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Western suburbs —
“To the victor belong the spoils,” as the old adage goes.
U.S. Sen. William L. Macy uttered that phrase in defending the perks Democrats allowed themselves during the presidential tenure of Andrew Jackson. The spoils system has since seen elected officials hand out government goodies to supporters and manipulate the process to their advantage.
Modern-day Democrats in Springfield have made full use of spoils while controlling the legislative and executive branches. The latest gift they offered to themselves is designed to ensure their continued grip on power in the General Assembly.
Every decade years, lawmakers use the results of the census to determine how legislative and congressional districts should be changed to reflect any population shifts. Creating new maps that benefit constituents, however, is usually not a top priority.
Right before the end of the spring session last month, Democrats passed a legislative redistricting map by a vote of 64-52 in the House of Representatives and 35-22 in the Senate. Gov. Pat Quinn signed the measure into law June 3.
The map carves up communities to combine Republican districts and potentially create more Democratic seats. State Rep. Patti Bellock, R-47th District, of Hinsdale would have to compete against colleagues Chris Nybo, R-41st District, and Dennis Reboletti, R-46th District, both of Elmhurst, in the next election. State Sen. Christine Radogno, R-41st District, of Lemont would run against state Sen. Kirk Dillard, R-24th District, of Hinsdale.
Gerrymandering is a polite way of describing how the Democrats distorted the system to keep power in their hands. The Republicans have every right to say their rivals played politics, but what else does anyone expect when such a process is left up to politicians?
Republicans have done the same thing when they had the power. We need a nonpolitical way to redraw maps. One suggestion is to allow a computer to calculate how boundaries should be redrawn, and this deserves consideration.
“To the victor belong the spoils,” as the old adage goes.
U.S. Sen. William L. Macy uttered that phrase in defending the perks Democrats allowed themselves during the presidential tenure of Andrew Jackson. The spoils system has since seen elected officials hand out government goodies to supporters and manipulate the process to their advantage.
Modern-day Democrats in Springfield have made full use of spoils while controlling the legislative and executive branches. The latest gift they offered to themselves is designed to ensure their continued grip on power in the General Assembly.
Every decade years, lawmakers use the results of the census to determine how legislative and congressional districts should be changed to reflect any population shifts. Creating new maps that benefit constituents, however, is usually not a top priority.
Right before the end of the spring session last month, Democrats passed a legislative redistricting map by a vote of 64-52 in the House of Representatives and 35-22 in the Senate. Gov. Pat Quinn signed the measure into law June 3.
The map carves up communities to combine Republican districts and potentially create more Democratic seats. State Rep. Patti Bellock, R-47th District, of Hinsdale would have to compete against colleagues Chris Nybo, R-41st District, and Dennis Reboletti, R-46th District, both of Elmhurst, in the next election. State Sen. Christine Radogno, R-41st District, of Lemont would run against state Sen. Kirk Dillard, R-24th District, of Hinsdale.
Gerrymandering is a polite way of describing how the Democrats distorted the system to keep power in their hands. The Republicans have every right to say their rivals played politics, but what else does anyone expect when such a process is left up to politicians?
Republicans have done the same thing when they had the power. We need a nonpolitical way to redraw maps. One suggestion is to allow a computer to calculate how boundaries should be redrawn, and this deserves consideration.
