Editor,
Two recent writers encouraged a “no” vote on Proposition 50 arguing that the election commission won’t be restored in 2030 because so-called “temporary” legislative bills often become permanent. What they failed to acknowledge is that this proposition is a voter initiative, not legislative, and the bill’s termination is clearly mandated in the proposition. The legislation cannot be arbitrarily amended once the proposition passes without voter approval.
Moreover, one of the writers repeats the “two wrongs” trope which is a false equivalence, as if both “wrongs” are the same. Texas breaks all rules and conventions to mandate new districts without any voter participation, while California invites full voter participation to pass or reject the redistricting proposal, which is the very model of democracy.
Irv Brenner
Palo Alto
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(6) comments
Republicans in Texas claim their gerrymandering is NOT wrong, so why would they complain California doing the same is wrong? At least California is asking Voters - other states are not giving their voters a say.
KDM, you’re comparing apples to oranges so your argument isn’t valid. California isn’t redistricting for the same reason as Texas. Newsom is starting a redistricting war and as predicted, other states are redistricting to resist Newsom’s threat to democracy. Meanwhile, Trump has opted to allow San Francisco time to attempt to clean up their mess. A win for Trump either way. If Frisco is able to clean up their mess, it’ll show that Democrat cities could clean up their cities if they wanted to, but are choosing not to. If Frisco is unable to clean up their mess, Trump will come in to save the day. Meanwhile, your Democrat party has gone full commie socialist in endorsing Mamdani in New York. Does this make you or your fellow Democrats proud?
Thank you for your insight, Mr. Brenner. If redistricting is being driven by partisan advantage rather than fair representation, then it’s wrong no matter how it’s done or who’s doing it. California’s representation was just fine before Texas set this whole debacle in motion, and if we follow their lead, we’re no better than they are.
So Linda, what is your solution? Allow the Republicans to rig the system so voters never have a real say? Voters can not be idle about this real threat to our democratic wishes.
Hilarous. Mr. Brenner again attempting to irrationally rationalize a threat to democracy. The only thing you’ve written that is correct is that there is a false equivalency of “two wrongs.” In fact, there is only one wrong – King Newsom’s threat to democracy known as Proposition 50. Vote NO. I already have. Meanwhile, since Newsom started the redistricting war, other states are joining the war in resistance to Newsom’s threat.
Hey Irv "a voter initiative, not legislative" are you kidding me? This was a Newsom initiative and sanctioned by the one-party political machine. By wording the Prop 50 carefully, it was under a pretext resubmitted to the voters. Do your homework, Irv!
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