments under the last post from the liveblogging yesterday.  Read them. […]

]]> by: Rob Latham http://www.utahbrian.com/2006/12/04/liveblogging-the-special-session-2006-5th-v/#comment-59 Tue, 05 Dec 2006 03:36:22 +0000 http://www.utahbrian.com/2006/12/04/liveblogging-the-special-session-2006-5th-v/#comment-59 Democrats aren't much better than Republicans when it comes to supporting fair electoral processes. Just ask local Greens. Or Libertarians, both of whom support more competitive and representative elections through reforms such as Instant Runoff Voting and Choice Voting/proportional representation (which were enacted into law by voters everywhere they were on the ballot in the U.S. this year). For more information, visit FairVote: The Center for Voting and Democracy at http://www.fairvote.org By the way, speaking of sham processes, independent redistricting commissions are such a process because they haven't delivered the increased competitiveness promised. Democrats aren’t much better than Republicans when it comes to supporting fair electoral processes. Just ask local Greens.

Or Libertarians, both of whom support more competitive and representative elections through reforms such as Instant Runoff Voting and Choice Voting/proportional representation (which were enacted into law by voters everywhere they were on the ballot in the U.S. this year).

For more information, visit FairVote: The Center for Voting and Democracy at http://www.fairvote.org

By the way, speaking of sham processes, independent redistricting commissions are such a process because they haven’t delivered the increased competitiveness promised.

]]> by: Legislative Witness http://www.utahbrian.com/2006/12/04/liveblogging-the-special-session-2006-5th-v/#comment-58 Tue, 05 Dec 2006 01:41:45 +0000 http://www.utahbrian.com/2006/12/04/liveblogging-the-special-session-2006-5th-v/#comment-58 What Brian isn't mentioning is how "political" the process was becoming when the Guv and all of the politicos promised that wouldn't happen. Republican representatives visited the House Democratic caucus to explain amendments that were obviously designed either to protect incumbents or to assist others in their future political races. Some Represesntatives or Senators wanted to be moved into other Congressional districsts because the 'coat tails' of the Congressman there could either help or hurt them. All of the members on the Redistricting Committee agreed that this was the "easy process" because it was only four Congressional districts. All also seemed to agree they did not want to serve again on the committee when they have to discuss the legislative and senatorial districts given how civil this process was... NOT! It's very obvious apparent that current the process needs to be changed, removed from politicians' hands who have personal interests in choosing their voters, and instead, put into the hands of an Independent Redistricting Committee. This bill has been proposed the past few years by Rep. Roz McGee who tells us that folks at the Hinckley Institute of Politics believe this is the most or 2nd most important issue in Utah politics. The Institute also believes the process should be done by an Independent Redistricting Commission. The only ones who don't seem to want this are those already elected Republicans who don't want a fair process subject to the public. All this expense for a sham process that promises to go nowhere!!! Disgusting, actually! What Brian isn’t mentioning is how “political” the process was becoming when the Guv and all of the politicos promised that wouldn’t happen. Republican representatives visited the House Democratic caucus to explain amendments that were obviously designed either to protect incumbents or to assist others in their future political races. Some Represesntatives or Senators wanted to be moved into other Congressional districsts because the ‘coat tails’ of the Congressman there could either help or hurt them.

All of the members on the Redistricting Committee agreed that this was the “easy process” because it was only four Congressional districts. All also seemed to agree they did not want to serve again on the committee when they have to discuss the legislative and senatorial districts given how civil this process was… NOT!

It’s very obvious apparent that current the process needs to be changed, removed from politicians’ hands who have personal interests in choosing their voters, and instead, put into the hands of an Independent Redistricting Committee. This bill has been proposed the past few years by Rep. Roz McGee who tells us that folks at the Hinckley Institute of Politics believe this is the most or 2nd most important issue in Utah politics. The Institute also believes the process should be done by an Independent Redistricting Commission.

The only ones who don’t seem to want this are those already elected Republicans who don’t want a fair process subject to the public. All this expense for a sham process that promises to go nowhere!!! Disgusting, actually!

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