Mr. Deeds goes too far
Abba Cuss
You, Delegate Deeds, are currently represented by a senator, Bo
Trumbo, who has two years left to serve. So why do you seek the
unexpired term of late Sen. Emily Couric, whose constituent you never
were?
A special election to fill an unexpired State Senate term is being
held in a district somewhat different from the one that elected the
late senator. Residents in two counties will be completely
disenfranchised, because their votes will be transferred to other
counties that are already represented by a senator. These are the
facts, as reported to me from various sources:
-- In 1999, Emily Couric (older sister of Katie Couric of NBC News)
was elected to a four-year term in the Virginia State Senate from the
25th district, which included Greene and Madison counties, along with
other territory. (The district appears on a map at
<http://www.senate.state.va.us/s1_2.htm>.)
-- In the same 1999 election, Bo Trumbo was elected to a four-year
term in the Virginia State Senate from the 22nd district, which
included Alleghany, Bath, and other counties.
-- In mid-2001, a reapportionment act mapped a new 25th district, with
the first election under the new boundaries to be held in 2003. The
new district added Alleghany and Bath counties -- but excluded Greene
and Madison counties.
-- In October 2001, Sen. Emily Couric died with two years left in her
term, leaving her constituents (including those in Greene and Madison
counties) without representation.
-- On 10 November 2001, at a special convention to fill the vacancy,
the so-called Democratic party nominated Del. Creigh Deeds of Bath
County, who is currently one of Sen. Trumbo's constituents and was
never one of Sen. Couric's.
If you, Mr. Deeds, in pursuit of naked ambition, fail to recognize and
oppose injustice, you will prove yourself unworthy to hold any
position of public trust. Fortunately, if you are elected senator by a
process tainted with inequity, any resident of the disenfranchised
counties will be able to sue in federal court to retire you and
replace you with a democratically-elected senator.
Should you have any qualms, ask a high school class whether it is
right to for some people to elect two senators while others go
unrepresented.
Bearing no personal animosity toward you, Mr. Deeds, I wish to give
you the opportunity to address this injustice while you can still
blame it on the Gilmorons who administer elections. I suggest you
waste no time in speaking out. The election should take place in the
district that was vacated.
I invite you to follow the discussion as it develops at
<http://www.rev.net/people/aloe/virginia#election>.
-- Abba Cuss
Bruce Harper
Cuss <al...@rev.net> wrote:
> [An open letter to Virginia Delegate R. Creigh Deeds]
> Bearing no personal animosity toward you, Mr. Deeds, I wish to give
> you the opportunity to address this injustice while you can still
> blame it on the Gilmorons who administer elections. I suggest you
> waste no time in speaking out. The election should take place in the
> district that was vacated.
Well, the Democratic Party in Virginia tried to resolve the blatant
gerrymandering put in place by the Robertsonian Republicans with a
court suit (still pending in Salem). The RRs waved their hands and
said there wasn't anything wrong with the new districts and there
shouldn't be any delay in the (just completed) elections. So why
blame Deeds and the Democrats for just going along with what the
Robertsonian Republicans have said is OK? After all, if Deeds is
elected, it will open the way to right one of the many wrongs of
redistricting by allowing Jim Shuler to run in the district he
originally represented before the RRs messed up the map (what Bath
County has in common with Blacksburg is beyond everyone in this
part of the goofy district).
Of course, in a fantasy political league, districts would make perfect
sense and boundries wouldn't be adjusted by three blocks just to put
Dick Cranwell in a new district with two other Democrats. Blacksburg
would be in a district that encompased the urban New River Valley, not
the rural mountains of Craig, Alleghany, and Bath Counties. Couric's
replacement would come from her actual district, not the new made-up
one. Of course, this being a fantasy, we wouldn't have been saddled
with finance-inept Jim Gilmoron and his blind adherance to his
"NO CAR TAX!" scam that has nearly bankrupt the Commonwealth.
Bruce in Blacksburg
--
Bruce B. Harper
bharper at vt.edu
Blacksburg, Virginia
John Gilmer
> Well, the Democratic Party in Virginia tried to resolve the blatant
> gerrymandering put in place by the Robertsonian Republicans with a
> court suit (still pending in Salem).
