Remove politics from the drawing of political districts
Re: “Butchering the electorate; Gerrymandering is the biggest obstacle to American democracy,” Feb. 18 Brian Klaas column.
Thank you for giving prime space on Sunday to Brian Klaas’ op-ed on the scourge of gerrymandering.
At his last news conference, President Barack Obama said there is no “silver bullet” to break this country’s political stalemate. But some bullets are more important than others. Election reform and redistricting are the bullet that can make all the difference. On one hand, we should be making it easier, not harder, for people to vote. At the same time, we should be ensuring that a person’s vote counts for something. That’s where competition comes in.
We need professional, non-partisan election commissions to oversee the drawing of district lines at federal, state and local levels. The objective: to create districts that, to the greatest extent possible, are competitive between and among political parties. Competition fosters debate; debate fosters a healthy democracy.
Iowa, California, Arizona, Hawaii, Iowa, Washington, Idaho and New Jersey have created non-partisan election commissions. Colorado could do the same. But where are the Republican and Democratic legislators with the courage to move on this important issue? Allan Ferguson, Denver
I want to thank you for running Brian Klaas’ column on gerrymandering. This is truly the issue of our time. Because of gerrymandering and the subsequent hardening of the political extremes, we are suffering through a period where Americans look at others as not just wrong, but as un-American. We have lost the ability to get along — we don’t have to now!
I have long thought that there needs to be a congressional reform amendment to the Constitution that reforms Congress to eliminate gerrymandered districts and limit the time that individuals can serve. While we look to the president to lead, presidents really have little power to control the fashioning of the laws of the land. This is what Congress does, and since they do not cooperate or work together, they do it very poorly. We deserve better. Jeff Lormand, Wheat Ridge