I am thrilled to report that the Fair Representation Act (H.R. #3057) was introduced by Rep Don Beyer (D VA) on Monday. When passed (!), THe FairRepAct will eliminate gerrymandering, reduce polarization, elect more women & partisans everywhere, and encourage civility by establishing ranked choice voting in multi-winner districts. In the shorter term we hope its introduction will spur a deeper conversation about the root causes of our electoral crisis and the innovative reforms necessary for a voter-driven democracy. Here are some of the press hits from this week's launch:
- Rep Beyer had this piece in the Washington Post,
- Dave Daley interviewed Beyer for Salon,
- Rob and FairVote board chair Krist Novoselic were on Washington Journal,
- Anita Earls had a piece in The Nation,
- The American Prospect wrote a piece, and
- FV staffer Austin Plier stars in this short video about the Fair Representation Act.
I cannot emphasize enough the impact the Fair Representation Act will have on the election of female candidates to the House of Representatives by creating more open seats and giving voters the power to elect candidates of choice.
There was a story in Politico this week about Christine Radogno, the Illinois GOP state senate leader. Long considered among the few leaders who could work toward compromise, Radogno was pushed aside this week:
Amid an epic budget stalemate in Illinois, GOP state Senate leader Christine Radogno has announced her resignation, effective Saturday, a signal that the interminable impasse will not soon come to a close."I did my best, that's all I could do," Radogno said. "It has been a privilege to serve. But now I am looking forward to returning to private life and spending time with my family, especially my five grandchildren."Radogno was the co-architect, along with state Senate Democrat John Cullerton of the now-defunct, so-called 'grand bargain,' which was a major compromise effort to end the state's budget crisis.In a resignation address before reporters in Springfield on Thursday, Radogno said it was her hope that the grand bargain would pass out of the state Senate. It failed after GOP Gov. Bruce Rauner put the brakes on the legislative package, saying it didn't go far enough.
Many, many women of all races, ages, and beliefs helped to birth this nation - I cannot do justice to their legacy. It's up to us to be the generation that our daughters and their daughters look back to with pride and admiration for making equality a reality.