
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, April 15, 1991                   TAG: 9104150251
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A-9   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: LEWIS R. SHECKLER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

. . . AND TO KEEP THE INS IN

PLANS FOR new General Assembly districts disappoint almost everyone but the Democratic officeholders who created them. Their redistricting schemes are a thinly disguised Democratic Incumbent Protection Plan.

Some districts are shaped like figures doodled by abstract artists. Sen. Madison Marye's 39th District looks like a skinny man with a big head, sitting in an upholstered chair. Sen. Buzz Emick's 22nd District resembles a pig that has a long thin neck and a head with no jaw. Sen. William Wampler's 40th District is a lopsided arrowhead.

The state constitution and good government require legislative districts that are reasonably compact. The Democratic legislators ignored good government and constitutional requirements. They created districts that sprawl all over the landscape. Marye's, for example, extends all the way from northern Montgomery County to the North Carolina border, almost 80 miles away, but is as narrow as 15 miles.

Many people will drive much farther to visit their state legislators than should be necessary. In some cases, they will drive past the homes of legislators representing other districts.

Some Pulaski County residents live less than 20 highway miles from Sen. Daniel Bird's home and about 45 miles from Sen. Marye's home, but more than 70 miles from Emick, their proposed new senator. They will drive past Marye's home to visit Emick.

Smythe County residents who live about 22 miles from Bird's home will drive more than 70 miles to visit their senator, Marye. They will drive past Bird's home. This is ridiculous!

The redistricting is extremely partisan, too. The proposed districts will remove eight current Republican delegates from the House, but preserve almost all seats held by Democrats. Democratic seats will be made more secure, too. To accomplish their Democrat-incumbent goals, the legislators are chopping up counties and cities every which way.

How should Virginia voters react to arrogant legislators who thumb their noses at good government and our state Constitution? The answer is obvious: Remove those politicians from office.

The cynical, self-serving redistricting by incumbent legislators highlights the need to limit their terms. Term limitation would encourage politicians to focus more on good government and less on keeping their positions.

The Democratic incumbents' redistricting scheme points up another reason for term limitation. Districts that deter competition produce legislators who feel accountable to no one. We can, however, solve the problem of imperial lifetime legislators by limiting the time legislators can spend in office.

The people of Virginia should remove from office every high-handed incumbent who creates legislative districts that protect incumbents at the expense of good government. Furthermore, Virginians should elect candidates who will limit the terms of state and federal legislators. Good, responsive government is possible.

Ultimate political power belongs to the people. They decide in the voting booth whether Virginia is governed by legislators who serve themselves or serve the people. Those people who vote - and those who do not - get the kind of government they deserve.

Lewis Sheckler of Radford was a Republican nominee in 1985 and 1987 for the House of Delegates.

Keywords:
POLITICS

by CNB