Good riddance, Tom DeLay

I drove through Tom DeLay's Congressional district in Sugar Land, Texas, a couple of weeks ago; I'm sure that my mere presence was the factor that tipped the scales to make DeLay decide not to run for re-election.

Whether you believe in the causes Tom DeLay has championed or not, you must admit that he is one of the sleaziest politicians ever to disgrace the halls of the Capitol. He has never had the remotest shred of principles, only an insatiable greed for raw political power. Our government will be instantly improved by his mere absence.

Read more...The unprecedented mid-decade redistricting that DeLay engineered in Texas stands among the low points of American political history. Yes, the 2002 districts were tipped in the Democrats' favor, but the 2004 map substantially overcompensated for that flaw. Furthermore, the existence of the 2002 map owes itself entirely to the Republicans' refusal to work to a compromise plan that would be fair to both Democrats and Republicans. However, both maps point to the need to take the redistricting process out of the hands of the politicians. The convoluted district boundaries, not just in Texas, but in nearly every state, serve the interests of the incumbent politicians at the expense of their constituents. Non-partisan redistricting is urgently needed from sea to shining sea.

A non-partisan process for drawing legislative districts will hurt some Democrats and some Republicans, but it will benefit all of the people.

Technorati tags: Tom DeLay, Politics, Texas, Congress, Redistricting