Across the country, citizens groups are rising up in an effort to put an end to gerrymandering of both federal and state legislative districts. The problem has grown steadily worse in recent years during a cycle that has seen the GOP assume control, often super majority control, of state governorships and legislatures. With that control, in a vast majority of cases, comes the power, every ten years, to redraw district lines, and that often means draw them to enhance, even more intensely, opportunities for GOP gerrymanders, and with them, control of the legislative process. In a wide range of cases, this control comes even with popular vote totals showing a more even balance between the parties.
Here in Pennsylvania, the efforts to create an independent citizen panel to handle the state legislative redistricting process are underway, but they represent an extremely heavy lift for several reasons:
It requires a change in the state's massive and cumbersome Constitution and the procedure requires:
(a) Passage of a bill in two successive sessions of the legislature. House and Senate bills must be absolutely identical in language in both years.
(b) Then a voter referendum on whether to adopt the change.
The PA legislature, over the years, has become heavily gerrymandered in favor of Republicans although in statewide races, the vote tends to be fairly even. (The state has been described politically as Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, separated by Alabama.) Wth that advantage, the GOP has repeatedly worked to intensify its advantage through gerrymandering and its House Leader, Daryl Metcalfe is working overtime to make sure the latest effort fails.
His latest maneuver, just a couple of days ago: hold a hastily called meeting of his House State Government committee and then gut and replace the existing reform bill (722) with language that makes the redistricting process even more heavily political than it has been, and of course to the advantage of the Republicans.
During the brief committee meeting, Metcalfe refused to respond to any questions from Democratic legislators about what was happening and refused to delay his actions to allow more time for the public to learn what was involved.
Metcalfe has been bombarded with public comments via phone calls, emails, petitions and demonstrations, calling for creation of a fairer process using an independent citizen panel similar to systems now operating in states like California, Arizona and New Jersey. (Depending on the definition, between 13 and 21 states have some form of independent commission process.) Click here to see where your state stands.
His response, "I'm not hearing much about that. The voters aren't interested."
Metcalfe himself directly benefits from the gerrymandering process. His House district (12) northeast of Pittsburgh, regularly returns him to office with margins of from 2/3 to as much as 3/4 of the vote.
And from Metcalfe's perspective, delay is the only weapon he needs. If a reform bill fails to pass this year's session, it will kill the process for an entire decade as far as effective change in advance of the 2020 redistricting, leaving it in the hands of the majority GOP. That is because, as noted, any reform has to pass two successive sessions of the legislature and if it does not pass this year, it cannot go through the entire process next year and a voter referendum in advance of 2020. And if Metcalfe’s latest version of the bill were passed, it would make the process even more GOP dominated.
Add to that the fact that even if passage of the reform version happens, the bills in House and Senate MUST be absolutely identical and passed on two successive years. Given the GOP's iron grip on the Legislature, even if the measures moved forward, the potential for a "middle of the night" editorial tweak creating a textual difference between versions is always present.
The GOP relies on its gerrymandered advantages to preserve its power...a common stance at every level of government where they have control. In fact, Metcalfe and his Senate counterpart Maj. Leader Mike Turzai were counting on a state voter ID bill to further cement their power. Fortunately the State courts again struck down that attempt after his allies were forced to testify under oath that they were not aware of any voter fraud occurring in the previous elections or anticipating any in the next. In fact Turzai was caught on tape boasting that the ID measure was actually designed to guarantee Mitt Romney would carry Pennsylvania in that election year.
That is why former US Attorney General Eric Holder has been spearheading national efforts to defeat gerrymandered systems and in more and more cases winning. In fact, Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court recently ruled that the state’s Congressional Districts violated the state’s constitution and when the GOP failed to come up with a new version that met those standards, the Court stepped in with its own maps that will likely give more seats to Democrats although still preserving a GOP majority. The GOP is, however, ignoring the fact that things can and are changing and at some point in the future, they could well become the minority.
Fair districts are important to everyone, regardless of party. Without fairness, too many voters feel their vote has no value and don't take part. And too many legislators, like Mr. Metcalfe, feel no reason at all to pay any attention to constituents who don't agree with them or consider other opinions, as graphically illustrated by his latest actions ramming through his own version of legislation and refusing even to respond to his Democratic colleagues. It is particularly the latter fact which has led to so much polarization in our politics. Time after time when a party, especially Republicans these days, achieves super majorities, they wind up mis-using that power. (It is worth noting however, that California now has super majority control of the Legislature but notably, used that power responsibly in the creation of the citizen panel process.)
Live in PA? Here’s what you can do, but ACT NOW!!! Live in Another State — You can act too!
If you live in PA, now is the time to contact your state Senator and Representative and let them know you favor the versions of House 722 and Senate 22 being promoted by the interest group Fair Districts PA. https://www.fairdistrictspa.com/
Better yet, if you can, join hundreds of your fellow Pennsylvania citizens for an afternoon rally in Harrisburg set for next Monday, April 16th at the State Capitol rotunda and steps. We'll be meeting with our elected representatives to express our support and rallying for fair legislation creating a truly independent citizen redistricting process.
Busses are organized from numerous cities and towns around the state and some have spaces available. Check the website and contact Fair Districts PA for more information.
If you live in another state, Check the status of your state in terms of the existence of or need for an independent citizen redistricting process by clicking the Wiki report here, and get involved in reform efforts in your area.
Republicans have made this a partisan issue, but it is not. Fair districts are essential to a functioning democracy. All Americans must recognize and support that concept. Failure to do so is a step towards the kind of fascism that is clearly underlying the backers of the current administration. Any legislative process that enables one party to simply ignore the concerns of the opposition and rule by fiat is a danger to us all.