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Gerrymanders Cause Corruption – Unless Done by the G.O.P.

towashington 089.gif By Bill Cavala
A veteran of over 30 years in Sacramento

The hypocritical editors of the San Diego Union-Tribune now want to blame what they see as unethical behavior on districts where one party’s registration dominates. The absence of two-party competition leaves invulnerable politicians able to loot at will, according to the Union-Tribune.

This is nonsense, as the editors must know.

An incumbent who outrages public decency would be subject to competition in his or her own party primary, no? The classic case is Rep. John Doolittle. Bad publicity has led to the drying up of his contributor base and the presence of a young shark of his own party taking him on.

When the outrage expressed by editors isn’t shared by voters in an official’s district, then nothing happens. That’s often appropriate as well.

For the Union Tribune to blame redistricting is simply hypocritical. Where are the editorials blaming gerrymandering for the absurd situation of five Anglo Republicans sitting on the Board of Supervisors. That’s hard to do considering San Diego is a Democratic city. Harder still to draw seats where Hispanics and African-Americans are effectively disenfranchised. But the Board managed to do it.

Because that benefited Republican candidates, it’s not a ‘gerrymander’ in the eyes of the Union-Tribune.

Understandable. This is the paper that evaluated the partisan candidates in the County by saying voters should simply vote “straight Republican”.

Little wonder, then, that surveys taken in San Diego consistently show fewer than 40% of the voters place trust in the Union-Tribune’s opinions.

Following the Union-Tribune’s logic, the lack of two-party competition must have corrupted Assemblyman George Plescia while elevating the ethics of Assemblywoman Bonnie Garcia.

Only someone who trusted the Union-Tribune could believe that.

Bill Cavala was Deputy Director of the Assembly Speaker’s Office of Member Services where he worked for over 30 years.

He attended undergraduate and graduate school in the 1960’s and received a doctorate in political science at UC Berkeley. He taught political science at UC Berkeley during the 1970's while he worked part-time for the State Assembly.

Cavala left teaching at UC Berkeley and went to work for Assembly Speaker Willie Brown in 1981 until his tenure as Speaker ended in 1995, and he has worked for his five successors as Speaker up to and including Speaker Fabian Nunez.

Mr. Cavala manages election campaigns for Democratic candidates.

Posted on October 21, 2007

Comments

What is there to say about this article except to applaud it? Redistricting "reform" is a stalking horse for the Republican agenda, pure and simple. A Republican gerrymander, mid-decade, violating the Voting Rights Act is a legitimate exercise of political power (Texas), whereas a bipartisan plan in California is an abuse. Don't
unilaterally disarm, Democrats!

Posted by: publius at October 21, 2007 10:37 AM

A Republican gerrymander in Texas or the Democratic gerrymander in CA what's the difference? Both are exercises in political power to entrench one party in districts they cannot lose. Once you decide it is ok for you to do this in one case its justifiable to do it in the other. Furthermore once political power is used to entrench a majority it would seem to me the party that has been excluded is justified in using what political power they have to change it.

This is just another case of both parties using morally questionable tactics to secure political power, for either to question the other for doing this is hypocrisy. Whenever on party accuses the other of using unfair (usually legal) tactics you can always find someone in the other party who has engaged in the exact same tactic. When it comes to winning elections both parties are willing to take the moral low road when it suits them and any politico who claims different is either a liar or a fool.

Posted by: sean at October 22, 2007 09:19 AM

Is California now a Fascist State? I asked my Govt for HELP - and it almost got me KILLED. John's McCain and Doolittle: BAD GUYS. Instead of helping me, they sent their GESTAPO GOONS, first the FBI and then the Rocklin Police to my HOME to ambush and assault me AND MY CHILDREN on our front lawn. Lots of COPS with lots of GUNS drawn and pointed at ALL OF US. Then they KIDNAPPED one of my daughters and held her HOSTAGE while they tried to get me to "surrender"... And much more. It's all on video and can be seen on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4dQQPqgf1A

Posted by: AlreadyHuman at October 30, 2007 09:35 AM

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