5 day forecast
Reject partisan plan
Share with others:
In the Sept. 14 story "Critics, Proponents of Redistricting Make Case Before Supreme Court," Justice Thomas Saylor, a Republican, asked what role partisan breakdown among the legislative districts should play and stated that a "statistically pure" plan could potentially flip a chamber in favor of the other party.
Since both chambers of the state Legislature are now controlled by his fellow Republicans, this was further confirmation that Republican-led redistricting plans are hideously gerrymandered in such a convoluted and tortured way as to specifically deny the will of the people and unethically tilt the balance toward the Republicans (which would otherwise be apparent in a straightforward districting plan, such as the one devised by the non-partisan Amanda Holt).
The court should deny this plan as well and send the Legislative Reapportionment Commission back to the drawing board. It is this partisan behavior that requires the redistricting be done by a non-partisan entity.
THOMAS DONALDSON
Swissvale
First Published September 18, 2012 12:00 am
