By James Call
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wfsu/local-wfsu-896882.mp3
Tallahassee, FL – Senate and House Republican leaders are pushing a proposed constitutional amendment that expands a pair of citizen proposed redistricting measures on the November ballot. Both chambers have resolutions on the fast track. James Call reports efforts to change how political districts are drawn are fracturing Democratic and minority caucuses.
Amendments 4 and 5 prohibit lawmakers from creating legislative and congressional districts that benefit political parties or candidates. Fair Districts critics say a third clarifying amendment is needed.
Senator Eleanor Sobel asked, "It clarifies that the Legislature is supreme, is that it, over the Constitution? What are they clarifying?"
Attorney Mark Herron replied, "It clarifies that the efforts of the citizens to put five and six on the ballot mean nothing and we're going to do just whatever we want to do; that is what the words say."
Friday morning, Senate Democrats plotted strategy for an afternoon committee meeting. A resolution co-sponsored by Democratic Senator Gary Siplin would be up for a vote. Essentially, it asks voters to require that federal redistricting standards be used when redrawing districts in 2012. Fair Districts supporters call it a poison pill. The Fair Districts effort is supported by members of the Democratic coalition, teachers, labor and so on. Siplin's resolution creates a dilemma for Democrats.
"The Fair Districts amendment basically says we're going to give you reform,' and this new amendment says except for, of course, the reform you want."
Senator Dan Gelber is a candidate for Attorney General and is addressing a couple of ifs. If all three amendments were to pass it would be up to the courts to sort it out, and if Gelber's candidacy is successful, he would be one of the attorneys in the mix determing what the law should be.
"Listen, I overwhelming support Fair Districts. I think it makes a lot of sense. Ironically, Governor Bush campaigned with Governor Schwarzenegger to do the exact same type of proposal in California where it was a Democratic legislature and Republicans believing that there needs to be more thoughtfulness in the drawing of districts."
The Florida AFL-CIO has spent money, energy and good will in support of Fair Districts. President Mike Williams gathered with the Democratic Caucus before Friday's floor session and committee meetings. Williams can count. He knows the Democrats are outnumbered in committee and realizes if they were united, they still would not be able to block a two-thirds vote needed on the floor to pass the resolution. Democrats lost that tool when Senator Deutch earlier in the week won a special congressional election. Still, Williams urged Fair Districts allies to fight the good fight.
"The fight starts today. Not this summer. It actually starts today, and a lot of the activites and a lot of the statements and a lot of the questions that are going to be in committee and on the floor are going to bring out issues that we can build on to use as reasons not to pass this amendment."
The Fair Districts debate may become colored by race. The opponents have a concise argument. Florida has a redistricting system that is approved by federal courts and produced six minority congressmen in a state that did not elect one in the more than one hundred years since the end of Reconstruction. Senator Gary Siplin is chair of the Black Caucus, is sponsoring the clarifying amendment, and apparently has little patience with his critics.
"But he doesn't represent a minority district. So, he ought to let the experts talk about the minority districts who are experts in that area, and I am one of them. I was a part of redistricting in 2000, I know what the law is, and all this amendment does is make sure that minority districts and minority access districts will be protected over the next reapportionment cycle."
A consistent supporter of labor in the Florida Legislature is African American Senator Tony Hill. As union members often do in such discussions, he asked what about the people who come after us?' That was the reference to the eventual retirement of the six current minority members of Congress. Hill speaks with the weariness of a man who sees no good options.
"It's a reality, as Senator Wilson said, and it is something we're going to have to deal with."
The Senate Democratic Caucus does not have a position on the clarifying amendment. It lacks the votes to block it from the November ballot. Still, Senator Jeremy Ring was game to fight a losing battle in committee and on the floor on behalf of Fair Districts.
"We're in the minority party. It's more routine than not."