Editorial: Why L.A. needs independent redistricting
LOS ANGELES – For the past year, all of the Democratic leadership in L.A. have said that this is the one election where “everyone should just vote for the person on the ballot.” There’s still another election before the next mayor is up and, even then, the Democrats have a majority in the City Council. Therefore, L.A. residents may think they are voting for the candidate who looks most like a Democrat or the candidate who would bring a more diverse and exciting vision for Los Angeles. But, in reality, the L.A. voters are sending a message to the Democrats.
This election is not only about who can provide the best economic and environmental plan for Los Angeles. It is also about who can best represent all of the people’s interests. Unfortunately, the Democrats in L.A. have turned the election into a referendum on candidates who are part of the city’s majority party. Despite all the promises about wanting to help the business community and create jobs, only a handful of city council candidates in L.A. are actually part of the business community. And instead of a more diverse city, the Democrats are putting on a blindfold. They are not telling the story of how the city will look after the next four years of the Brown administration.
Instead of representing all the people of Los Angeles, the L.A. Democrats are putting on a race to see who can win. This is why the L.A. residents are voting.
At a time when the L.A. Democrats have turned a city which once felt like it had a great future into a place that has seen the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, it’s time for the L.A. people to say: Enough.
There is a growing movement of urban activists in Los Angeles who are saying enough to the L.A. Democrats and the entire L.A./Orange County establishment. It is time for the L.A. citizens to declare independence by voting for candidates who will tell the story of who we are and stand up for the interests of all the people of Los Angeles.
Here’s to the victory of L.A. independence!
Robert F. BennettEditor-in-chief, The Los Angeles Daily News
I was born and raised in Los