California Politics Final

How did proposition 13 impact the state?

"Prop 13—the measure that rolled back assessments and limited tax increases on those who already owned homes and shifted the burden onto those still to buy—are now waving the white flag or, perhaps more accurately, being defeated at the polls". "After decades of budgetary straitjackets created by Prop 13, including supermajority requirements for raising taxes that gave conservative Republican lawmakers a kind of veto power over state spending".

Which developments in the state-local fiscal relationship have most shaped the fiscal authority of local governments?

25% Local 75% State

How does one go about creating a grassroots organization that can deliver the support that a lobbyist needs to win?

99 - 101

Supermajority Vote

a supermajority is 2⁄3 of the members in a house of the legislator. If a party as able to have a supermajority of members in a house,they can easily pass all laws without problems with the other party.

"A real California turnaround would require a set of social movements that could forthrightly address race even as they clawed their way back from the margins to the near center of political power and reset the terms for a new more durable, more inclusive social compact."Describe some of the factors that lead to a racial divide.

A racially driven attack on affirmative action. Incomes for the African American and Latino communities were sharply affected by the recessions of the 1990's and the 2000's. This came partly because Latino communities were overly concentrated in the unskilled section of the labor market and were generally less educated than other groups. Shift away from the suburb and toward urbanity Many developers depend on cheap labor as well as oil companies and agricultural interests. This means that any new strategy to move the economy to a high road path away from this was DOA. Republican right is often shored up by economically ailing rural towns and racially exclusive suburbs, whereas progressives tend to find their footing in big city metros in the more thriving and economically sustainable areas of america. Prop 13 Gave minority republican members a tremendous ability to block the budget process and delay the budget Governor Schwarzenegger placed a proposition on the ballot that would limit teacher tenure and limit public sector unions to use fees for political campaigns They were there mostly to liit union power something that had increased when Prop 13 unexpectedly centralized spending in Sacramento Proposition 11 encouraged by Republicans because they believed it would loosen the grip of Sacramento Democrats. Top two primary system benefited democrats

southern pacific railroad

A railroad company founded in 1861; developed a political machine that dominated California state politics through the turn of the century

initiative

A statute or constitutional amendment adopted by a vote of the people to bypass the legislature. Allows 150 days to get 5% for statue or 8% for amendment signatures to qualify.

prop 13 (1978)

Also known as the JarvisGann initiative; a ballot measure that cut property taxes and significantly reduced revenues for local governments. reduce funding to municipalities, created a corporate loophole, constitutional biggest change (2/3 vote).

lobbying efforts of Mark Murray. Comment on how this narrative serves as a case study of the lobbying field.

Basically he was an idealistic kid trying to do good at the beginning and now he was an insider who had to compromise what he believed in to get a quasi-successful bill to pass that he worked on for a decade

Who was the "biggest winner" in the immediate aftermath of Prop 13's passage? Who were (and are) the biggest losers?

Biggest Winner: Homeowners Biggest Loser: Counties, Schools

At the end of the chapter, Rarick briefly examines each California governorship since the late 1950s. Briefly comment on any trends you find.

Brown, Reagan and Schwarzenegger were very prominent They were more flexible and moderate once elected to the office Earl Warren Goodwin Knight Pat Brown 'The' Ronald Reagan Jerry Brown George Deukmejian Pete Wilson Gray Davis Arnold Schwarzenegger Jerry Brown Gavin Newsom

How did the creation of California's Redistricting Commission constitute an important shift in California's multi-decade redistricting battles?

California had a long history of contentious districting. They were at one point used to gerrymander extremely hard to keep the incumbent party in office, using the Supreme Court to ratify these lines using the Special Masters position, which benefited the democratic governor who appointed the judges. Then came a series of referendum challenges that threatened the gerrymandered system of the democrats. In order to preserve the status quo, both parties brokered a sort of backroom deal that would redraw lines in such a way to preserve the status quo of both parties and minimize seat turnover. Changed the criteria to stop practices such as split cities and jagged edges in districts, which seemed to only exist for the sole purpose of political advantage. New criteria called for nesting two assembly districts in each senate district and set up the commission to have little to no ties to the districts that they were drawing. Did not lead to as radical of competitive elections as proponents were hoping for.

top 2 primary

Candidates from all parties are listed on the same ballot during the Primary Election. After voting, the two candidates who earned the most votes will advance to the general election, where they will face each other. The Top 2 primary has achieved its goal of creating more competitive elections, but has been criticized by third parties because it has eliminated the possibility of these parties seeing their candidate on the November ballot.

How do reformers such as Common Cause portray lobbyists? What about the media? What about the voters? How do lobbyists think of themselves?

