This just in from COMMON CAUSE. I'd like your opinion. I'm surprised .

[BigBearJohn]

I am writing to let you know that this afternoon we are going to join forces with California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to put an end to California's failed system for drawing Congressional and state Legislative boundaries. Together we are going to call on California legislators to support a joint plan to establish an independent redistricting panel of nonpartisan judges and to create fair criteria that will lead to more electoral competition and more accountability to the voters.

According to Governor Schwarzenegger California voters have little ability to hold their elected officials accountable:

Here is a telling statistic: 153 of California's congressional and legislative seats were up in the last election, and not one, I repeat, not one, changed parties. What kind of democracy is that?

We can't agree more with the Governor. The current system is democracy turned on its head. We can't have fair districts when elected officials choose the voters that they want to represent. It's supposed to work the other way around, where voters choose those they want to represent them. The results in California, where elected officials are virtually assured of re-election, show that the system is broken. We need to put the power to draw political lines into the hands of truly independent commissions. And not just in California, but all across the country in states like Florida and in Texas. We need to put the power of the vote back in the hands of the voter.

For us, the partnership with Gov. Schwarzenegger and the California reform effort is just a start. It marks the beginning of our national campaign to take the redistricting process out of the hands of state legislators and to entrust independent commissions with the task. Right now there are at least a dozen states where redistricting legislation and ballot initiatives are in play or have come under consideration. We are going to aggressively push for reform not just in California, but also in Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York and Texas .

For the sake of our democracy, it is imperative we strive to create legislative and congressional districts that are representative of the population and districting plans that result in more competitive congressional and legislative elections. So, I hope you will join us and support our effort in the coming months as we push for independent commissions and other steps necessary to ensure that the redistricting process isn't a political game.

Meanwhile, please share with us your thoughts, feedback, and suggestions on our blog concerning our efforts to fix this broken system. We want to hear from you. We will be reading your questions, comments, and suggestions. Your feedback will enable us to better focus our advocacy efforts on redistricting this year and beyond.


Thank you for all you do for Common Cause.
Sincerely,

Chellie Pingree
President & CEO, Common Cause

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

1. Once again..liberals and progressives team up with a wolf in sheep's

clothing and they will get burned.

This is as bad if not worse than when Camejo helped gather signatures for the recall.

FOOLS!

[knight_of_the_star]

4. We will only get burned

If partisan persons are appointed to the rediscricting board, but if they do the exact same thing they do in Iowa we should do fine come '06. If Ahnuld puts in some clause that allows for partisan control, then I will scream bloddy murder.

[FreedomAngel82]

7. That is the thing to watch for

Make sure he doesn't screw you over. Good luck California.

[knight_of_the_star]

16. We'll be watching

If he tries that bullshit he will catch so much flack for it we will eat him alive in '06 and not even need a toothpick.

[knight_of_the_star]

2. Same thing they do in Iowa

It works well over there, it makes the races for Congress actually RACES as opposed to just the change of a day on the calendar. I am more suspicious of it because Ahnuld is proposing it, but I think it might help us knock out some more pukes out here. It does help democracy, regardless of where it comes from.

[BurgherHoldtheLies]

3. From what I understand of the plan...

Judges would be in charge of the new district lines and would not be allowed to look at party registration numbers. Basically the new lines are drawn WITHOUT any party registration info.

If this happens in California, then states like Texas where DeLay drew lines just to get Republican control, would be pressured to do the same thing.

[Warren Stupidity]

18. so how about texas first

and then we'll see how that goes.

[BurgherHoldtheLies]

20. I agree....that should be the first one to try it. nt

[lastknowngood]

5. Independant my Ass it will be repug shills appointed by

the gropenator.

[BigBearJohn]

6. This really scares me. What if CA turned REPUG

[knight_of_the_star]

17. That's what we'll be watching for

We will destroy him if he tries that.

[shance]

8. I think what concerns me is the ethical lapses and patterns of conduct

by Mr. Schwarzenegger in the past.

To assume that the Governor's priorities have 'changed' and this decision is based on fairness by someone who has not shown fairness and/or ethics to be a top priority in the past is in my opinion not the "wisest" approach to take.

[BigBearJohn]

9. Well, this is NOT something I expected to receive from Common Cause

[shance]

12. I can imagine. It's not something I would have expected to see

from them either.

[Eloriel]

10. Common Cause has a very poor track record lately -- I'd be VERY

careful.

