Note: Post slightly edited for terseness and a typo from original comment to "Internat'l mission to U.S. elections: correspondence." Redundant last line citing news article omitted.
In reference to state lawmakers determining their own districts, I noted above that the "politics of state legislatures are skewed by the high stakes inherent to the two mass parties' attempt to tip the scales of power between themselves."
Similarly, a recent Capital-Star article suggests that maintenance of a two-party establishment is a critique of this mechanism. "Political observers long have noted the gerrymandered boundaries of state House and Senate to advantage the big two political parties.. [sic]" (Dec. 2) Obviously, I agree that gerrymandering has the two legacy parties as its (either-or) beneficiaries. I cannot, however, say that it's a consideration for opponents in PA or elsewhere. Carol Kuniholm, co-founder and chair of Fair Districts PA, is quoted in that article as saying, "Just a few legislative leaders, mostly from very safe, one-party districts, control the agenda and block bipartisan solutions that would benefit the people of Pennsylvania. That's why we want to fix Harrisburg." I think... opposition to gerrymandering is the prospect of a single-party district and therefore lack of representation -- albeit, the legacy bipartisanship. I stress the legacy bipartisanship because a single-party district might be favorable to independent and third-party candidates on the opposite end of the political spectrum. A Keystone candidate, for instance, might make headway among moderate voters in a Democratic district, or a Libertarian candidate among suburban and younger conservatives in a Republican district.
A comment on "We want to fix Harrisburg: Reformers summit seeks solutions to state government's woes" (F. Pizzoli)
Jubalyn ExWilliams lives in Pennsylvania. You can find her writings and editorials, including one on "We want to fix Harrisburg: Reformers summit seeks solutions to state government's woes," by F. Pizzoli, at landturn.com/blog.
Related: Internat'l mission to U.S. elections: my correspondence (2022)
Related: Discrepancy with Green Party presidential candidate: my correspondence (2021) Related: Discrepancy with Green Party presidential candidate: my correspondence, II (2021) Related: Getting on the ballot as a third-party candidate in Pennsylvania (2022) Related: Getting on the ballot as a third-party candidate in Pennsylvania, II (2022) Related: Reaching out to third-party candidates for Harrisburg candidate forum (2022) Related: How barrier on Stein as viable presidential candidate is man-made (2024)
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