Common Cause Lobbyists buy access through their client's campaign money, get legislators elected to do their bidding, disenfranchise the public, and contribute to the popular malaise about politics. THey are willing to suspend or severely limit constitutional guarantees of free speech, private association, petitioning government to root out what they regard as evil, by imposing tight restrictions on campaign contributions and even lobbyists' conversations with politicians Media Bifurcated view Media often portrays the darker reformist perception of politics and lobbyists but at the same time are always in a relationship with those people because politicians and lobbyists are always fighting to have a better image through the same media. Voters Largely ignorant about everyone directly or indirectly about that almost everyone employs lobbyists through their taxes to local government and other associations. Basically everyone has a lobbyist working on their behalf. Lobbyists See themselves as professional, disinterested gladiators in a dangerous arena, under tremendous pressure from their clients and employers to deliver, as strategists and tacticians whose advice is sought in clarifying and delivering political objectives Experts in the art of persuasion and coordinators of disparate resources.

County Assessor

County assessors are usually elected officials, and they are responsible for determining the amount of property taxes a property owner will pay on an annual basis. To do this, county assessors analyze the characteristics and conditions of different properties and review property sales and price trends.

Serrano v. Priest

Court held that disparities in perpupil school funding produced by relying on the property tax were unconstitutional Therefore, property tax revenue made by the county and city was sent to the state government to evenly redistribute among all California public schools

What are some of the ways voting in CA has been made easier? What are some the barriers to voting? Can you think of other strategies to make voting easier?

Easier Voting by mail Motor vehicle registration Barriers Being a felon, parole, or being in a mental institution Registering to vote, not automatic Language , culture, citizenship status. And socioeconomic class

Immigration Act of 1965 (HartCeller Act)

Federal government passed nondiscriminatory legislation that allowed more immigration from nonWestern European countries. Since 1965, 1⁄3 of immigrants to America have come to CA. This has greatly contributed to racial and ethnic diversity in CA Immigration now focuses on skilled workforce and reuniting families. The major immigration checkpoint is moved from Ellis Island to LA. Until 1965, most growth was domestic migration (Gold Rush to after the war). After 1965, critical national immigration reform removed discriminatory immigration practices that were previously in place.

gray davis

Former Governor of CA who was recalled in 2003 due to a looming energy crisis as well as a poor economy. Davis is significant because he was the first Governor in the history of CA to be recalled.

Describe the Californians Allied for Patient Protection (CAPP) grassroots effort. What were the three most important forms this grassroots effort took?

Identify legislators, particularly democrats, who had ties to the medical care industry, who would provide money and support , and to enlist organizations and interest groups that would be effective with the with the legislatures dominant democrats

How has direct democracy affected California's governors?

It has been used positively and negatively. It was used positively by Schwarzenegger who helped create an initiative to create a citizen redistricting commission and take the power of redistricting out of the hands of the legislature. On the other hand, Gray Davis was recalled in 2003 after being reelected in 2002

How does a proportional representation (PR) system differ from the current system? What are some ways California might use PR to revamp how it elects the legislature?

It has multiple representatives proportional to the results, with a minumum cutoff usually. Has its own pros ans cons, ie. no electoral responsibility, stagnation, coalition failure Authors think it will make elctions more competetive

How did California's legislature become the most polarized in the country?

It is believed that when term limits were introduced representatives lost the ability to form lasting bonds and relationships with others, especially across the aisle. They prefer to learn the intricacies of their positions informally from peer mentors as opposed to professional training from the CAPITOL institute. It is also argued that the partisanship has been a result of the issues, but nevertheless has increased. End of cross filing Parties increasingly split on issues such as civil rights, abortions, and gay marriage Voters may have become more partisan, less likely to split tickets and identify with the party that matches their ideology

In what ways is the executive branch fractured?

It is one of the most fractured executive branches in the US because there are eight elected officials heading up various portions of the executive branch There are not as many elected officials in other states

What is a special district and why have they become so ubiquitous?

It is separate local government. It is ubiquitous because it is a way to circumvent local funds

Briefly describe the key dates in the legislative budget process.

Jan 10: Constitutional deadline for governor to recommend a budget, Department of Finance releases governor's Budget and Summary of the Governor's Budget April 15: Statutory due date for individuals to file tax returns May 14: Statutory due date for Governor to submit May revision proposals June 15: Constitutional deadline for legislature to pass budget July 1: Fiscal year begins. Legislators forfeit pay if they fail to pass budget

How have the term limits set under Prop. 140 (term limits) affected the legislature's composition, the operation of its institutions, and the legislative process itself?

Made it more prone to include women and minorities, although some of it may have been a result of natural population changes Did not change the aggregate level of partisanship, districts still rarely switch party Legislative expertise has been lost, and some of the incumbents are not following the less glamorous aspects of their job, not ordering audits and lacking general oversight initiative Local officeholders and people from the private sector seemed to be the biggest beneficiaries of term limits In the assembly the speaker has become less experienced Committees screen and gatekeep less legislation than in the past Staffers are less experienced and fewer in number

What is the significance of the "Big Five"?

Members include governor, speaker of assembly, president pro tem of the senate as well as minority party leaders... they become the ultimate nucleus of final budgetary decision making. It now also only takes a ½ majority vote to approve the budget with passage of prop 25 but ⅔ majority vote for revenue increases.

Generally speaking, how does Michael and Walters's characterization of the lobbying sphere compare to Gerston and Christensen's? Which portrayal did you find more compelling?

