*** UPDATED x1 *** Question of the day
Thursday, Jun 27, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Greg Hinz…
Gov. Pritzker has promised not to be partisan in the upcoming remap, and a reform group, Change Illinois, today called on him to honor that pledge, saying in a statement that “we deserve competitive elections and an equitable democracy in Illinois.”
But if you really think Pritzker, who may have national political ambitions, is going to throw away the Democratic edge here while Republicans in states such as Indiana work to screw Democrats, you don’t know politics. I’m not sure how he’ll wiggle out of this one. But wiggle he will.
* This is the question I asked Pritzker and the other gubernatorial candidates before the primary…
Will you pledge as governor to veto any state legislative redistricting map proposal that is in any way drafted or created by legislators, political party leaders and/or their staffs or allies? The exception, of course, would be the final official draft by LRB.
Pritzker’s response…
Yes, I will pledge to veto. We should amend the constitution to create an independent commission to draw legislative maps, but in the meantime, I would urge Democrats and Republicans to agree to an independent commission to handle creating a new legislative map. That designated body should reflect the gender, racial, and geographic diversity of the state and look to preserve the Voting Rights Act decisions to ensure racial and language minorities are fully represented in the electoral process.
* The Question: Do you agree with Greg that Pritzker will wiggle out of his commitment to veto a state legislative district remap that isn’t independently drawn? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please…
bike trails
*** UPDATE *** Jordan Abudayyeh…
The governor believes it is important that all communities are represented in government and that truly competitive elections are essential for our democracy. The governor has pledged he will veto an unfair map.
- So_Ill - Thursday, Jun 27, 19 @ 3:34 pm:
Playing by the rules sure hasn’t helped democrats nationally.
Hard to win when you are playing by a different set of rules.
- brickle - Thursday, Jun 27, 19 @ 3:34 pm:
here’s hoping
- DuPage Saint - Thursday, Jun 27, 19 @ 3:34 pm:
He will spin it and sugar coat it but it will be a Democrat map
And that is how it should be. The a Democratic Party won
- anon2 - Thursday, Jun 27, 19 @ 3:40 pm:
JB may stick with his pledge despite this argument: The SCOTUS just gave the green light to partisan gerrymandering. In states Republicans dominate, they aren’t voluntarily giving up their power; they will gerrymander to their hearts content wherever they control the process. While I favor nonpartisan redistricting, I don’t think unilateral disarmament makes sense while the opposition in other states uses gerrymandering to give the GOP more Congressional seats than they are entitled to.
- Morty - Thursday, Jun 27, 19 @ 3:40 pm:
I certainly hope so.
I believe in unilateral disarmament on this issue. Most of the rest of the country have weaponized the redistricting issue in favor of the Republicans.
Democrats being “go(Ing) high when they go low” is exactly what got us into the mess we are on a national level.
Or look at it this way- if the Conservatives hadn’t blocked Obama’s last SCOTUS nominee and allowed confirmation hearings and a moderate judge on the bench- then the SCOTUS flips politically and partisan gerrymandering by states probably has to go to the wayside.
If I have to live with the negative consequenses of a right wing Court, then Illinois Republicans should have to live with the consequences the ONE time it doesn’t help them.
- West Side the Best Side - Thursday, Jun 27, 19 @ 3:40 pm:
The Democratic Party did pretty well too.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jun 27, 19 @ 3:44 pm:
I voted “yes”
“Why?”
The Raunerites who voted against their districts, social services, higher education… the Eastern Bloc folks… the Demmers, Barickmans, Wehrlis, Oberweis, Skillicorns… they forfeited the *right* to think they can look at Illinois and think they, as legislators, had or even have now, Illinois’ best interest at heart.
To consider these Raunerite folks willing partners to governing Illinois in a way that a map will help this state because another state representative that has a university in his/her district to vote against… or a state senator voting against social services because hurting folks might mean more money to get them elected…
… no thanks.
You wanted Rauner, you continue…
Continue to refuse acknowledgement of your hurtful actions towards Illinois…
“I’m frustrated too but taking steps to reform Illinois is more important than a short term budget stalemate”…
… Pritzker and the Dems owe NOTHING to Raunerites.
