Congress has a ten percent approval rating. How do incumbents in Congress keep getting re-elected?
    One reason is political gerrymandering.

    Massachusetts is losing a congressional seat as people move to states with lower taxes.  How would our congressional
    representatives act, if they faced elections that were not rigged by gerrymandering? They might do what we elect them to do, represent
    our views instead of jamming down our throats a government takeover of health care that is opposed by 60 percent of Americans.

    A government that insulates itself from the will of the people is not a democracy, and one that manipulates the law is not a republic.

    This year our state legislators in Boston will redraw the districts for state and federal offices and do everything in their power to make it
    impossible for challengers to have a fair chance of getting elected.

    The congressional district of Barney Frank reveals a distorted method designed to thwart the will of the people and hold onto power.
    Created in 1981 to help Barney Frank defeat eight-term Republican congresswomen, Margaret Heckler, Frank has held onto power for
    nearly 30 years.

    State Sen. Stanley Rosenberg and state Rep. Michael Moran, leaders of the Massachusetts Redistricting Committee met behind
    closed doors with our Democrat congressmen to get their advice on how their districts should be drawn. Some of our congressman
    had planned a fund raising event in Washington DC for state rep Michael Moran before canceling it after TV Channel 5 in Boston
    starting asking questions.

    Are you satisfied with politicians or political parties who think districts belong to them? Take for example the town of Chelmsford.
    Instead of being represented by one Republican representative, it was carved up and is now represented by four Democrat
    representatives from the neighboring cities and towns.

    Common Sense Proposals

    Kurt Hayes, a Republicans candidate for state rep in the 37th Middlesex district and I have written letters to various newspapers
    attempting to give voice to this issue and how it affects fair elections.

    Districts should not be designed to split a town if the population allows it to fit into one state representative district. Towns in a state
    representative district should be grouped together when part of a school region.

    Add your voice and help hold our elected officials accountable. Attend a public hearing, write a letter to the editor, call talk radio and talk
    with your friends and neighbors. Kurt says, "the more voices calling for openness and transparency the better."

    Contact your state legislator and ask when public hearings will be held. Demand free and fair elections.
     www.malegislature.gov/People/FindMyLegislator

    The state has created a web site on redistricting including the history and a calendar of public hearings.
    http://www.malegislature.gov/District