Redistricting

I've heard Madam Virginia Foxx at least twice in the last year say that politics needed to be removed from redistricting following the decennial Census. The way to accomplish that goal is to establish an independent redistricting commission to draw the lines for legislative and congressional districts.

Guess what? According to Chris Fitzsimon, at least 20 NC House Republicans co-sponsored legislation in 2009 for an NC independent redistricting commission, "including the leading candidates for Speaker next session, Minority Leader Paul Stam and Republican Whip Thom Tillis. Fourteen of the Senate's 20 Republicans co-sponsored an independent redistricting bill last session, including Senate Minority Leader Phil Berger, who will almost certainly be elected the President Pro Tem when the Senate convenes in January."

So with Republicans in charge of both houses in the General Assembly, we're bound to get that independent redistricting commission, yes?

We're not holding our breath. The new Republican majorities will suddenly discover the pleasures of gerrymandering, just as the Democratic majorities did. That's our bet.

'Course, miracles could happen. Even Jesse Helms said "I was wrong" (about AIDs) on his deathbed, though it was, naturally, too late to do anything constructive with the realization.