California Propositions Create A Perfect Storm

[Median Democrat]

In California it takes a 2/3 vote to (1) increase taxes and (2) pass a budget. Also, California has relatively recently adopted term limits.

This means that State legislators have no incentive to keep government operating, because they will get termed out shortly, so why worry about being re-elected. There is no accountability. Thus, you have CA GOP state legislators simply signing "No To Tax Pledges," then just phoning it in during their term, and voting no every budget or tax increase. There is no incentive to maintain a functioning government. Then, at the end of their term, the GOP runs for a new office, d proudly brags abbout the fact that they voted "no" on taxes.

The Governor is irrelevant because with a 2/3 requirement this means that every budget automatically has the 2/3 requirement needed to overcome a Governor's veto. So, who needs the Governor? What is the Governor going to threaten? A veto? Please.

California's proposition system has essentially created a system where the people have essentially take the power to govern away from the legislature with all these supermajority requirements. Nothing can get done, and with term limits, no one has an incentive to get anything done.

Before the credit crisis, the Democrats and the GOP would simply avoid the whole need to compromise by simply issuing bonds and dumping the crisis on the next Governor and Legislature. However, due to the crisis, California can't borrow its way out of this crisis. The structure of California's budget process precludes any resolution that is not acceptable to 2/3 of the Legislature, which means that a small extreme minority can dictate State financial policy.

I ought to run as a GOP legislatore in California. All I have to do is sign my tax pledge, then wait until the next election where I can proudly point to the fact that I voted "no" regardless of the fact that California continues its steady march to insolvency.

We may hate Willie Brown, but at least he had some incentive to keep California from completely imploding. Now, due to California's strange super majority requirements, the GOP minority really holds the power. It will be interesting to see how California can solve its budget crisis without raising taxes. My take is that they will either have to go into default or simply cut public programs across the board, which will plunge the state into a deeper recession.

[XemaSab]

1. Good summary

I'll add to that that bonds are voted on by the people, which means that legislators have to make room in the budget for more and more stuff every year.

It's chaos. :(

[Median Democrat]

2. Representative Or Direct Democracy?

The Proposition 8 foes should now agree, it is way too easy to get propositions on ballot in California and pass them. Its like the lottery. Once you get it on the ballot, there is a shot that people will pass it, particularly if the election is a non-Presidential election.

I think Californians need to make the basic decision of whether or not we will have a direct or representative democracy. If a representative democracy, then we need to repeal this 2/3 vote requirement, and allow the Legislature to pass budgets and taxes by majority vote. Then, if we don't like the results, then we can vote the people out of office. However, with a 2/3 requirement, no one is really responsible, because the minority can essentially hold the budget process hostage. The best example of this was when a GOP leader demanded that the California drop an environmental lawsuit as a condition to allowing the GOP to vote for a budget. Its legalized legislative extortion.

Or, if we want direct Democracy, then perhaps we can do it baseball arbitration style, where the GOP and the Democrats put their budget proposals up for vote, and let the people decide. Sadly, it takes only a majority vote to impose a super-majority requirement, thus even the people themselves would not be able to pass a tax without a supermajority. Also, most people don't have the time to pore over a budget proposal.

In the end, California, more than other states, is a place where things will get much worse before they get better.

[DBoon]

3. the republicans in this state belong in guantanomo bay

They have caused more damage to our economy and our public infrastructure than Al Queda could even have dreamed of.

All to enforce their political extremism on a population that is 2/3 opposed to it.

That is my definition of a terrorist political force