Roland Burris and the Scourge of Political Gamesmanship

After the 1990 census, the Texas legislature was controlled by Democrats. As such, they also controlled the redistricting. Not surprisingly, the Democrats set up new districts in their favor, also known as Gerrymandering.

After the 2000 census, the roles were largely reversed. Only this time, then Governor George Bush was the Governor while the legislature was controlled by Democrats. Over the next two years, the two parties couldn't agree on new districts. Redistricting wasn't settled in that legislative session. By 2002, the legislature was now also controlled by Republicans. At this point, even House Majority Whip Tom Delay got involved. This was technically outside of Texas guidelines as redistricting was supposed to be resolved in the session following the census. The Democrats demanded the matter be dropped. Rick Perry, the new Governor, instead called a special summer session of the Legislature to take up the issue of redistricting.

The issue continued to drag on into 2003. The Republicans drew up districts that were largely favorable to them. The Democrats, unable to muster enough votes to stop it, fled to Oklahoma and New Mexico to stop a quorum from occurring. As such, the Democrats stopped a legal vote from occurring. Delay went so far as to call the state police to arrest the Democrats. The issue was eventually resolved in the favor of the Republicans, but not before a series of court fights and a spectacle that played out in front of local, state, national, and even international media. What exactly was resolved? A blatant act of Gerrymandering to counter another blatant act of Gerrymandering ten years earlier. Not only this but it was an act that went outside of its own state rules.

The saga of the redistricting plan in Texas is the main reason that I hate political gamesmanship. As each side attempts to one up the other, Eventually, the political moves become more and more extreme and eventually one side flees out of state in order to stop a quorum.

We are now at the beginning of another saga of political gamesmanship and this one involves the Illinois Senate seat that Roland Burris wants to occupy. Yesterday, the Sargent at Arms blocked entry by Burris because the Secretary of State of Illinois refused to certify his appointment. Immediately after being blocked, Burris held a visible press conference. He plans on taking the matter to court. The Senate has several options at their disposal, including stalling or even dismissing him from the Senate after he has been admitted. Burris has several court options at his disposal, including several court actions as well as the media.

You can bet that if neither side backs down that the political gamesmanship will get more and more confrontational. Soon, we will be facing the equivalent of one party trekking to Oklahoma in order to stop a quorum. Some people find this sort of gamesmanship entertaining. After all, politics has a bit of theatrics to it. Nothing is more theatrical than two side staring each other down in a confrontation that constantly escalates. I am not one of these people that finds this in any way amusing. Politics has enough spectacle and it doesn't need to be manufactured.

To have this latest round of political gamesmanship play out again in front of local, state, national, and international media does no one any good. It only cheapens the process. It turns our democracy into something of a kangaroo court. Hopefully, everyone keeps this in mind as they watch the whole thing in amusement.