Michael and Walter make them seem more like people trying to do well while Gerston and Christensen make them seem more like the ultimate ends justify the means type of guy

How do these conceptualizations match your own experiences and preconceptions of lobbyists?

Most people have cynical views of lobbyists and politicians. Most people probably believe that the system is tantamount to informal bribery. Lobbyists probably see themselves better than most anybody though.

Describe some of the governor's informal powers. Provide examples of variation in the use of these informal powers among different governors

One informal power is the high visibility of the governor. The fact the governor is constantly in the media gives him a platform to influence public opinion. Schwarzenegger, Davis, and Wilson all used this power to push their to the public. For instance, Wilson touted the benefits of prop 187 which attempted to reduce government benefits to illegal immigrants which was ultimately declared unconstitutional by the federal courts

mandatory minimum sentencing

Policy that requires convicted offenders to serve a "minimum" predetermined sentence for certain crimes Typically in response to violent crimes but also to drugrelated offenses as a means of decreasing activity preemptively Many believe this policy disproportionally affects racial minorities and contributes to overcrowding and mass incarceration

How did the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Reynolds v Sims (1964) shift the legislature towards a greater degree of representation?

Previously senate seats were assigned by territory (almost exactly among county lines) instead of by population. Previously, 21 of the 40 senate seats represented about 10% of the population while Los Angeles which had about 35% of the population had one seat. The change shifted representation away from rural areas in the North to more urban areas in the South like LA, where new legislators were younger, better educated, and more ideological as well as varied in ethnic and gender backgrounds.

prop 98 (1988)

Proposition which requires that at least 40% of CA state budget be allocated toward K12 education. The unfortunate truth is that this 40% marker has served more as a ceiling than a floor, and the state rarely goes beyond what it is required to spend. Establishes a quota that education cuts could not happen unless there is a financial crisis.

describing "a better day in California." Elaborate on this statement, referencing the Democratic and Republican coalitions of that time period.

Representatives used to eat and drink together in a legislature that was not partisan. Compromise and friendship outweighed the few ideologues until prop 13 and term limits.

prop 34

Set contribution limits for individuals and committees Set voluntary spending limits for candidates those who comply get their name and photo in ballot booklets

Describe the "Five California's"

Silicon Valley the rich entrepreneurs and innovators fueling and accruing the benefits of innovation Metro-Coastal Enclave California The knowledge workers who are living well in urban and suburban neighborhoods Main Street California 38% of the population. They are doing well, but this middle class group is increasingly squeezed Struggling California 38% of the population. They are hard workers but are living on the edge, often in poverty The Forsaken Five Percent They are in poverty and are likely to not benefit from the digital economy

Discuss the role of media in California politics. What are some recent trends and innovations in this field?

TV and mail dominate but they are expensive Turn to things like the internet because they are free Newspaper has died off a lot Turn towards talk radio and internet where access is relatively cheap compared to the dominant print and tv

The author of this chapter, John Decker, proposes four ways to "re-engineer" government finances. Which of these proposals do you find most compelling and/or feasible?

The four ways to re- engineer government finances include re-calibrating local and institutional incentives, plan for capital investment and financing costs, address the continuing carryover and reduce cost structures Re-Calibrating local and institutional incentives sticks out due to the need to address the relationship between state and local ties by considering fiscal incentives when creating these programs. The allocation of revenues between state and local governments should be examined at higher risk.

Describe the role of 1) the lieutenant governor 2) the attorney general 3) the secretary of state 4) the superintendent of public education 5) the money officiers 6) the insurance commissioner 7) the bureaucracy

The lieutenant governor is basically an executive-in-waiting with few formal responsibilities. If the governor becomes disabled or is out of the state, the lieutenant governor fills in as acting governor. If the governor leaves office, the lieutenant governor takes over. the attorney general is usually considered the second-most powerful member of the executive branch. As head of the Department of Justice, the attorney general oversees law enforcement activities, acts as legal counsel to state agencies, represents the state in important cases, and renders opinions on (interprets) proposed and existing laws. the secretary of state of California is basically a records keeper and elections supervisor. The job entails certifying the number and validity of signatures obtained for initiatives, referenda, and recall petitions; producing sample ballots and ballot arguments for the voters; publishing official election results; and keeping the records of the legislature and the executive branch. Recently, the secretary of state has had responsibility for converting California's election system from paper ballots to electronic voting machines. The superintendent of public instruction heads the Department of Education. He or she is the only elected official in the executive branch chosen by nonpartisan ballot. Candidates are identified only by their name and vocation on the primary ballot. Unless one wins a majority, the top two candidates face each other in the November general election. Perhaps the most fractured part of the executive branch of California government is the group of elected officials who manage the state's money. The controller supervises all state and local tax collection and writes checks for the state, including those to state employees. The controller is also an ex officio (automatically, by virtue of the office) member of several agencies, including the Board of Equalization, the Franchise Tax Board, and the State Lands Commission. the treasurer invests state funds until they are needed for expenditures. A sizable portion of those investments occurs in the form of bonds approved by the voters. Typically amounting to several billion dollars, the bonds are sold in financial markets so that the state can finance long-term projects such as highways, water projects, or other infrastructure needs. The Board of Equalization is also part of California's fiscal system. A product of reform efforts to ensure fair taxation, it oversees the collection of excise taxes on sales, gasoline, and liquor. The board also reviews county property assessment practices to ensure uniform calculation methods and practices. The office of insurance commissioner exemplifies the persistent reform men- tality of California voters. Until 1988, the office was part of the state's Business, Housing, and Transportation Agency, but soaring insurance rates led to Proposition 103, a 1988 initiative that called for 20-percent across-the-board reductions in insurance premiums and made the position of insurance commissioner elective. Elected officials are just the most observable part of the state's administrative machinery. Backing them up, implementing their programs, and dealing with citizens on a daily basis are about 335,000 state workers—the bureaucracy. Only about 5,000 of these workers are appointed by the governor or by other executive officers. Of the rest, 90,000 work at the University of California and California State University. The remainder are hired and fired through the state's civil service system on the basis of their examination results, performance, and job qualifications. The Progressives designed this system to insulate government workers from political influences and to make them more professional than those who might be hired out of friendship.

