Tennessee Congressmen move to depoliticize redistricting process

An editorial in today's Tennessean throws support behind an effort by three Tennessee Congressmen to reform the redistricting. The bill, proposed by Reps. Jim Cooper and John Tanner (D) and Zach Wamp (R), is called the Fairness and Independence in Redistricting Act. Here's a brief summary of what is proposed:

The plan would have each state establish a commission of at least five members to draw the maps every 10 years. The commissioners would elect an additional commissioner to be chairman. The commissioners could not have been recently active in politics and would be ineligible to run for a U.S. House seat in the state for 10 years. The commission report would have to be approved by the governor and the legislature without amendments.

While there will surely be plenty of details to workout, this is an effort progressive thinkers, especially Southern ones, can get behind. From a partisan perspective, this helps restrict some of the shenanigans seen in Texas and Georgia by the Republican parties who orchestrated redistricting outside of census years. A fairer, more competitive election process benefits all people, however, and gives progressives with a fresh voice a chance to be heard and win election.