Tag: Center for Michigan

Bad - So called nonpartisan commissions. Nonpartisan does not, never did, and never will mean the same as nonbiased. Most people who follow the issue want nonbiased redistricting. There's a difference. Usually commission based redistricting results in incumbent protection. Don't rock the boat. Keep as many people happy as possible. These maps are usually the case when you have split control of the state government. The worst part about these so called nonpartisan commissioners is that there is no recourse for bad maps by these biased politicians. That's what commissions are made up of. Politicians. We can't vote the commissioners out for screwing us.

Good would leave this out of the hands of politicians as much as possible. The true fair system would be a map made up of as few municipal breaks as possible. That as many maps with that system, put them in random and may the best map win.

Bad with recourse is what we have now. We are Republicans were lucky, and we can't always count on that. We took the house, the state senate, and we're still unsure if we have the governor's mansion or not. I'm still not sold on Snyder. The current system is where the state legislature/governor draws the boundaries. It's the system in most states. Michigan has some guidelines in place by statute limiting municipal breaks and shapes of the district.

The talking heads always have a fit every 10 years, and the Argus recently had some comments. Joe Hune told the truth, and they didn't understand it with two editorials Feb 6th and 17th.

First, on the 6th.

Hune says not to worry. In a story our paper published Friday, he said there are guidelines to prevent partisanship from interfering with the results.

"There isn't that much room for politics and play and gerrymandering. The standards we have in place just don't allow that," Hune said.

And he said it with a straight face.

The Center for Michigan, a liberal, pseudo-centrist think tank in Ann Arbor, recently published a 'study' attacking the redistricting process in Michigan.

REDRAWING MICHIGAN
How redistricting predetermines many election results and often leaves voters without competitive choices at the polls

The report is cowritten by Susan Demas and John Bebow. Demas is a liberal reporter and blogger.

The 'study' argues that

1. Michigan legislative elections are uncompetitive.
   
2. This is due to redistricting, particularly the 2001 plan passed by Republicans.
   
3. This lack of competitiveness 'disenfranchises' Michigan voters.
   
4. Michigan's legislative districts should be drawn to create more 'competitive' districts.

If Santa Claus dressed himself as Batman would he be Batman?  He may fool some, but his bulbous reality would reveal at the very least he wouldn't very likely LOOK the part.  And unless some of that magic Santa dust can perform some miraculous effect, a fat man doing the dark knight's work might end in disaster.  Besides, apart from a "girth" issue, there would also be the small problem of his entourage, be they smelly little elves, reindeer, or a bunch of little kids (who are smarter than the average bad guy) following him around and KNOW that its really Santa Claus, that would blow the fat man's cover.

Well.. the entourage is REALLY the secret in the sauce for the Truth Squad, a new "service" that suggests it is there to help voters determine who is taking creative license in their political advertising.