Don't look now, Americans, but many of your elections are rigged

[alp227]

Henry Waxman has been elected to Congress 20 times, to serve 40 years. He became an Atlas to House Democrats and of the California delegation, shouldering power in a system that rewards many things, including tenure — or tenacity, which in D.C. can be the same thing.

Now, he says he has run his last congressional race.

His longevity and his forcefulness made him a major Capitol Hill player who left a significant mark on public policy. He brought the tobacco lobby to heel, helped enact the healthcare overhaul and has kept climate and environmental issues on the front burner.

At his departure at the end of this year, the longevity of the state’s congressional delegation will take another hit; along with retiring Republican Buck McKeon and Democrat George Miller, the three will carry away with them 100 years of congressional experience and standing.

These departures are not an argument for term limits. People in their districts voted for them, again and again. But the departures should make voters outside of California question whether their legislatures are using reapportionment control to fool voters into thinking they decide who wins elections.

full: http://www.latimes.com/opinion/opinion-la/la-ol-waxman-elections-politics-gerrymandering-20140130,0,3471962.story

[Agnosticsherbet]

1. Thought, at first, that California's method would suck.

But it actually turned out very good.

It is time for all states to declaw the Gerrymander and take the process out of the hands of the elected.