Why was the switch to the top- two primary seen as a severe threat to the state's major political parties?

The party had been previously able to essentially choose the nominees and candidates that would run for its party, this new system would not allow for that

Why study state courts? More specifically, why study California's courts?

The state courts decide far more cases than the federal courts. As such, state courts have a greater influence on American jurisprudence. The California courts have a lot of influence over Californians

Realignment

The transfer of some stateprovided services to counties, most recently observed with the movement of state prisoners to county jails

What is it about the state's tax structure that tends to accent the effects of changes in the economy?

There are several changes in administration that leads to a variety of economic cycles throughout the years. Spending hit a high (9 % of the economy) in 2002 when the state was in recession, which reduced revenues without a reduction in spending however since 2007, total spending is below the long term average.

Why are the courts major players in the budgetary process?

They are able to address "quick fixes" to complex budget issues enacted by public policymakers or the voters. The courts will adjust and save new law to be in compliance at a federal level.

In light of Prop 13, how do cities attempt to raise revenue? What is the largest source of income for most cities? What is often the biggest city expenditure?

They charge for services (sewage, public safety, property taxes)

Are there too few elected officials to represent California's population of 40 million? Does the state suffer from what the authors call "representative minimalism"

Totally debatable if you want more efficiency or per person representation, but that would also mean a complete redeseing of california politics

Briefly outline each of the 12 approaches to "gaming" the situation in the Capitol

Win on merit Win procedurally Win through grassroots activation Win by mobilizing opinion through paid media Win by mobilizing public opinion through news media Win with a silver bullet Win by burying the issue in the state budget Win at the ballot box Win by negotiations Win by moving the issue into the courts Win by post legislative administrative action Win the old fashioned way by buying it

Independent expenditures

You can only contribute so much to a candidate's campaign, but you can spend all you want to support a campaign and attack their opponent as long as you're not involved with the campaign.

recall

empowers voters to remove officeholders at all levels of government between scheduled elections; Recalls are rare in CA; Most often used in local government

Referendum

grants the CA voters the ability to undo a law passed by the state legislature. In order for a referendum to succeed, the voters would need to gather 5% of the signatures collected in the last gubernatorial election (has 90 days).

Hourglass economy

middle class is shrinking and the wealth gaps are increasing. refers to the economic inequality and income stratification in California. While Silicon Valley is the country's richest area, Central Valley and Jefferson are the poorest.

prop 25

no longer need a 2⁄3 majority, but rather a simple majority to pass the budget. Leads to Big Three instead of big Five.

what tools do counties and cities have to balance their budgets? what additional tools might help them better cope with fiscal stress?

raise fees on services, requires characters to have balanced budgets, rainy day fund

prop 30 2012

temporary plan to raise taxes on the wealthiest californians in order to make up for shortcomings in the budget. Didn't at all fix the root problem. Example of crisis budgeting, also an example of the Governor using the initiative to bypass the legislature and get his way Governor Brown's initiative to increase sales taxes for five years and income taxes for affluent Californians for seven years. Voters extended the increase in income tax on the affluent for twelve years in 2016.

In what ways does the judicial system as a whole fail to reflect California's diversity? What are some avenues to rectify this discrepancy?