Z-E-R-O
…
Now, if some wanna pull a “Breen” and admit these errors, (until he took it back, but let’s forget that for this moment, lol) then I’d feel completely different.
Illinois doesn’t need any more Raunerite, Eastern Bloc, regional, angry folks in the General Assembly hooting about things that hurt Illinois, and scheming to punish because a wealthy benefactor took a party over.
Until I hear mea culpas, the Raunerite caucuses, littered now with folks like the Eastern Bloc aren’t going to help Illinois by having more seats in our legislature.
- Oneman - Thursday, Jun 27, 19 @ 3:44 pm:
Yes he will, no reason for him not to
- West Side the Best Side - Thursday, Jun 27, 19 @ 3:51 pm:
Small device, large fingers. Slipped and hit send before full comment. Democratic party did pretty well in a lot of highly populated areas of state. They might do well here independently drawn map, so JB might be able to keep his promise.
- Robert the Bruce - Thursday, Jun 27, 19 @ 4:02 pm:
Yes. I imagine he’ll wiggle out of this by having the legislature appoint an allegedly independent commission that won’t really be independent.
- Former Candidate on the Ballot - Thursday, Jun 27, 19 @ 4:06 pm:
Yes - He would risk having his veto overridden by the veto proof majority in each chamber, that just might get bipartisan support on this issue. In my opinion it is very hard to get a GA member to truly support Term limits and/or a +/-1 District map -
- SSL - Thursday, Jun 27, 19 @ 4:11 pm:
Voted yes. It would be a rare politician that wouldn’t wiggle out. I don’t think JB is that rare.
- JoanP - Thursday, Jun 27, 19 @ 4:11 pm:
How can he not? Doesn’t Illinois law put the redistricting process in the hands of the legislature? Sure, it’s nice to say there should be a independent commission, but that’s not the legal process (yet).
- Langhorne - Thursday, Jun 27, 19 @ 4:12 pm:
Yes. Reality.
Politics is the accumulation of advantage under conditions of scarcity and change. Never just give it away.
Madigan will offer repubs participation, then steamroll them.
- SpfdNewb - Thursday, Jun 27, 19 @ 4:16 pm:
Voted no on the hope that Pritzker keeps his word. Being a realist, I know this is false hope, but Pritzker did say the right things so I’ll give him a chance.
- Louis G. Atsaves - Thursday, Jun 27, 19 @ 4:19 pm:
If Pritzker has national ambitions, being anti-gerrymandering or pushing independently drawn maps would make him a dream candidate on the national stage. He was making noises about property tax reforms for a while. Now that he has proven that he has purchased and now owns the Democratic party of Illinois, he can remold it into his own image.
- Norseman - Thursday, Jun 27, 19 @ 4:22 pm:
Yes. While the Illinois map is not as lopsided as most, it would be political malpractice to totally abandon some advantage. The GOP has engaged in asymmetrical constitutional hardball in greater frequency and severity than that practiced by the Dems. If the courts are now of no use as an arbiter of a more nonpartisan process, it would be stupid for the Dems to unilaterally disarm.
I believe JB will be convinced of this. The only question is what subterfuge or excuse will be developed to enable J.B. to sign the Dem map.
- The 647 - Thursday, Jun 27, 19 @ 4:31 pm:
Does his veto even matter? The dems could override it with their current numbers.
- @misterjayem - Thursday, Jun 27, 19 @ 4:37 pm:
IMHO, unilateral disarmament is terrible policy.
– MrJM
- Norseman - Thursday, Jun 27, 19 @ 4:38 pm:
=== … he will veto an unfair map. ===
Based on my definition of “unfair” or yours.
- Gerry Mander - Thursday, Jun 27, 19 @ 4:38 pm:
The map can’t get worse for the GOP
- striketoo - Thursday, Jun 27, 19 @ 4:40 pm:
Unilateral disarmament is always a good idea. Not.
