prop 20 pro

By Patrick Makiri
The Guardsman

Proposition 20 will extend a measure that California voters had already approved 2 years ago.

Proposition 11 was passed in 2008 to address redistricting issues at the state assembly level by stripping the legislature of its power to redraw district lines and awarding that power to a new 14-member commission, the Citizens Redistricting Commission.

A “yes” on Proposition 20 would grant the CRC oversight of redistricting California for the U.S. House of Representatives.

The abuses of redistricting are well documented, just google “gerrymandering, Boss Tweed.” Citizens no longer need to be subject to the survivalist methods of politicians who draw arbitrary district lines with one thing in mind: re-election.

A diverse commission of 5 Republicans, 5 Democrats and 4 others is one step closer to a more fairly drawn map of our voting population.

Both Proposition 11 and the 2010 census have set in motion California’s attempt to improve voter representation. In the present system, the legislature does not even have to respect basic geographic integrity (i.e. city/county borders).

Through geographically compact voting districts, voters will have more opportunities to address local issues when electing representatives. By law, our communities will be better protected as voting entities, able to act as a more unified force with more influence in elections.

Rather than welcoming change, politicians are inciting fear by co-opting the current budget crisis—that they are largely responsible for—and calling the commission unaffordable.

Our state may be in crisis, but postponing better representation won’t help us dodge the depths of this deep-seated recession. In fact, as a more cohesive voting public we can hope to trim the inefficiencies of our state.

Change is far off if voters’ decisions are put up for repeal before they go into effect. Let California try to set an example of how to influence government to truly represent its people.