They have been on the wrong damn side of the electronic voting machines issue, and may have been bought off.

This is NOT particularly good news.

Further, why jump on the bandwagon quite so early? They may say they want an opportunity to influence the direction this thing will take, but with a Repug thug at the helm, "teaming up" is a very poor idea from the get go.

[sallyseven]

15. I have noticed that also,.

I no longer trust Common Cause. they are in bed with the evils.

[Eric J in MN]

11. I don't trust Arnold Schwarzenegger one bit.

He was installed to let Enron get away with ripping off California for billions.

When he started running, he said he wouldn't take money from anyone, and immediately proceeded to accept millions.

[housewolf]

13. Common Cause is not progressive or liberal - it's non-partisan

Common Cause is for doing what's right, regardless of party.

The key phrase is this:
"It marks the beginning of our national campaign to take the redistricting process out of the hands of state legislators and to entrust independent commissions with the task."

It is no more correct for a Democratic legislature in California to re-district the state to their advantange than is was for the Repubublican legislature in Texas to redistrict that state to its advantage.

Gerrymandering districts has gotten out of control, serving only partisan party politics. It fails the residents of a state.

Redistricting should be done by independent commissions made up of voters, not politicians.

[shance]

14. Yes, but who appoints those independent commissions?

Our very political governor?

[BigBearJohn]

19. Great, then let them focus on Republican states FIRST!!!

[necso]

21. People of principle

should be careful whenever other people, especially those that have no (or few) principles, appeal to them -- and most especially when it is done in the name of principle.

And I know nothing about what is going on with Common Cause. But I do know that our enemies seek to turn everything (and everybody) against us... It's what they do.

Any redistricting (or redistricting mechanism) that Meathead will accept will not be to our benefit. It's as simple as that.

And I wouldn't make too much of various Republicans arguing against it. -- People can be deceptive, you know.

[necso]

24. Politics is a game like chess,

played with multiple players -- and forever. (And the players, pieces and board change over time.)

In the game-play, some of these other players will be found to be open enemies. Still others will be found to be enemies (or potential enemies) in hiding. -- And then there are all the various shades of "friends" and "allies".

Some allies are reluctant (and only potential) allies. Others are should-be (and would-be) allies that are limited by their lack of playing skills (which is perhaps the worst case). -- You might even have a few skilled "friends" or "allies"... but you can never count on it.

And there is every shade of "color" in between and around these "points"... and everything changes over time. An ally of one issue today is the opponent of tomorrow -- and maybe even on the same issue. And there will be a great deal of maneuvering, deal-making (open and covert), posturing, deceptions, ploys, tricks and traps. (And treachery -- treachery is everywhere.)

To "win" this game, one must maneuver enough of these other players (open enemies, et al) into positions whereby their doing what comes (more or less) naturally to them will result in what you need to have happen ("need" in our case -- "wish" in others). (There are many tactics and strategies that can be used to accomplish this -- one is to take an "unyielding" (perhaps even an extremist) position that causes other players to react and take (predictable) positions in response. Then when one has maneuvered the "board" to his liking, one can reveal something of his real position. To accomplish this, it is helpful, of course, if one's "friends" are wise enough to see it coming and play along -- but they must be careful about what they do or say -- and this usually presents some difficulties.) And the fact that you can't always (if ever) talk completely openly about your maneuvering does complicate the play.

Now, "winning" this game would be an almost impossibly difficult thing to do, except that you can look at the "board" -- and watch the players' "moves" -- to see much of what you need to know. -- And you can look into the other players' minds and see (enough of) the rest. (And, of course, you must keep other players from learning too much from your position on the board, your "play", your "off-board" words and actions -- and from what they can read of your mind.)

This is how the other side plays the game (more or less -- and in a nutshell). But they have a basic amorality that we can never match. And they have many advantages on the current board. -- But they are not really that good at the game -- they're just playing it on a different (and more ruthlessly effective) level.

...

And yeah, it's distasteful. But you gotta do what you gotta do.

[DaveinMD]

22. once again Common Cause screws the Democratic Party

I hate Common Cause. I'm sick and tired of them siding with Republicans. Republicans always raise money and they always go after the Democrats. California is a Democratic state and they attack the way districts are drawn there. Why don't they do something about what happened in Texas. I'm sick of Common Cause and they can go straight to hell as far as I'm concerned.

[BigBearJohn]

23. What scares me is they are appealing to the people who

support vote reform. Sneaking in that way. Really bothers me.