I'm convinced that two decades from now, the political script will be the same in California: The Democrats and Republicans will be squabbling over state finances, and the legal deadline for getting the budget passed will be missed.These folks make the laws, but they sure don't abide by them. They'd rather point fingers at the rest of us.The one thing you can count on in Sacramento is legislators unable to get beyond the talking points their party leaders put in front of them. The tired, old politics we see today hurts most Californians, but it's great for getting re-elected. You see, the state's legislative districts are drawn with party extremists in mind, so elected officials throw red meat to the political fringes. Forget about fixing the state's problems.The only thing that might turn this scenario around is a change in the way legislative districts are drawn. If the districts are competitive, then the politicians might actually have to show results. Then, we might get budgets passed on time, and solutions to our water, transportation and health care crises.There would also have to be pressure from California's docile voters. Most of them stay home on election day and rationalize that their votes don't mean anything anyway.But there could be a citizen revolt. First, voters would have to pay attention to the redistricting mess. Right now, they are bored by the issue. That could be remedied by a creative television producer. A reality show could draw ratings and get citizens involved in their government. Let's call it "American Redistricting" or "Do You Think You Can Draw Election Districts?"Each week, a politician gets voted out of the state Capitol by voters seizing control of the redistricting system from the legislators. You don't think that would be fun? "Sen. Don Perata, you're fired."The game wouldn't be easy. The politicians know that manipulating the system is their ticket to re-election. So they will be clinging to the Capitol dome. But someone will have to go each week. Text in your votes. Splat.Until then, we're stuck with the traditional way of reforming state government: the initiative process.Those who believe in good government have been trying to make the redistricting change in the Legislature, but the politicians have beaten back every attempt to curb that power.Now there's a measure on the November ballot that would establish an independent, 14-member commission to draw district lines for the Legislature. It's being pushed by a group called California Voters First, whose members include California Common Cause, AARP and Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce. The measure is supported by Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and former Democratic Controller Steve Westly.This measure is the best chance right now for the public to regain control of the Legislature. To win this election, reform proponents must explain to voters exactly why the current system is bad. They must show that elections are fixed. Unless someone really does something stupid, a seat won't change hands. Even when a lawmaker is termed out, the seat won't change parties.That's done by lumping a vast majority of one party's voters in one district. By using computer mapping, the politicians draw district lines that zigzag through neighborhoods, avoiding households of one party and picking up households of the party they want to win.This system protects both Democrats and Republicans. In fact, in 2001, the major parties agreed not to compete in a very disgraceful manipulation of the redistricting process.The Democrats and Republicans sure aren't telling California voters that they're in cahoots to limit competition in legislative elections in California. So while they may fight over raising taxes, they take care of each other on election day.That must change, and voters have a chance to make a difference by approving the redistricting reform measure on the November ballot. But the politicians are not going to roll over on this one. They'll try to confuse voters, hoping they'll vote "no" on a reform measure they don't understand.If that happens, then my scenario of nothing changing in Sacramento 20 years from now probably will be accurate. The politicians don't want to fix problems, they just want to complain about them.Jim Boren is The Fresno Bee's editorial page editor. E-mail him at jboren(at)fresnobee.com.(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, www.scrippsnews.com.)
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