- Believer - Thursday, Jun 27, 19 @ 4:41 pm:
J.B. has kept his word on the big things he says and deserves benefit of the doubt at this point. The last governor was a bold lier but this one has shown not to be at this point.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Jun 27, 19 @ 4:41 pm:
===The map can’t get worse for the GOP ===
Don’t kid yourself.
- Quibbler - Thursday, Jun 27, 19 @ 4:41 pm:
Yes, and today’s SCOTUS decision gave him the perfect reason to do it. Partisan gerrymandering just got the legal green light, and Democrats can’t afford to unilaterally disarm.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jun 27, 19 @ 4:44 pm:
===The governor has pledged he will veto an unfair map.===
The goal is to have a fair map… that is drawn for trends 5-6 years ahead to get more seats by demographic shifts.
In theory, Pritzker could sign that fair map… knowing it’s drawn long term to continue partisan majorities.
That’s the smart way to handle this.
- Benjamin - Thursday, Jun 27, 19 @ 4:47 pm:
I voted yes. He’ll come under a lot of pressure not to unilaterally stand down as Republican-run states continue to gerrymander Democrats out of existence. If I were him, I’d explicitly tie a fair map (or a law that would create one) to a state gerrymandered by Republicans–say, Wisconsin–doing the same.
- illini - Thursday, Jun 27, 19 @ 4:48 pm:
I trust that JB and the majority party will do the right thing when drawing the GA districts. My big question is how the Congressional Districts are redrawn after Illinois loses one or two seats.
- Nick Name - Thursday, Jun 27, 19 @ 4:49 pm:
Voted yes. In light of today’s SCOTUS decision, he’s practically duty-bound to wiggle out of it.
- Da Lobsta - Thursday, Jun 27, 19 @ 4:54 pm:
Of course he will wiggle, squirm and connive his way into the strongest possible map for his party. There’s just zero reason to believe he’ll do anything different. You don’t parade around the state and boast about winning in areas where Dems haven’t won since the Great Depression — only to turn around and just hand those areas right back to your political opponent.
As we’ve come to learn in recent months, J.B.’s definition of ‘fair’ is incredibly subjective and open to interpretation.
- IllinoisCitizen - Thursday, Jun 27, 19 @ 4:55 pm:
I agree with the statements about unilateral disarmament. Perhaps if the Governor of Florida agrees to abide by a fair map, then we can too. But until Republican states also play by those rules, why would we allow them to continue to game the system. At best, I would suggest a “fair” state map and a remarkably gerrymandered Congressional map. Let Rodney and Mike fight it out for Little Eqypt and connect the blue portions of the MetroEast so that Ds get another downstate representative.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Jun 27, 19 @ 4:58 pm:
===Perhaps if the Governor of Florida agrees to abide by a fair map, then we can too===
What does Florida have to do with our state legislative districts?
- Norseman - Thursday, Jun 27, 19 @ 4:58 pm:
Illini, I suspect downstate GOP members will be looking for other jobs.
- Just Me 2 - Thursday, Jun 27, 19 @ 5:01 pm:
To the update: couldn’t help but notice the administration doesn’t define a fair map.
It will be fair to the Democratic Party, that we can be sure of.
- Thomas Paine - Thursday, Jun 27, 19 @ 5:03 pm:
=== That designated body should reflect the gender, racial, and geographic diversity of the state and look to preserve the Voting Rights Act decisions to ensure racial and language minorities are fully represented in the electoral process. ===
👆🏻 It’s called the Illinois General Assembly.
Pritzker can try to force an independent map and maybe spend $100 million defending a bunch of district or sign the map offered by legislators and spend 12 months ignoring Susan Garrett.
I know what I would do.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Jun 27, 19 @ 5:06 pm:
=== couldn’t help but notice the administration doesn’t define a fair map. ===
The definition was in my question.
- Thomas Paine - Thursday, Jun 27, 19 @ 5:06 pm:
BTW, I would not be surprised by an Agreed Map.
