Liberals in CA vehemently dislike the CA initiative process. Indeed, they just tried to enact an effective ban on the process, but the bill was vetoed by Gov. Brown.
These mislabeled “progressives” dislike citizen-signed propositions, as such measures bypass the institution the Big Government advocates control throughout most of the state — elected officials. I doubt we’d be hearing the proposition bleating from them if such were not the case.
Moreover, the feigned concern about improprieties in signature gathering ignores the benefits of a full vetting of the prop once it is on the ballot — especially compared to our chaotic state legislative procedures.
I recommend an informative out-of-print book by the late State Senator H.L. Richardson — “What Makes You Think We Read the Bills?”
http://www.amazon.com/What-Makes-Think-Read-Bills/dp/0916054780
Most of us know that in the closing days of each legislative session, our intrepid CA elected leaders vote on literally hundreds of ever-changing bills — some even changed surreptitiously. NO ONE knows what is in all — or likely even most — of the bills.
Hearings are bypassed, or the bills voted on are quite different from the ones that went to the hearing months before. Seldom do the legislators hear a full debate by both sides. As the session deadline approaches, logrolling too often becomes the primary criteria for passing each other’s bills.
It’s not your high school civics class version of government. No-sir-re-bob!
Compare that unfixable legislative morass with the proposition process. Once a prop is ballot qualified, it cannot be amended. Each side gets to present their ballot argument — and that argument is sent to all the registered voters in the state.
Perhaps more important, we voters quickly can see (often just by the signers of the arguments) which groups are on which side — a wonderful shorthand way of making an informed decision as to how to vote. And we have months to make our decisions.
Yes, the proposition system is awful. Capricious voters making sometimes ill-informed decisions.
But, as Henny Youngman responded when asked — “How’s your wife?” — COMPARED TO WHAT?
Bad as the initiative process is, the legislative process is worse. The real world of capitol shenanigans trumps the idealized stereotype of wise officials judiciously deciding our fate.
BTW, one control we still need — a super-majority to pass ANY law. And probably higher than 2/3 majority. I doubt we’d miss most of the failed legislation — or propositions. But that’s just my super-minority opinion — no need to seriously consider my idea.
August 4th, 2011 at 9:08 am
The initiative process should have warts and unpredictability to keep fear, voids and unintended consequences as checks and balances on the political class.
If Prop. 13 had not passed even the California brown bears would be paying property taxes!!!!
August 4th, 2011 at 4:38 pm
Hmmm . . . the brown bear tax. I like it! Aside from the deeply offending racist connotation, of course.
August 4th, 2011 at 11:51 pm
Richard…
The California flag has bear on it……No expert but think it is a brown bear.
My post deals with California bears in the woods.