Dems press 'gerrymandered' congressional re-district plan

Democrat congressional re-districting map

The Democrats should be ashamed of their leaders in the Colorado General Assembly, as the re-districting proposals are simply outrageous! A fundamental tenet of law is that it should be known and written as to be understandable by the people. Legal modifications in congressional districts should respect the principle of continuity, as to allow constituents to know their district and those who represent them in the US House of Representatives.

The proposed congressional re-districting plan drawn by State Senator Gail Schwartz (D-Aspen) and State Representative Rollie Heath (D-Boulder) fractures the Western Slope and Eastern Plains, lumps Colorado Springs and Highlands Ranch into the same district, and throws Delta and Mesa Counties into the same congressional district as liberal Boulder County! These major changes divide analogous geographic regions, rural communities and regional cultures and economies. Along with completely re-drawing the congressional district map in order to manipulate the boundaries of the electoral constituencies so as to favour one political party. This tactic is known as Gerrymandering.

Republican congressional re-districting map

Nearly 200 years ago Massachusetts Governor Elbridge Gerry and his party drew a new voting district to favour their political party – on a map the shape appeared to resemble a salamander, complete with claws and fangs. The Democrat’s proposed map is so heavily re-drawn that all seven districts have ‘legs’ extending towards Denver. The reality is that if the Democrat leaders or worse, the Colorado Supreme Court, is allowed to draw such one-sided manipulated boundaries, then all of Colorado’s congressional delegation could come from within an hour of Denver International Airport. Not very representative of a state with diverse regions, made up of rural and urban communities – each with opposing values, morals and norms.

Current Colorado congressional district map

I urge my fellow Coloradoans to call, write or email your state legislator to advocate keeping gerrymandering out of Colorado and to support the doctrine of continuity and principle of keeping similar communities, cultures, and geographic areas within the same congressional district. The last thing we need are legislators from liberal Aspen and Boulder sticking their ‘claws and fangs’ into the future of Colorado! [1], [2]


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[1] M Soper, "Democrats’ redistricting maps amount to same old gerrymandering" E-Mail LTE (The Daily Sentinel: Grand Juncion, CO) 21 April 2011 http://www.gjsentinel.com/opinion/articles/e-mail-letters-april-21-2011 accessed 21 April 2011
[2] M Soper, "Dems’ redistricting proposals are outrageous" LTE (Delta County Independant: Delta, CO) 27 April 2011 http://www.deltacountyindependent.com/opinion/20977-dems-redistricting-proposals-are-outrageous.html accessed 1 May 2011