National Fair Redistricting Bill Introduced

As any frequent reader will be aware, I've long been in favor of re-vamping the current politicized redistricting methods used here in California, as well as across the nation. In fact, though I disagree, one of the most common arguments I hear against fair redistricting here in California (yeah Wu Ming, I'm talkin' to you ;-) is that it disadvantages Democrats on the national level, i.e. with states like Texas bending its boundaries to suit GOPers, why should true blue California put its Democratic dominance at risk?

So I was very pleased to read from, first in the New York Times and (after a quick Google) at Carpetbagger, that a national fair redistricting bill had been presented to congress. Carpetbagger quotes from Roll Call (subscription only):

On the heels of the bitter Texas redistricting battle, a leading conservative House Democrat is going to war over the issue, introducing a bill to prohibit politicians from creating Congressional boundaries and to prevent mid-decade redrawing.

Rep. John Tanner (Tenn.), a leading Blue Dog Democrat who saw several of his Texas colleagues lose in November because of redistricting, will launch his legislation this week. The veteran Member is seeking to create national standards for redistricting that include the creation of nonpartisan commissions in each state to redraw Congressional district lines just once every 10 years.

Tanner said he's bringing his bill forward now because redistricting has become an overly political process, leading to a system that favors the extreme party wings and locks out input from average Americans. Majority parties in individual states can dictate election outcomes and set up a system in which Congressional districts no longer contain diversity — ideological and otherwise, he said.

"Politics has hijacked our democracy," Tanner said in an interview. "It's become an inside ball game — basically, the people be damned."

Sadly, even congressman Tanner believes his bill will be a non-starter in the Republican dominated House:

Tanner acknowledged that the bill faces little chance of passage this Congress, saying: "This leadership in the House will not let it see the light of day. They will probably try to choke it on the front end."

My hope is that fair-minded people from both the right and left will join me in calling, writing and emailing our representatives in favor of this startling bit of Congressional common sense. (Easy gateway located here).

Regardless of your political persuasion, gerrymandered Congressional districts work ONLY for the benefit of the politician, not the voter.

(Update: I realize a post calling for non-partisan participation which is immediately preceded by one calling for Bush's impeachment may not be the most effective political approach, but hey, I never claimed to be a politician).