If the current IRC (Independent Redistricting Commission), under “Independent” democrat-in-disguise Chairman Colleen Mathis, gives free reign to Democrat Strategist Ken Strasma of Strategic Telemetry to carve up our congressional and legislative districts to create a new Congressional district, it’s possible.
Arizona State Senator Sinema (D) is in her 4th term, which means that she will be “termed out.” Since term limits have accomplished little more than create a stepping stone for different or higher office, Senator Sinema is looking ahead. And the Democrats would love to create a Congressional District tailor made for her.
Here’s some information about Ms. Sinema: http://www.ksinema.org/about/
If you’re thinking of insisting that Chairman Mathis be replaced, you need to know that there are only 4 other choices, and all of them are probably worse than her. She was drawn from a pool of 5 Independents who were appointed by the Commission on Appellate Court Appointments. And who makes up that commission? Folks who were appointed by Governor Janet Napolitano.
So, how is it that Kyrsten Sinema could somehow become an Arizona Congresswoman? It all depends on how the maps are drawn. One more Congressional District must be created, because of our increased population as of the 2010 census.
If the IRC draws a Congressional District that cobbles together some very odd geographic features, strange communities, and weird non-contiguous boundaries that resemble a malaria germ, in order to create boundaries that are “competitive” resulting in a new District that is ripe for Kyrsten Sinema, you will have witnessed the perversion of the intent of Prop 106 and the Arizona Constitution.
The Democrats are beating the drum for “competitive” districts. This means that each political party must have equal representation in each district, within about 3-5% above or below.
But that criterion is only one of 6 criteria.
Here are portions of Article 4 Part 2 Section 1 of the Arizona Constitution.
“(14) The Independent redistricting commission shall establish congressional and legislative districts. The commencement of the mapping process for both the congressional and legislative districts shall be the creation of districts of equal population in a grid-like pattern across the state. Adjustments to the grid shall then be made as necessary to accommodate the goals as set forth below:
A. Districts shall comply with the U.S. Constitution and the United States voting rights act;
B. Congressional districts shall have equal population to the extent practicable, and state legislative districts shall have equal population to the extent practicable;
C. Districts shall be geographically compact and contiguous to the extent practicable;
D. District boundaries shall respect communities of interest to the extent practicable;
E To the extent practicable, district lines shall use visible geographic features, city, town, and county boundaries, and undivided census tracts;
F. To the extent practicable, competitive districts should be favored where to do so would create no significant detriment to the other goals.
If the IRC honors the criteria set forth in the Arizona Constitution (Article 4. Part 2. Section 1), all should be well. But if they ignore those criteria and lean toward only one of them to the detriment of all the others, that’s a perversion of the intent of Prop 106 and a denigration of the Arizona Constitution.
On the other hand, the demographics of legislative and congressional districts change as people move away and move in. There are a lot of variables outside the control of either political party, which is a good thing. Of course, “government” is ever alert to manipulating everything we do, including our choice of light bulb and toilets, so curtailing our ability to freely move about our country might be next.
The IRC should be held to the standard which has clearly been set in the Arizona Constitution that created it.
All pressure should be brought to bear on them to follow the Arizona Constitution, including phone calls and emails to the IRC, Governor Jan Brewer, the Republican State Party (Tom Morrisey), and your Arizona State Senator.
Let your voice be heard at upcoming IRC meetings:
http://azredistricting.org/docs/Public-Hearing-R1.pdf