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Legislative Alert: SB-386 - More redistricting games ...

It may be hard to believe, with all of the important issues facing the Georgia Legislature one of the fast track bills is another redistricting bill - SB-386. This one would tweak the boundaries of three State Senate districts - Districts: 46, 47 and 49.

Do you realize that we have had different districts in every election in this whole decade. If this bill passes, we will have new Congressional Districts and three new State Senate districts in 2006.

According to the less than reputable at times - Atlanta Journal Constitution - the Republican Party is promoting this redistricting for the purpose of diluting a district that is currently Democratic. Now drawing district lines for perceived partisan gain was the reason that the federal courts threw out the Barnes Districts and established the first set of court ordered districts. Then a few days later the same courts issued the second and current districts to "protect incumbents."

Then last year the Republican controlled Legislature redrew the Congressional Districts for a more Republican favorable environment and are now doing the same with three Senate Districts. They are using the same arguments that Barnes used for his districts, and that they opposed in court, to justify this latest exercise in  abuse of Legislative power for strictly partisan purposes.

Once again it seems that the stated principles of the Republican Party are lost on the Republican leadership, who want to be better Democrats that what they have replaced. Their pitch is getting old - "it is bad when the Democrats do it, but it is good when Republicans do it!"

Using a dictionary I found a word that describes this behavior - hypocrites.

The AJC had the following report:

This issue divides the Athens-Clarke County Commission, which opposes the map, and the Chamber of Commerce, which endorses it. In the debate, a lot of the arguments made a few years ago about communities of interest have been reversed.

There they go again, starting with the State Flag in 2003, the Chamber seems to be having its will with the government that you are paying for.

And here is another statistic that might interest those outside the State of Atlanta:

Athens isn't a little town, Sen. Ralph Hudgens (R-Comer), the sponsor of the remap bill, said at Saturday's Christian Coalition kickoff event. It could use more representation in the Senate, he argued, noting that the 13 counties larger than Clarke – which include the real giants like Gwinnett and Fulton – have an average of 3.4 senators per county.

So part of the plan is for the largest counties to control more State Senators?

Here is the Senate Vote on this bill:

The bill was introduced by the Senator of the 47th District. Nice fringe benefit - draw your own district! Isn't that what most people would call a conflict of interest?

The bill should not pass.

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