Fighting redistricting with redistricting
Re: “Group pursues map that would give Dems 7-1 edge,” Feb. 19 news story
As a reasonable and fair-minded voter, I was incredibly proud of Colorado for establishing a non-partisan commission to determine the Congressional Districts after each census. The result was District 8, which is a near 50/50 split between Republican and Democratic voters (27.3 % registered Democratic voters vs. 24.2% Republican). This is how the Framers envisioned the entire country. When this is successful, we truly have a government that is representative of the people.
However, with the recent efforts by the Republican Party to gerrymander states to gain more red seats, the tide has turned. If allowed to go unchecked, we would truly be living under an autocratic leader, where future elections and choices would likely be decided by the ruling party.
In spite of my feelings about rolling around in the mud with these perpetrators, the Democratic Party has no choice but to undertake this same effort in order to protect democracy and the rule of law. Once the Democrats are able to re-establish a firm footing, new regulations regarding elections and term limits can be enacted to rein in this anarchical behavior.
David Thomas, Denver
When it comes to redistricting, I completely get why Democrats do not want to unilaterally disarm. I would rather voters choose their elected representatives than have elected representatives choose their voters. But that is not where we are at.
The independent commission that set current district boundaries made an egregious error, in my opinion, by splitting Loveland and Fort Collins into different districts. The two cities and surrounding areas are part of a formalized metropolitan area. As well, Larimer and Boulder counties are home to our state’s two largest universities and the populations that serve and support both.
Interstate 25 is a natural cultural and economic divider, so if cleaving off parts of Northern Colorado is necessary, there is your dividing line. If the ballot measures do not unite Boulder, Longmont, Loveland, and Fort Collins, I will vote against them and urge others to do the same.
John W. Thomas, Fort Collins
I find it ironic that the proposed map to favor Democrats in seven of the eight Colorado Congressional districts is being proposed by a group called Coloradans for a Level Playing Field. Curtis Hubbard, spokesman for the group, claims, “No one wanted to have to take this action — independent redistricting is the ideal,” an ideal his group will abandon in order to skew voting for representation in Congress. Our state is currently balanced in representation equally among the eight districts, with Democrats having a slight edge.
To top it off, the issue will be decided by Colorado voters, not the state legislature. The recent redistricting proposal in Virginia, which would reduce Virginia’s Republican representation in Congress to one representative, will also head to the polls in April. To their credit, Republicans in the state legislature in red-state Indiana recently refused redistricting to favor Republicans, on ethical grounds.
States are now abandoning independent, bipartisan commissions that have traditionally been tasked with redistricting — often at 10-year intervals to coordinate with the Census. This manipulation, a frenzied approach to control Congress, seems unhealthy to our democracy.
Karen Libby, Denver
Wanna bet the commission’s move will benefit the Trumps?
Re: “Trump administration backs prediction markets vs. states,” Feb. 18 news story
President Trump appointed the chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, who then threw the weight of the federal government behind the prediction market and its primary operators, Kalshi and Polymarket. Any friendly decision the CFTC makes could financially benefit the president’s family: Donald Jr. has invested in Polymarket and is a “strategic advisor” to Kalshi.
Here’s a bet I want to make — a parlay: The CFTC will act in such a way that the Trump family will make millions, and Congress will ignore such obvious conflicts — unlike what they did when Hunter Biden was on the board of a foreign company that President Biden had no power to regulate. Put me down for the maximum.
Dan Danbom, Denver
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