About 17 percent of California's approximately 160,000 active attorneys are nonwhite, even though nonwhites comprise 58 percent of the population. About one-third of the state's attorneys are women, however—a number that is quickly rising. A 1997 study reported that more than 80 percent of all judges, prosecutors, public defenders, and other court officials were white, while a substantial majority of defendants were not. Here are some ways to change this: mandate each court have at least one person of color and one woman

The authors discuss California's history in great detail. How do they describe California's first constitution - the constitution of 1849? Has this constitution had lasting effects into the 21st century? If so, how? Describe the constitution of 1879

"A constitutional convention consisting of forty-eight delegates (only seven of whom were native Californians) threw together the Constitution of 1849 by cutting and pasting from those of existing states, and requesting statehood, which the U.S. Congress quickly granted. The constitutional structure of the new state was remarkably similar to what we have today, with a two-house legislature, a supreme court, and an executive branch consisting of a governor, lieutenant governor, controller, attorney general, and superintendent of public instruction. The constitution also included a bill of rights, but only european-american males were allowed to vote" (2). They put a positive spin on the constitution by not pointing out the flaws that Matthews points out. Yes it has had lasting effects into the 21st century as they highlight "the constitutional structure of [the 1849 constitution] was remarkably similar to what we have today." "The Constitution of 1879 mandated regulation of railroads, utilities, banks, and other corporations. An elected State Board of Equalization was set up to ensure the fairness of local tax assessments on railroads and their friends, as well as their enemies. The new constitution also prohibited the Chinese from owning land, voting, or working for state or local government" (4). Much of the Constitution of 1879 remains intact today Second constitution was a reaction to low trust in government.

"institutionally, Republicans have become irrelevant, and electorally, it appears that the Republican brand is well out of favor". How and when did this shift come about? What direction do you think the state is heading in? Do you see California returning to a "purple" state anytime soon? Why or why not?

"As the electorate grew by 4.7 million new registrants between 1990 and 2012, Republican registration increased by only 66,000 votes" (94). "By comparison, Democrats had nearly 1.3 million more registrants" (94). CPPI = California Political Precinct Index The shift has come about because the state has shifted more liberally on social issues such as gay marriage and marijuana and the Republicans have failed to support this. Additionally, there conservative stance on immigration has drastically hurt them with latino voters. As the recent gay marriage and marijuana passage highlight, the state is continuing to be more liberal not less liberal. As such, the state will continue to see a strong democratic presence. There is no chance for a change to this because the Republican party has continued to prioritize ideological values over increasing voter support.

Who are California's "new reformers"?

"At the end of the first decade of the twenty-first century, Californians of all stripes were proposing schemes that, they said, would save the state. Leading labor unions and Internet-based progressive groups were organizing ballot initiative campaigns to overturn various limits on tax increases. Businesses were planning measures to undermine those unions' ability to spend politically, and to limit public-employee pensions. Right-wing populists thought that busting the weak if full-time state legislature back to part-time status would prove an elixir for the state's woes" "The riskiest attempt—at once the most promising and the most perilous—came from the Bay Area Council, a policy group backed by businesses such as Google"

California now exhibits an "hourglass economy." Describe this hourglass economy and how it was created. Do you think this current economic structure is sustainable?

"Instead of a class structure with a great bulge in the center, California now exhibits an "hourglass economy" with many people doing very well at the top, many barely getting by at the bottom, and fewer and fewer in the middle. From 1999 to 2006, over two- thirds of new jobs were in the top or bottom fifths of the pay scale." This has developed because of racism and high profit industries such as Silicon Valley The model is not sustainable because it will eventually cause an economic recession. The squeezed middle class will not be able to afford commodities or maintain their standard of living which will cause a bubble in a foundational sector of the economy such as tech, housing, automotive, or agriculture.

Describe California and its government under Earl Warren (1940s) or Pat Brown (1960s) as compared to today.

"Like many homegrown seers, [the extraterrestrial alien] would surely note California's polarization. This is no longer Earl Warren's California of the 1940s or Pat Brown's California of the early 1960s, when liberals were sometimes Republicans and conservatives were often Democrats" "Californians have swung their partisan identities more in line with their ideological preferences and clumped themselves into communities of the like-minded, creating a new political geography, with a solid Pacific sea of Democratic blue lapping a Republican red inland of valleys and mountains"

Why is the preparation of the annual budget the governor's most important formal power?

"No other public official has as much clout". The governor will frame the document before it goes to the legislature and then has additional say afterward through an item veto. Legislatures will often negotiate with the Chief executive over what he or she will accept long before the budget lands on the governor's desk.

How did the "two thirds formula" alter decision-making and party power in Sacramento?

"Oddly, Prop 13's limit on property taxes was not its central feature. At the core of the new system was the requirement for a two-thirds vote in each legislative chamber to raise revenue". "The prop 13 system, however, would make it harder for the legislature to make decisions." "In practice, however, the two-thirds hurdle was not a high one. Budgets routinely grew by more than 5 percent from one two-year budget to the next, unless the appropriation was approved by two-thirds of legislators."

Describe California's economic trajectory throughout the 20th century?

