Letter: Cartoon takes stand against bad practice

Sunday October 29, 2017

Editor:


Thank you to Tim Hartman for the excellent editorial cartoon in the Oct. 20 Reading Eagle. The egregious gerrymandering in Pennsylvania is indeed a monster. It needs to stop now.

Having politicians draw the lines for their own districts robs all of us our voice. It allows the political elite and party leadership to control the election process. We have no choice when it comes to electing our legislators. Our votes do not count. It leads to the extreme partisanship and bickering we see in Harrisburg and Washington.

Our state legislators are hiding behind the League of Women Voters lawsuit to avoid talking to their constituents and moving House Bill 722 and Senate Bill 22 out of committee. Lawsuits are about what shouldn't happen, not what should happen. Even if the state Supreme Court rules the current maps are unconstitutional and must be redrawn, that will not solve the problem. As long as politicians are drawing the maps, our voices will not be heard. It is time for an independent citizens commission to draw the maps. We need districts that represent our local communities.

Readers should contact their state legislators, the party leadership in Harrisburg and the chairman of the House Government Committee now and urge them to support HB 722 and SB 22.


Sally Trump
Womelsdorf

Cartoon takes stand against bad practice