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Direct democracy -- the Switzerland-inspired system of initiatives, referenda and recalls that allows voters to make and repeal laws in 24 states -- is poorly understood. It isn’t even very direct. Direct democracy has become blockbuster democracy: a half-billion-dollar international industry of signature gatherers, consultants, and election lawyers who use ballot measures less as a method of making law and more as a tool of mega-communications to boost some politicians, hurt others, and supplement lobbying campaigns.
Blockbuster democracy is a decentralized business that practices wide-open politics. This blog aims to provide a center of news, analysis and conversation for and about the industry. We will report from blockbuster democracy’s capital -- California -- but we’ll monitor ballot measures from across the country and around the globe.
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A California Constitutional Convention?
'All political power is inherent in the people. Government is instituted for their protection, security and benefit, and they have the right to alter or reform it when the public good may require." Article II, Section 1, of the Constitution of California.
Jim Wunderman of the Bay Area Council suggested last week that California convene a constitutional convention to look at its entire system of government. Joel Fox at Fox & Hounds Daily is skeptical. It certainly is an interesting idea. I could see Gov. Schwarzenegger, who has reached his "throw up his hands" moment, back such a convention. Emails and memos I turned up in reporting for my book, The People's Machine, show that Schwarzenegger's aides and political advisors discussed just such an idea -- albeit not too seriously and not at length -- in 2004.
A convention might provide a method to take on many of the untouchable subjects of California politics. Wunderman mentions the two-thirds requirements for passing a budget (a fact of California life since the 1930s) and for raising taxes (a provision of Prop 13, passed in 1978). But any constitutional review needs to be bigger, and think about the state government as a whole. The entire structure of the state, which was largely put in place, should be re-examined. Does the state's system of boards and commissions really serve as a check on the government and the professions? What might be a better design? How about local governments? Should counties and cities play the roles they currently play? And what of the state's system of funding education and higher education? Is the state's legislature set up correctly, with just 120 lawmakers representing more than 36 million Californians? (For example, a California state senator -- there are 40 -- represents more people than a California congressman -- there are 53). And what about the initiative process? Could it be improved? (And as a point of personal privilege, we might rethink the location of the capital.)
It may be time for California to start over. The state's constitution runs to 157 pages. At the very least, it could use some editing.
I believe almost a complete
I believe almost a complete rewrite is needed of the constitution. There are things that need to go and others that need to be added. There has to be a way to "fire" the entire legislative elected representatives and senators if they cannot come up with a budget 30 days after it's due. Maybe we need to do away with the Senate and Assembly and add a 58 member legislative branch that would come from each county's board of supervisors. This person would be appointed by the Board of Supervisors and have to be an elected member of the County Board. There has to be another way to provide needed oversight rather than through the commissions that we now have. These appointments are largely made up of ex-politicans and they are essentially pork barrel appointments.
If there is a constitutional convention there needs to be a way for all citizens to provide input and be a included and not just have the same old tired political activist that have their own agendas. There needs to be an entire analysis of State government agencies and an analysis to look at mandates that we can no longer fund.
It seems that governments are needed in order to provide for the health, welfare and safety of it's citizens and we have gone way byond this.
No CON CON-Hegelian Ploy-Adress corruption all levels-E-verify
(I've already written the governor this morning) I know you're not going to like this if you are in business and/or government (especially if you are corrupt).
Oppose the CON CON:
RE: OPPOSE CALIFORNIA CON CON (CONSTITUTIONAL DEMAND) TO SHRED STATE CONSTITUTION.
HEGELIAN DIALECT: Was this why the budget was at a very long and inexusable stale mate? So we'll all go," Oh goody, goody," let's follow the Silicon Valley Joint Business Venture" or any other corrupt biz conglomeration who wants to wreck our constitution so this doesn't happen again?"
That's criminal.
NO CON CON.
There should be people in jail.
And Use E-VERIFY (no ILLEGAL ALIEN SHOULD BE RECEIVING EMPLOYMENT, SERVICES OR MONEY). PERIOD!
*****E-VERIFY *****should be applied at the *****corrupt businesses*** in the first place (especially construction, gardening, hotel and restaurants).
E-VERIFY should be applied to SCHOOLS: It is inexusable and criminal for the TAXPAYERS to keep getting stuck with the bill for ILLEGAL ALIENS (people that don't even belong here in the first place).
E-VERIFY: SOCIAL SERVICES, WIC, FOOD STAMPS, ETC.
E-VERIFY: HOSPITALS (No more FREE births) for illegal alien women.
BILL the nation of origin for services rendered.
FINALLY: Why should our constitution be shredded because of the sheer scope of corruption on so many levels---especially the government-because they allowed the businesses to get away with murder, practically..---People need to be in jail!
Now the corrupt businesses are demanding CON CON!-They also want the NAU-that's treason!
Who's supposed to be running the show, (you the governor) or the corrupt, fascist business people who should have lost their "Personhood law" privelege decades ago? THose who enjoy the privelege of Personhood with NONE of the responsibilities?
No to CON CON!
Restart California
Californians are angry! We believe California’s system of government is fundamentally broken. Our prisons overflow, our water system teeters on collapse, our once proud schools are criminally poor, our financing system is bankrupt, our democracy produces ideologically-extreme legislators that can pass neither budget nor reforms, and we have no recourse in the system to right these wrongs. It's time to get involved http://pfx.me/eJ
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