Is it politics or the governing structure that has paralyzed California?
There is no shortage of places to have your voice heard on almost any topic, including this site. But even with all of the opportunities to create and comment, scientifically conducted polls continue to serve an important purpose. They are the best instrument we have to track the opinions of a diverse group of citizens on important issues.
This week the venerable Field Poll released three polls that measure our optimism about the direction of the state and the country, the job performance of the Governor and the Legislature, and whether we should change the way we govern ourselves.
Surprisingly, in the poll released Thursday about our optimism, 48 percent of the registered California voters in the Field sample think the country is moving in the right direction, with 41 percent believing the opposite. Those numbers are in stark contrast to where they were in July of 2008 when only 15 percent thought the country was headed in the right direction and 75 percent believed the opposite.
When we turn to California the picture is entirely different. Not surprising in a state with 12.2 percent unemployment and a governor and legislature that were locked in a budget impasse for months, finally resulting in draconian cuts to many cherished programs.
Only 15 percent felt the state was generally going in the right direction while 78 percent think things are seriously on the wrong track. You have to go back to March of 2007 to find a majority 52 percent who felt the state was heading in the right direction, with 38 percent believing the opposite.
So how did the leadership drift so far from the expectations of the people who elected them, even during the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression?
That leaves us with the question — is it politics or the governing structure that has the state with a reputation for innovation stopped dead in it tracks?
The Field Polls provide some answers. http://www.field.com/fieldpollonline/subscribers/
What do you think?
Comments
9 Responses to “Is it politics or the governing structure that has paralyzed California?”
I think the governing structure in the legislature, where 1/3 of the people can paralyze the majority, stops us from getting anything done. I can see 51% or maybe 55%, but not 2/3.
The initiative process has left the legislature hamstrung and impotent. California's system of governance has become a joke. Citizen initiatives have been taken over by well funded special interests. Prop 13 has finally strangled local governments after a long period of near death experience. Why do Californians refuse to pay for the way of life they hope to achieve?
Do we have to attribute all this to one thing or the other? And didn't each one beget the other? I think a better question is where to start on a solution. With the gerrymandered districts, the fix is probably not going to be in electing moderates. If I had to bet, I'd bet on an initiative that would eliminate the need for super-majorities. It's a long shot, but remember why we got initiatives in the first place. They were made for stalemates like this.
The initiative process has been corrupted by special interests. The radio/TV ads should have a larger, more readable disclaimer read aloud but would not count as part of the 30/60 second spots.
In addition, legislative hearings should be held on EVERY initiative and the State supreme court would review the constitutionality of each initiative prior to it being placed on the ballot.
I am a teacher of government. I have studied the California government and believe that there a combination of three structures to our government that makes the current dysfunction almost inevitable.
1) Current structure of legislative districts — Providing "safe" seats for the current party holding each seat favors party partisans. These partisans are generally closer to the political extremes (liberal for Democrats and conservative for Republicans)and value principles over pragmatism. Compromise is a "dirty" word to many of these legislators.
2) Term limits — Having limited terms leaves the most knowledgeable people regarding legislative history, issues and process as being in the staff and lobbyists. Staff members tend to be professional partisans. Good governance is not necessarily the top priority for lobbyists. Additionally, the short term nature of the legislative members lowers the priority of trying to develop positive relationships among members from across the isle. It is difficult to conceive a relationship like the one between Ted Kennedy and Orrin Hatch to develop in a term limited legislator.
Term limits also provides the members with a short-term motivation. Instead of looking at implications five to ten years down the line, there is a tendency on both sides to achieve short-term victories.
3.Two-thirds vote of each house of the legislature to raise taxes and to pass a budget — This rules makes a well disciplined minority as powerful as the majority. Since members of the legislature tend to be highly partisan, and tend not to develop relationships with members from the other side, the priority is to hang together with fellow members of the party. If a member votes against the leadership on an important vote he/she may find that there will be a more "loyal" opponent in the next primary election. This promotes the party disciple which allow the "big five" to make all the decisions while the other 116 members of the legislature to sit around waiting to be told what to do.
The people have already voted to change the method of apportioning seats in the legislature. Unfortunately this will not take effect until 2012. Most likely one of the other two structures must also be changed to create an atmosphere more conducive to compromise.
It is politics, the need for fair & legitimate REdistricting, and term limits. The structure is fine…tampering would make it worse. Tampering with term limits made thing worse. We desperateing need fair, competitive, respresentative districts, that look like districts…not checking the registration of every house and running the boundaries down the middle of the street and turning at every corner…a real insult to the people.
It is the need for fair & legitimate REdistricting, and term limits. The structure is fine…tampering would make it worse. Tampering with term limits made thing worse. We desperately need fair, competitive, respresentative districts, that look like districts…not checking the registration of every house and running the boundaries down the middle of the street and turning at every corner…a real insult to the people. The caliber of legislator is scary…cranking out crap just to get their name on a piece of legislation. NO new laws would be great.
The site is fabulous !!
The 2/3 budget is the only thing saving CA families today. Without that protection the greedy special interests would dominate the airways with lies, adding taxes, thus every business would leave the state, taking YOUR job with them !