The Rev Dr. Rick SchlosserPeople of faith say YES on Proposition 50
Proposition 50 Recommendation: SUPPORT
Authorizes Temporary Changes to Congressional District Maps in Response to Texas’ Partisan Redistricting. Legislative Constitutional Amendment
California Council of Churches IMPACT is the advocacy sister organization of the California Council of Churches. We serve 1.5 million members within 21 denominations and organizations of the mainline Protestant communities of faith in our state. We have as the Council offered educational background on public policy since 1913 and direct advocacy on issues via IMPACT since 1995. As an organization, we have no single public policy expertise, but we act for our diverse citizens whose core interest is the preservation of our democratic Republic.
Because of our unique position, CCC IMPACT was part of the Common Cause panel that created what became the Citizens Commission on Redistricting. It was one of our proudest moments because it put California in the lead nationally for restoring legitimacy to redistricting, ending partisanship in that process.
However well California did, nationally, partisanship has increased not decreased. Today we are faced with a challenge that is painful but necessary. Redistricting is normally done once a decade based on new census figures. This year, however, naked partisanship and power grabs are leading some states, notably Texas, to do mid-decade redistricting that is blatantly seeking a highly partisan distribution of Congressional seats in violation of the Voting Rights Act and non-partisan outcomes. It is being done to remove Congressional oversight of the Executive branch, and that is entirely unacceptable.
Proposition 50 commits California to balancing that outcome. It will also permit mid-decade redistricting to offer equal numbers of seats to offset those in Texas. It is a one-time, limited action for the good of the Republic. We, not the legislature, are making this choice.
Proposition 50 will sunset in 2030, the Commission will be restored for the new census, and many of the Commission’s founding groups are, like CCC IMPACT, supporting this ballot measure. We believe we have a larger call to counteract the biased, naked power grab in other states. We think it is moral and just to take our nation’s well being into account in the face of such a national threat to democracy. By giving us a voice in the decision, we exercise democracy to save democracy. We encourage every voter to support Proposition 50 to restore balance to our federal system. It’s the right thing to do.
Spread the Word!
We encourage members and friends to distribute these ballot guides from now until the election through “IMPACT Sundays.” More information on IMPACT Sundays is available on our website. We thank you for your interest in encouraging active deliberation on these and all issues that affect our democratic process and our moral perspectives as people of faith. If you find these recommendations helpful, please help defray the cost with a contribution to California Council of Churches IMPACT. You can help us by making sure we have your email address! Because of the cost of postage, we must cut costs by sending our mailings electronically. Please sign up by clicking the “Join Our Mailing List” button on our website!
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