Enfranchise the Lehigh County Hispanic Vote
Edmund Burke in his landmark book, “Reflections on the Revolution in France” records and notes how the French revolutionaries redrew the voting districts so the districts, despite regional differences and differing community of interests were equal and proportional (they drew circles) as the Legislative Reapportionment Commission (LRC) proposes. The results of this proportional, equal and mathematical redistricting was not democracy and republicanism as they so hoped to accomplish but Napoleonic dictatorship, return to monarchy and a huge blow to European democracy in the form of the Holy Alliance. This will be the result of the LRC redistricting—tyranny. It is also unconstitutional and illegal. The LRC proposes (as has just been done recently) to have Salisbury Township swallowed up by Allentown violating Article 2 of the Pennsylvania Constitution requiring “compactness” and “minimization of border splits”. The urban interests of the white ruling Democrat incumbent minority of Allentown are totally and completely different and opposite to the Hispanic and minority interests of the blue collar and suburban interests of Salisbury Township. The city of Allentown and Salisbury Township have two opposite and totally different interests, government structure and entity, community identities, precedents, histories, needs, funding sources and types of school districts. The split and divide between the borders of these two communities cannot be any greater. Thus, border split is not minimal as required by Article 2 of the Pennsylvania Constitution. Nor is this proposed combination with its total opposite and dissected interests “compact” as required by the Pennsylvania Constitution and other legal mandates. The LRC also proposes to have one of the smallest municipalities in the Commonwealth split in at least three (maybe four as map is difficult to read) sections and combines with an Allentown split itself in three sections. This violates the rule “that unless absolutely necessary, no county, city, incorporated town, borough, township or ward shall be divided in creating a legislative district. While arguing that the mathematical, proportional and equal abstraction the LRC refers to as redistricting ensures compliance with the Voting Rights Act and Equal Protection Clause it actually violates these legal and constitutional protections, since it divides the current majority Hispanic and minority voting population in Allentown into three separate sections in which the Hispanic and minority voting population has no more than 30% of the voting population in each of these new proposed districts. Thus, the Allentown Hispanic and minority vote is reduced and diluted so the white ruling minority Democrat elites maintain and grow their power. The intent of the Voting Rights Act and Equal Protection Clause is violated in the name of LRC equality and proportionality. Moreover, the Hispanic and minority interests in Salisbury by having its Salisbury voting population now divided into three sections by the proposed LRC map will have their voting power reduced and divided by three. The LRC makes the false assumption that Hispanic and minority interests are monolithic despite community, geographic, regional, cultural, governmental structure, economic and historical needs and differences. Nothing can be further from the truth as there is quite a substantial difference in the interests and needs of the Salisbury Hispanic and minority voters compared to the interests and needs to Allentown Hispanic and minority voters (as there is, indeed differences in Hispanic and minority voters in the various wards and districts in Allentown). By combining Salisbury Hispanic and minority voters with Allentown Hispanic, minority and white voters the Salisbury Hispanic and minority voter is further disenfranchised, violating the Voting Rights Act and Equal Protection Clause. By having the Salisbury Hispanic and minority swallowed up by the Allentown white Democrat party incumbent and minority ruling interest and elite the Voting Rights Act and Equal Protection clause is further violated by the LRC map. This abstraction of equality and proportionality created by the LRC is nothing more than a “stack and pack” bonanza disguised in the name of Hispanic and minority voting rights to further the purpose of the ruling white Democrat party elite to gain power and more House seats. The French revolutionaries may be excused for their unintended tyranny caused by their circle drawing because they either did not know better or ignored the lessons taught by our American founders. But the LRC cannot be excused since this Democratic Party gerrymandering is a deliberate attempt to gain more house seats and power with the end result being tyranny. This is my exception.