Two years ago I wrote to this forum trying to briefly explain the recent history of gerrymandering and its negative effects both locally and nationally.
Distorted representation, increased political division and lack of compromise were just a few of the problems resulting from partisan drawing of congressional districts. This is another form of voter suppression favored by the GOP.
I ended that letter by optimistically stating that the Supreme Court would be addressing gerrymandering and that surely even a conservative court would realize that allowing this to continue would be harmful to our democracy. That by allowing gerrymandering to continue is ensuring that compromise will be confined to our history, not our future.
Of course, I was naive.
On June 25, Chief Justice John Roberts, writing for the majority, stated the court should not interject itself into a state political function. (The 2000 election in Florida?)
What great analysis by the chief justice. After all, the state legislatures have done such a great job. Let it continue.
Luckily for Utah, Gov. Gary Herbert has assured us that, after the next census in 2020, our Legislature will redraw our districts in a nonpartisan manner. That our Legislature will not modify or ignore Prop 4, even though some representatives have spoken out against it.
Two years ago I was naive and wrong. Now I am cynical.
I don’t think that Utah, or any state legislature, will willingly give up power. Gerrymandering will continue and, with Big Data, get worse.
Seems like our only hope is that I am wrong again.
Ray McEvilly, Millcreek