Get Your Act Together, California
Californians seem unable – and unwilling – to attempt major changes in the state’s governing system, even though the system is hurting us, through university tuition hikes, teacher firings, overcrowded prisons and big cuts in the social safety net.
So if we won’t take risks to save ourselves, perhaps we need a different motivation, a new argument to stir us to action. The best such argument is this: Californians, you need to get your s—t together because you’re becoming a problem for the world.
California’s governing dysfunction creates problems for the world in two ways.
The first is economic. It’s tough for the world to rebound from recession when the state that leads the world’s richest country in trade (Los Angeles and Long Beach are the two largest U.S. ports) and innovation (more venture capital is invested in California than in the other 49 states combined) is a basketcase. The uncertainty caused by California’s insolvency – the state may run out of cash again later this spring – deters people from moving here, investing here, and educating themselves here. The southern part of the state, with an unemployment rate approaching 14 percent, is a particular drag on the world’s economy. Southern California, all by itself, has an economy larger than all but 15 nations.
The world’s other California problem is political. The state’s civic dysfunction is tied up in its extensive use of elections and direct democratic tools, most notably the ballot initiative, to govern. So the state’s troubles have – in global perception at least – discredited democratic reforms. Opponents of a new initiative process to empower citizens of the European Union are warning publicly that reform there could turn Europe into “another California.” The ugly example of our Bear Flag Republic has been waved against political reform and referendums in Iceland, Korea, India, and Switzerland.
It’s thus crucial to the livelihoods and lives of people around the world that California heals itself. We should remember that we are being closely watched, though not always for the right reasons. This summer, I’ll be hosting a global conference on direct democracy in San Francisco, with academics, journalists, and activists from 40 countries and five continents. More than one of the people attending has told me they want to come to California because they see us as a governance model – of what NOT to do.
When I heard that, I felt embarrassed. But it also made me want to do something about our problems. Maybe a little global shaming can stir millions of Californians from their caution about big reform.
Comments
3 Things
California's financial troubles stem from 3 things:
1.) Illegal immigration - Illegal immigrants are a drain on the system because they don't pay state income tax. Say what you want about the benefits that corporations get from the cheap labor, but the government needs money to run. It's simple economics; if only half the people pay for what the whole is using, you run out of money quickly.
2.) Prison system - The Three Strikes law keeps people who get arrested for something like not paying for a pizza in prison for life (which has actually happened more than once). This is also a drain on the system because taxpayers have to feed and clothe these people unnecessarily.
3.) Direct democracy - This is costly and time-consuming, especially in a state as big as California. Several successful initiatives have been struck down in court after already being being approved by voters. Millions of dollars were wasted to qualify and promote these measures, which was all for naught in the end. California should do what Florida does. In Florida, people who file 10% of the required number of signatures in at least 3 Congressional districts are given a constitutional review by the State Supreme Court. This eliminates many of the unforeseen legal challenges prior to a public vote. Another idea is the the Indirect Initiative. Proponents could submit an initiative that would be put before the Legislature. The initiative would be reviewed by legislative committees and could receive amendments to improve it and close any loopholes. This would allow drafting problems to be corrected and let initiative proponents benefit from the advice of experts so the bill doesn't get killed in court after it is passed.
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