"The Great Depression of the 1930s, saw the unemployment rate soar from 3 percent in 1925 to 33 percent by 1933". "World War II revived the economic boom. The federal government spent $35 billion in California between 1940 and 1946, creating 500,000 jobs in defense industries. California's radio, electronics, and aircraft industries grew at phenomenal rates". "As in difficult economic times throughout California's history, a recession and recurring state budget deficits during the early 1990s led many Californians, including Governor Wilson, to blame immigrants, especially those who were in California illegally" Great Thesis Statement about California Economy: "California has experienced economic ups and downs, recovered, reinvented itself, and moved on, thanks to the diversity of its economy and its people and their ability to adapt to change" In sum, California experienced economic growth at the beginning, then the great depression hit, followed by WW2 and postwar growth. California continued to experience economic growth up until the end of the 20th century when recession hit

What do these "new reformers" suggest as a remedy to California's systemic failure"

"The three conflicting systems must be integrated into one system that is responsive to democratic votes and makes clear who is responsible when things go wrong. The state's single-member, winner-take-all legislative elections must be replaced with votes that provide responsibility and real choice to all citizens. The consensus-based, supermajority-mad rules for making budget and tax decisions must fall in favor of a system that allows for risk-taking, prompt governance, and democratic decision- making in a polarized age. The state's initiative process must be redesigned as a tool to put direct and democratic pressure on elected officials, rather than as a method for circumventing them recklessly". So these are Matthews and Paul's reforms NOT the "new reformers." The new reformers are any group with money trying to save the state

describes the "three strikes" initiative and its effects. What are your thoughts on the initiative and its consequences?

"Three strikes" required anyone convicted of three felonies to serve a sentence of twenty-five years to life: "three strikes and you're out." The three-strikes law quickly increased the state's prison population, as well as spending on prisons. New prisons were built, and operating the state prison system absorbs an ever-growing share of the state budget. With many of the state's worst criminals incarcerated for life, three-strikes prosecutions declined, and so did California's crime rate. Violent crime in California peaked in 1992 (two years before "three strikes") and has declined since then. It has increased the prison population which is bad financially but it is good because it has helped decrease crime.

California's electoral system is built of 4 central pieces, according to the authors:1)winner take-all elections;2)plurality victory;3)single-member geographic districts; and 4) party primaries. How has each contributed individually and in combination to California's political disenchantment?

1) Self-explanatory, win or get nothing at all. 2) Only need one more vote than second place to win it all 3) Only one representative; if you lose they probably don't care about you at all and won't really represent you. Also has lead to gerrymandering. 4) attracts only very interested party members, often winnning with tiny pluralities and dominated by activists and interests that support them.

Elaborate on the 3 categories the authors set for California's statewide offices: 1) obsolete, 2) appointable, and 3) electable.

1) stupid offices that are pointless like lt. Gov. 2) so many of the offices could just be appointed to experts instead of voted on and getting ambitious politcians 3) some should still be elected like the SOS because they do things like run elections

Comment on the authors' proposed outline for fixing California's broken fiscal system.

Authors solutions includes: 1)Start with budget accounting that tells the truth, 2)Create a real rainy day fund, 3) Pay as you go California can't make good decisions in Sacramento, without knowing the state's actual fiscal situation... state must be more honest and clear when assessing the state budget.... Should be have a system more like those at the federal level. California must "live within its means" and a real rainy day budget would be 15 % of actual state budget Don't dig into a real budget hole

"One constant throughout the political cycles of this polarized state is that voters, much as we complain about gridlock, have often halted legislative productivity by casting ballots for divided government"

Basically if we wanted an efficient government we would either encourage compromise or just vote in one party to make things run smoothly

Discuss the idea of crisis budgeting as it relates to California politics. What is the likelihood of crisis budgeting within the next decade?

Before prop 58, legislature had considered mid year proposals to address deficit crisis, but no legally prescribed format for doing so.... Proposition 58 in 2004. Provisions include: requiring the governor to to sign a balanced budget If state faced a revenue shortfall or projected deficits, the governor would be able to declare a fiscal emergency that called the legislature into special session and prohibited other legislative business if the legislature did not send the governor a bill to address the budget problem in 45 days. Establishes a special reserve fund to stabilize state finances during economic downturns and prohibited future borrowing to cover budget deficits

The tiered structure of the California courts is similar to that of the federal courts, but the selection of judges is not. How is California's selection process distinct?

California judges and justices, however, gain office through a more complicated process and regularly face the voters. Technically, judges are elected, but most actually gain office through appointment by the governor Automatic appeals of death penalty cases when a sitting judge dies, retires, or is promoted between elections. Appointed judges must run for office when their terms expire, but, running as incumbents, they almost always win. Trial court judges can also gain office simply by declaring their candidacy for a specific judicial office and running. If no candidate wins a majority in the primary election, the two candidates with the most votes face each other in a runoff election in November. They serve six-year terms and then may run for reelection, usually without opposition. Judges have no term limits. Unlike lower court judges, members of the district courts of appeal and the state supreme court attain office only through gubernatorial appointment. The governor's possible nominees are first screened by the state's legal community through its Commission on Judicial Nominees Evaluation. Then the nominees must be approved by the Commission on Judicial Appointments, consisting of the attorney general, the chief justice of the state supreme court, and the senior presiding judge of the courts of appeal. The commission may reject a nominee, but it has done so only twice since its creation in 1934.

Describe Proposition 14. Which political "ailments" was it intended to address?

California voters got annoyed by a dysfunctional state and launched prop 14 in order to encourage more moderate officeholders and less partisan officials

By the late 1980s, the number of lobbyists in Sacramento and the interest groups employing them grew rapidly, even as the manner in which they operated evolved. According to the authors, this growth stemmed from three developments. Describe each of these three developments and how they affected the growth and operation of lobbyists.

