I’ll be on KPFK’s Uprising radio at 8AM to talk about the DOA redistricting measure. UPDATE: Stay tuned to KPFK for an interview with Matthew Fleischer about the money behind the Yes on 32 campaign.
by Brian Leubitz
Proposition 40, at this point, is not that exciting. But, once you understand what yes and no mean, I’m confident you’ll vote yes.
If you remember back earlier in the year (see our redistricting tag), the Republican Senate Caucus was not a big fan of the new Senate district maps. So, they went out and spent a bunch of money, with the CRP, to get a referendum. They figured (or rather hoped anyway) that the California Supreme Court would just use the old maps for this cycle.
That didn’t work out, as the Court let the Redistricting Commission’s maps stand until the referendum measure passed or failed. Well, with the maps staying put in 2012, the Republicans just gave up on it.
A Yes vote means that we retain the maps. A No vote means that we have to go back to the drawing board on the Senate maps.
Vote Yes to retain the new, more fair maps.
Prop 40 is exhibit #8493 as to why Republicans are simply too stupid to win elections in California. After 8 tries, they finally won a reapportionment reform initiative. After the commission created fair lines, the GOP came to realize that they were heavily advantaged under the unfair lines. So they put together a referendum to challenge the Senate lines.
Then, they looked at the Senate lines for 2014 and saw that things will be much better for the GOP in two years. As a result, they now oppose the referendum they sponsored.
I support the commission, their process and the lines they drew. However, given that the GOP is now urging a Yes on 40, I am rethinking my position.