Don’t leave map drawing to those who will benefit
Via Sauk Valley
The turmoil has partially subsided over a Chicago Little League team whose national title was taken away by Little League International.
One aspect of the story still resonates with reform-minded Illinoisans.
The adults who operated the Jackie Robinson West team apparently wanted to give the boys, ages 11 to 13, the best opportunity to win. The team operates within established geographic boundaries, but certain talented players lived outside those boundaries.
The solution? Some adult team leader quietly redrew the boundary map to bring in those top players.
The result gave the team ineligible players who helped it win a championship.
Hmm. Redrawing a map to give one side an unfair advantage.
Where have we heard that story before?
Sounds like the Illinois redistricting process to us.
Every 10 years after the Census is taken, our state constitution grants politicians, who stand to benefit from the results, the power to draw new maps for state House and Senate and the U.S. House.
And every 10 years, those politicians draw maps that slice and dice the state into oddly shaped districts designed to give maximum benefit to the party in power. Both Republicans and Democrats have abused the system; they just can’t help themselves.
Back