End gerrymandering

Two years ago, an American president refused to accept his failure to be reelected. He dealt with it by convincing some Americans (with no more proof than his personal hearsay) that the election was rigged and that the federal government headed by a new president needed to be overthrown.

Fortunately, democracy held that day, but subsequent ramifications have included a partisan call to revamp the electoral process, again, despite any evidence that it had failed. This has resulted in many changes in many states to better assure (so we are told) that every voice is accurately accounted for.

State legislatures were, accordingly, prompted to carry the ball downfield and assure that this mandate for fair elections be made secure. Some states fumbled; some, on purpose. Some groups were excluded from voting for one reason or another, but the proud American tradition of gerrymandering found full flower in many state capitals including our own, where, if those legislators responsible for this had any capacity to feel shame, would not allow themselves to be seen in public without paper bags over their heads.

Our federal and state legislators (small “l” to reflect my respect) despite a mandate for fair representation outdid themselves in “packing” and “cracking” state demographics to maximize party representatives instead of coalescing voting blocks of people of similar interests as they should. Federal District 1 almost encircling District 2 and the bite taken out of the city of Bowling Green for the state are prime examples of this transgression.

I will not decry our Frankfort Republicans alone. I am fairly certain our Democrats would have done the same if they had the opportunity as there is little accountability to prevent politicians from doing so.

Gerrymandering makes a mockery out of democracy.

It needs to be given a lethal dose of equity.

Gary Verst

Bowling Green