Ballots have gone out for Proposition 50 – Sacramanto’s attempt to take over redistricting from our independent commission for Congressional districts through the 2030 election. You can look at the proposed districts HERE and see for yourself.
Why take a position on such a partisan proposition regarding national politics? Our PAC had an extensive debate on this issue, with a well spoken minority that wanted us to stay out of it. Taking a position on this without taking a partisan stand is threading a very small needle.
The issue for us is getting rid of the independent redistricting commission, even temporarily. If California scraps its redistricting commission, and resorts to districts drawn by Sacramento, then Sacramento will now be in charge of our Congressional delegation.
Gerrymandered districts will make it impossible for locals to control their Congressmen. It means more edicts coming down on our city from Sacramento, like forced upzoning, attacks on our police department, etc. It’s a real issue for us, one we saw when the entire county machine attacked our 2020 ballot measure. And it hits at the national level too.
We’re not going to get into the “he said, she said” argument of how Texas did it first. Because there’s no point getting dragged into it. It’s a prisoner’s dilemma where we have no winning situation. Democrat partisans should understand, if every state were to gerrymander like California will under Prop 50, Democrats will nationally stand to lose another 15 seats or so.
And a country where all states gerrymander to a “winner take all” congressional delegation, means a country where the ruling state party has absolute control. Locals will not be able to field competitive candidates.
That’s why we are urging a NO vote on Prop 50. It’s a Faustian bargain, where locals lose no matter what.