“When they go low, we go high.” Nine years on, that lofty, politics-as-usual impulse is out of date. Playing nice didn’t work then. It’s not working now.
Proposition 50 is not playing nice. It requires temporary use of new congressional maps and creates five new Democratic seats in California. Put plain, it’s gerrymandering. Gerrymandering is fighting dirty, and under normal circumstances, I’d say it’s wrong. Right now, I say fighting fair while the people in power break all the rules is plain foolishness.
When it comes to gerrymandering, one-sided renunciation is a great way to feel good about ourselves, and a great way to lose. The White House knows its violent, invasive policies are unpopular. However if we turn our noses up at this fight, that won’t matter.
As things stand, Republicans are projected to retain power in Congress, in part through a successful red-state gerrymandering campaign. Republican gerrymandering has already created new seats in Texas. Missouri, North Carolina, Indiana, Kansas, and now Florida are all looking to follow.
Right now Prop 50 is the only measure in the country that counteracts this manufactured red wave. California must act, and set an example of what fighting back looks like.
If we regain some power in the House, we can and should fight for national redistricting reform. Until then I say we fight this administration with every tool at our disposal. I urge you to join me, and vote yes on Prop 50.
