Wednesday, December 14, 2011

court-ordered intirim planMost folks don't have a clue what's going on with the redistricting here in Texas. It's slightly out of hand. Except, I guess this is just the way it's always been done? You see, the republicans hold the Texas house and senate, but the maps for the voting districts of the senate and house have to also go through the judicial system...somehow. Anyway, some judges (who just happen to be democrats) in San Antonio decided that they'd draw up their own versions of the senate and house maps. Thus the battle began. And, you know, each line on the map matters to someone, but the part that gets me is what I learned last night. You see, apparently there is no way that the battle over the maps will be finished in time for the scheduled primary elections in March. Oh, the primaries will go on, yes, but then there will have to be ANOTHER ELECTION for the state offices affected by the map war. Then, you have to consider that some of these primary races will have to have run-off elections. So then we're talking two more separate elections. That's 4 elections before November. Four days of my vacation time. And of course there's the cost to the state to pay the election judges and clerks. Not to mention the fact that voter attendance will be lowered because no one understands it all and few even care. Is this REALLY the way it's always been done? Why do we have to keep doing it this way?? So ridiculous. I really think they need to draw the map lines with a ruler and quit playing games. Don't get me wrong - I'm frustrated with BOTH sides of the aisle. And have you seen our house map?? That's pretty much the way it was before. Look at HD (House District) 13. That's mine. Look how far out west it goes. Now how the heck can anyone represent us here as equally as they represent the folks out in Lubbock and Amarillo?? It's madness. And I'm done with my rant for now.

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