Ha, ha!
Well, let's see: when the democRATs were in charge of the process they
eliminated George Allan's seat in Congress (thank, BTW) and causes the First
District to reach across the bay.
Turn about is fair play!
Abba Cuss
news:<131120011724507265%vtwe...@my-deja.com>...
> > I suggest you
> > waste no time in speaking out.
> So why
> blame Deeds and the Democrats for just going along with what the
> Robertsonian Republicans have said is OK?
The same reason we blame the Democrats for rolling over and letting
the Republicans steal elections, rob widows and orphans of support,
and give our tax money away to corporate lobbyists.
However, Deeds hasn't been blamed yet. He has been warned that he may
wind up without a job.
> After all, if Deeds is
> elected, it will open the way to right one of the many wrongs of
> redistricting by allowing Jim Shuler to run
He could have run in the primary against Deeds.
> in the district he
> originally represented
That district will be gone in a few weeks.
> (what Bath
> County has in common with Blacksburg is beyond everyone in this
> part of the goofy district).
You think they shouldn't be in the same state? Where would you draw
the line?
> Of course, in a fantasy political league,
If legislators do not bring our fantasies to fruition, why do we
employ them?
> districts would make perfect
> sense
What do you think of the standards at
<http://www.rev.net/~aloe/district/va2000.html>?
> and boundries wouldn't be adjusted by three blocks just to put
> Dick Cranwell in a new district with two other Democrats.
What's the purpose of tight residency requirements? They just
encourage manipulation. People should be free to elect a legislator
who lives in an adjacent district.
> Blacksburg
> would be in a district that encompased the urban New River Valley,
According to <http://www.rev.net/~aloe/district/va2000d.html>, it
wouldn't have to go beyond Montgomery County.
-- Ward Cleaver
Abba Cuss
news:<3bf25a34$0$14...@dingus.crosslink.net>...
> > Well, the Democratic Party in Virginia tried to resolve the blatant
> > gerrymandering put in place by the Robertsonian Republicans with a
> > court suit (still pending in Salem).
> Well, let's see: when the democRATs were in charge of the process they
> eliminated George Allan's seat in Congress (thank, BTW) and causes the First
> District to reach across the bay.
Doesn't one of the districts have to reach across the bay, unless the
state line is erased as shown at
<http://www.rev.net/people/aloe/region/dixie.html>? When is the last
time no district jumped the bay?
> Turn about is fair play!
I see. What would be a fair way for the residents of Greene and
Madison counties to turn on the politicians who have stolen their
representation in the State Senate?
-- Abba Cuss
John Gilmer
"Abba Cuss" <al...@rev.net> wrote in message
news:3bf37273$0$16272$4c41...@reader1.ash.ops.us.uu.net...
> "John Gilmer" <gil...@crosslink.net> wrote in message
> news:<3bf25a34$0$14...@dingus.crosslink.net>...
> > > Well, the Democratic Party in Virginia tried to resolve the blatant
> > > gerrymandering put in place by the Robertsonian Republicans with a
> > > court suit (still pending in Salem).
>
> > Well, let's see: when the democRATs were in charge of the process they
> > eliminated George Allan's seat in Congress (thank, BTW) and causes the
First
> > District to reach across the bay.
>
> Doesn't one of the districts have to reach across the bay, unless the
> state line is erased as shown at
> <http://www.rev.net/people/aloe/region/dixie.html>? When is the last
> time no district jumped the bay?
Well, sport, you can cross the bay at it's widest point (which the 1st does
now) OR you can have the 1st run across the bay bridge/tunnel as it used to
do.
>
> > Turn about is fair play!
>
> I see. What would be a fair way for the residents of Greene and
> Madison counties to turn on the politicians who have stolen their
> representation in the State Senate?
Well, had they not voted for a soon to be dead person they would not have
been it the situation.
In any case, the situation will be fixed at the next proper election.
>
> -- Abba Cuss
>
>