California Dems Desperate to Hold On to Power

It was open season on California Governor Schwarzenegger this weekend at the state’s annual Democratic convention. Emboldened by Schwarzenegger’s slipping poll numbers, Democrats are attacking the Governor on several fronts.

As you would expect, Democrats are opposed to Schwarzenegger’s plan to privatize public pension plans. But they are also opposed to Schwarzenegger’s very sensible redistricting proposal. Liberal columnist Eleanor Clift, explained the Democrats’ complaints in an MSNBC column:

[Scharzenegger's] redistricting proposal to gain Republican advantage looks like Tom DeLay’s Texas all over again…the plan reeks of partisan self-interest in California where Republicans would stand to gain.

Clift is flat-out misrepresenting the situation. Schwarzenegger’s plan is nothing like DeLay’s blatant power-grab in Texas. Schwarzenegger wants to establish a non-partisan panel of 5 judges to redraw districts along geological rather than ideological lines. The reason it would help Republicans is not that it’s unfair but because it is more fair and could create Republican-leaning districts whose existence is wrongfully prevented by gerrymandering.

As noted by the independent organization, The Committee for an Independent Voice (CIVCA), California has such ridiculous gerrymandering that, “last November, not one of the 153 Congressional and legislative seats on the ballot changed hands.”

CIVCA supports the Governor. As does liberal group Common Cause, who correctly recognizes that less gerrymandering means more freedom for everyone.

Gerrymandering is one of the greatest barriers to moderates, independents and anyone not in lockstep with one of the two major parties. Apparently, California Democrats are much more concerned with holding onto power than they are with promoting a more robust democracy.