- frustrated GOP - Thursday, Jun 27, 19 @ 5:07 pm:
I voted yes, but does it matter. We have a Democratic supper majority because GOP controlled seats flipped, and they aren’t going to change in 2020. if anything it could get worse for the GOP. So really how much does the map really matter? I mean even when the GOP got to draw the map Lee Daniels throw the chance away. So maybe the answer is no, they can have a independent map and still clean up.
- walker - Thursday, Jun 27, 19 @ 5:08 pm:
Using one key metric of political bias in maps, which has been argued by fair maps advocates in federal court cases, current Illinois Congressional maps were actually found to be the “fairest” in the United States. With the other three bias metrics often argued in court, Illinois always rated in the best five states. Mind-blowing I know. That’s one reason I have never feared some new fair mapping process in our state — it wouldn’t actually change election outcomes all that much.
- Flapdoodle - Thursday, Jun 27, 19 @ 5:12 pm:
“Fairness” is in the eye of the beholder. JB might not accept a totally, obviously skewed remap, but a more artful, subtle remap that positions the Dems to maintain secure majorities — well, a guy could convince himself that’s a fair outcome. It’s called confirmation bias.
- MyTwoCents - Thursday, Jun 27, 19 @ 5:41 pm:
First of all, there’s still the 2020 election before the remaps so it would be interesting to see if there are any major changes to the makeup of the General Assembly when re-mapping comes around.
Secondly, I’m guessing Governor Pritzker could always split the difference. Go fair maps for the General Assembly and be a little more partisan with the Congressional districts. As walker pointed out, I think the Dems would retain their advantages even if it was a non-partisan map. Also, Congressional districts are where it matters to counter the blatant acts by Republicans in other states.
- Not a Billionaire - Thursday, Jun 27, 19 @ 5:41 pm:
He could keep his promise at state level and on Congress Illinois and New York could agree to independent map at the Congressional level of Texas and Florida do……
- Left Leaner - Thursday, Jun 27, 19 @ 5:43 pm:
Voted no.
Believe Pritzker is looking to shake up our political system. He hasn’t waivered in his position on this and his statements have been pretty strong. Even now.
He has some a full bank of political capital and the money for a show down with Madigan on this.
And a map by an independent commission isn’t going to hand the Republicans a majority in the House or Senate by a long shot.
Bet he’ll poll the heck out of the public on this though.
Guess we’ll see.
- Tim - Thursday, Jun 27, 19 @ 6:11 pm:
When pigs fly.
- Harvest76 - Thursday, Jun 27, 19 @ 6:44 pm:
Yes. Because, politics.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jun 27, 19 @ 6:48 pm:
===…is still king.===
When I read stuff like this… I can *hear* the mouth breathing.
The brain cells seem to fade too, that someone typed “king”…
- Nitemayor - Thursday, Jun 27, 19 @ 8:12 pm:
The democrats were so partisan they gave us Mike Bost and Rodney Davis. Unfair maps, like beauty, are in the eye or the beholder.
- IllinoiisCitizen - Thursday, Jun 27, 19 @ 8:20 pm:
In re: Florida. An example for congressional redistricting, similar to another statement about Indiana. Clearly redistricting for the GA is a purely Illinois consideration. But the GA does control both local and federal redistricting.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Jun 27, 19 @ 9:06 pm:
===But the GA does control both local and federal ===
The question is clearly about state redistricting, not reapportionment.
- TheInvisibleMan - Friday, Jun 28, 19 @ 12:33 am:
No.
If the GA passes a veto-proof redistricting bill, he can still veto it and keep his pledge.
Then a veto-override happens.
Could be a good use of political capital. But I’ve only spent about 5 minutes thinking about this, so it could also be a terrible idea too.
- Anonymous - Friday, Jun 28, 19 @ 8:48 am:
The update is the wiggle.
- IllinoisCitizen - Friday, Jun 28, 19 @ 9:04 am:
Oops. Missed that part next time I’ll pay closer attention
- BMC - Friday, Jun 28, 19 @ 10:14 am:
That response is a huge wiggle out already. Instead of an independent commission, now it is up to Pritzker to judge what is fair. Disappointing to say the least.