California's economy was shifting from industrial to post-industrial. Medical care became the single biggest economic activity in the state. Created many organization and lobbyists that specialized in medical. As specialization increased so did lobbying. Prop 13. All the things that were funded by the high property taxes like schools and teachers and other public sectors were suddenly hiring lobbyists to get the funds in Sacramento. Wave of regulatory activism that began during the Pat Brown era. As regulation increased, so to did the amount of people that wanted to alter or exempt themselves from the new regulations.

Based on the breakdown of state spending, what are California's main policy priorities?

Cities are not the creation of the state - they are created by the residents themselves Cities: voter created, law enforcement, roads, planning, solid waste Counties: the state creates it, criminal prosecutors, property taxes, health and human services

What are the main differences between a county and city in California?

Cities are not the creation of the state - they are created by the residents themselves Cities: voter created, law enforcement, roads, planning, solid waste Counties: the state creates it, criminal prosecutors, property taxes, health and human services

describe some of California's demographic changes, economic dislocations, and cultural divides over the past generation

Demographic Changes Between 1980 and 2005, California's population increased by more than half from 23.7 million to 35.6 million people In 2014, hispanics became the largest demographic in California Lots of migration for non-white hispanics from coastal to inland counties Virtually all of California's population growth is due to Hispanic and Asian minorities Economic Dislocations The level of education has been concentrated in the coastal areas. A lot less educated in the inland areas California as a whole was one of the states most severely hit by the subprime crisis The foreclosure crisis in California devastated some of the fastest growing areas inland, as well as older inner-city neighborhoods in major cities such as Los Angeles and Oakland California became "the fountainhead for the great recession." California was the biggest player in the U.S. mortgage market "The Central Valley and Inland Empire, once the new land of opportunity for home buyers, immigrant families, and developers, have seen their job rates and fiscal resources collapse and their levels of poverty skyrocket". Cultural Divides A prominent west-east divide has emerged "The eastern population of California tends to be more white, less educated, less wealthy, and more religious than the coastal population, which is overall more diverse, more educated, wealthier, and more secular".

"Perhaps, the only true political reform would be to dismantle the regulatory state itself, thereby reducing the incentive to buy or rent politicians as needed. If the Legislature didn't retain the power to decide who was entitled to an exemption from the "tied house" liquor laws, or if it didn't determine which breed of horse could race on which day, or what kind of gambling casino could offer which form of gaming, there wouldn't be as great a need to influence what did". Do you agree or disagree? Why?

Duh, if government wasn't dipping its hand in literally everything people wouldn't need to spend millions to alter trivial things in government

Define and give a few examples of: 1) economic groups, 2) demographic groups, 3) single issue groups, and 4) public interest groups.

Economic Seek various financial gains or hope to prevent losses Every major corporation in the state is represented by lobbyists in Sacramento such as California Northern Railroad or California Bankers Association Demographic Rely more on large membership base than on money - form by the distinguishing characteristics of the group such as racial identity EX. Mexican American Legal Defense Fund and AARP Single Issue Push for a specific question to be decided on specific terms - usually a controversial issue EX. California Abortion Rights Action League supports only candidates that support a woman's right to choose Public Interest Pursue goals to benefit society as opposed to just their members EX. California ONeCare that fought for healthcare reform and rose taxes on per-pack tobacco products by $2 through prop 56.

In what ways does Pastor claim "past" issues in CA reflect current struggles in America

For instance, the political rhetoric of the 1990s blamed the influx of immigrants for economic problems ... and today, this is the Republican viewpoint on immigrants Also, "California saw jobs in manufacturing of durable goods like cars, planes, and heavy equipment disappear almost as fast—by just under 20 percent—between 1990 and 1994 as they did in the 2007-10 recession period in auto-heavy Michigan."

What are the three types of "complications" that seem to come up frequently when Californians consider the state budget?

Gimmicks: Sometimes, we overshoot how many resources will actually be available in state treasury. Known as "Plumping the Balance" by June 30. State/ Local Relations: State and local finances are enmeshed in ways that can be difficult to untangle. Often, when state programs are cut back, local services need rise, especially for counties. Ballot Measures: Initiative process allows voters to implement policies and most initiatives passed have relatively low impact on the state's general budget. However, most have complicated funding formulas that the state must react in correspondence with.

Who was Artie Samish? Briefly describe the three-decade Samish era of Capitol politics. Drawing on both similarities and differences, how does the Samish era compare to the contemporary political arena?

He was a new wave reformer after Hiram Johnson He basically to bad jobs that taught him the way that legislation actually was passed and then went on to become a lobbyist, using his knowledge to get crazy stuff passed for his clients, and basically gave Greyhound buses the ability to grow. Chose to spend money on electing politicians that would be friendly to their clients once elected Thought outright bribery was dumb, so he came up with legal bribes like clients for lawyers' retainer fees and insurance clients for brokers

Why do the authors conclude that "real budget reform and political reform are two halves of the same walnut. California is unlikely to get one without the other"

If California wants to have a system that is more democratic when it comes to budgeting, the process must allow politically equal citizens to govern themselves under laws and government policies that have been adopted and are maintained under rational consent.

