Letter to the Editor: Maryland should take the time to get redistricting right

Dear Editor,

I commend the Maryland General Assembly for calling a special session on redistricting. We have needed it for a while. But the way the General Assembly is going about this is all wrong.

That congressional districts, and for that matter legislative districts, should be “compact, contiguous, and mindful of natural boundaries” seems like common sense. Sometimes ideas that initially sound good are not, and vice versa. For the General Assembly to try to reverse something that seems like common sense in two days is scary when it took God seven days to create the universe.

I have testified on legislation in the past. I had bills introduced in the past. And I’m just a private citizen. No legislator necessarily endorses this email.

In one case, the chair, who was very nice, announced the decision of the committee before hearing my testimony. And the first three words of the Constitution are? It is the same with this legislation. Listen to voters. Listen to experts, Mr. President and Madam Speaker.

“The only title in our democracy superior to that of President is the title of citizen.” Jimmy Carter

If we’re going to do redistricting, let’s do it right.

Let’s have political scientists present data and studies on how redistricting plans can lead to better outcomes, and a cross-section of ideas being considered. Even if they are not mine. Alert the media. Oh wait a second.

Let’s have a stronger, longer special session where citizens may make their views known and let’s get the big picture and have better thought-out and better crafted legislation.

For counter analysis, some people may say that citizens may vote it up or down anyway as a constitutional amendment. This is true. But we need better substance. We hear from citizens and other amendments.

Rather than what some people are calling a knee-jerk reaction of trying to re-district out Maryland’s only Republican.

Democrats may say, well, Republicans in other states are doing it to us so we have to do it in Maryland. No. Maryland governs Maryland. Let’s do what’s best for Maryland and not jump off a cliff with the lemmings that are the other states.

I personally do not want to live in Congressman Raskin‘s district. I see Congressman Raskin on television ranting about USAID when I see homeless people on the streets of the Eighth District of Maryland. I care about three people: John Q public, Jane Q public and Seth B. Miller. I don’t care about the presidents of Harvard and MIT. They can take care of themselves. I do not need my Congressman representing them but representing me

We can do better. Let’s show them how Maryland can lead by example.

Seth B. Miller

Rockville