John Meyers | KQED - Capitol Notes | June 4, 2010
It seems hard to argue with the conclusion that the passage of Proposition 14, whether you love it or hate it, would change -- and likely diminish -- the role of party politics in California. In its place, it would install an electoral system that favors the state's unpredictable independent voters and... quite possibly... the spending of even more more money on elections than ever before.
Over these last two days on The California Report, I've been reporting on some of the larger systemic elements related to the Prop 14 open primary proposal -- part one of the series aired Thursday on our morning newscast, part two airs this afternoon on our weekly newsmagazine.
Say what you will about the cast of characters who actually placed the proposal on next Tuesday's ballot -- and plenty good and bad has been said -- but the real architect of Prop 14 was interested in the issue long before Democrats and Governor Schwarzenegger decided to play Let's Make A Deal to get the February 2009 budget plan in place and, in the process, grabbed on to the proposal to entice the final supporter.