Re: Why?
Common cause is not a centrist organization or a bipartisan organization.
CC is a nonpartisan organization.
Trying to promote the democratic reform of nonpartisan redistricting while keeping an eye on the partisan impact of that reform would be a violation of CC's principles.
The point is not necessarily to keep the parties balanced. The point is to make our democracy work more democratically. Partisan equality does not necessarily equal balanced democratic process.
As to the effect of CA reforming while TX stays the same - you are right, that may cause an imbalance in national politics for a bit. Even if CC was concerned with that, I'm all for achieving whatever reforms can be achieved rather than sitting around waiting for all the stars to line up. CA and TX are never going to agree to pass redistricting reform simultaneously (have you ever met a Texan? Trying to sell something to a Longhorn because CA is doing it will not work, not even with Arnold going door to door in Austin).
And your argument that Redistricting will hurt encumbent Dems because it was drawn to their benefit in 2001 simply does not rest on any logic. Lines and districts change quickly nowadays. If the initiative passes as is, the lines won't be redrawn until 2006. Who's to say how the Dems will fare? And in any case, CC does not and should not care about what parties benefit.
Remember - that is the exact concern we are trying to remove from the redistricting process.
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