Redistricting is in need of fundamental reform  Nick Jimenez  —
Tomorrow is the beginning of the 2012 political season in Texas.
Monday will be the first day to file for the spring primary
elections. It is also the day that the Texas Legislature will
have officially failed to do right by its voters. That's because
once again the candidates will be running for election to
districts that judges have had to draw up in light of the
failure of Texas legislators.  Every 10 years it falls to the
Legislature to redraw congressional and legislative maps to
reflect the U.S. Census. This is, quite frankly, boring stuff
for the average Texan but mother's milk for politicians. Because
politicians, especially the ruling party's, draw the maps, they
essentially determine their own voters. So Republicans, who are
in power in Austin now, draw legislative and congressional
districts where Democrats have no chance and, not
inconsequentially, where Democratic voters have no voice.
Democrats did the same thing when they were in p