When is grassroots pressure more important than campaign money in bending legislators? When is it not?

If it's purely grassroots vs money, the former will win. But it can be affected by media and other external factors.

The authors assert that the bicameral system now serves mostly to "defeat" democracy: Having two houses gives Sacramento's huge lobbying corps twice as many dark corners in which to strangle bills they don't like, and twice as many shots at the clandestine last- minute "gut and amend" maneuvers whereby noncontroversial bills are turned into special-interest bonanzas. The two houses wage tit - for - tat wars, sabotaging each other's bills as payback for slights or to gain 2 advantage in the factional battles of Los Angeles Democratic politics". How convinced are you by their argument, given the breadth of information you have learned in the course so far?

If less bills pass we could at least know about them

What was the impact of the top-two system on the 2012 primary election? How has it affected incumbents' "safety margins"?

Incumbents are more likely to be challenged in congress and less so in state races, easier to wait for the seat to become open than make enemies and opposition Had very little impact on the election Parties moved to endorsements since they could not directly choose candidates, and this new system proved to be just as effective in practice with endorsed candidates fairing much better than those not Left california with a democratic ⅔ majority that could now tax and spend its state

How do the authors propose to strengthen statewide elections? Does this proposition seem feasible?

Instant runoff voting to get winners with the biggest appeal to voters Its a decent proposal, just more populist so eh

How did the direction of campaign money change due to legislative term limits?

It became less about paying off incumbent politicians and more about financing the new upcoming politicians that would be sympathetic to their cause More turnover meant more contested seats, the landscape just changed, the only ones who still resemble the old system are the key leaders and key committee chairs

how did professionalization and centralization escalate the amount of money raised for legislative campaigns?

It increased the level of partisan competition for control of the legislature

What was the intention behind the Political Reform Act of 1974 and the establishment of the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPCC)? How powerful are California's interest groups and their lobbyists? Do you think they should have influence over the legislature?

It was created to rein in loose spending in campaigns. Requires people to disclose assets, spending, contributions, and to have the SOS record the information. The FPCC is an oversight body that can fine violators. Interest groups and their lobbyists are quite powerful, the Uber example in the chapter was good for highlighting this. Money talks. Sure, why not give them influence if they shell out that much money.

What are the trends in budgeting at the local level? What are the impacts of prop 13?

It's hurt children It's hurt local government It's allowed middle class people to hold onto their houses

Why is public budgeting an important government function?

Legislative oversight as well as changes to the governor's budget. Subcommittees are able to edit the governor's budget if they believe something may be wrong.

Why do the authors believe that Proposition 11 (redistricting) could not produce substantial political impact? How does their argument compare to our previous discussions and readings in class on redistricting?

Little to no evidence that prop 11 would reduce partisan incentives, or would make elections more competetive. People on the commission cant een consider the political implications of the districts that they draw, so there is no way to change the competetiveness through the commission

Define lobbying. How has it evolved as a practice since the Gold Rush? What about since the 1950s?

Lobbying Defined Interest groups seek to influence public policy by persuading policy makers Will buttonhole legislators in an attempt to make their case - now considered the "third house" and integral to the system Change Prior to 1950 lobbying was rampant. It basically amounted to widespread bribery as they would give lavish gifts and the like in exchange for influence and was almost completely unregulated Now they are professionalized and regulated. They have become policy experts in the areas that they are lobbying in. When inexperienced or knowledgeable legislators need help, lobbyists will fill in the gap and even sometimes write laws for the representative to propose.

Describe the governor's main budgetary responsibilities

No other formal power is more important than the governor's budgetary responsibilities According to the constitution, the governor must recommend a balanced budget to the legislature within the first ten days of each calendar year. The governor's proposals usually include requests for both taxing and spending. Budget work is virtually a year-round task for the governor and his or her appointed director of finance. The two begin their initial preparations on July 1, the start of the fiscal year, and end with the signing of the budget about a year later.

The authors write that California's supreme court's "conservatism was reflected in its tendency to be pro - prosecution in criminal cases and pro - business on economic cases". Elaborate on this statement and its consequences for Californians.

Overall, the court avoids judicial activism (making policy through court decisions rather than through the legislative or electoral process), but even the current conservative court sometimes asserts its independence, wading into political controversy and significantly affecting state politics. With a majority of the justices appointed by Republican governors and solidly confirmed by the voters, that is why the supreme court of California is conservative.

What was happening in the housing market in the mid-seventies that brought homeowners together against property taxes

People were unable to pay rising taxes. People, mainly upper middle class Californians, wanted tax relief to keep their beloved homes

How have campaign spending limits been subverted by independent expenditures by PACs? Give an example.

Political Reform act of 1974 was the one that required disclosure of finance related stuff, but now PACS can circumvent the limits and scrutiny by acting as individual contributors that are independent, this was protected by the CItizens United case PACS are just another layer that can make things less transparent and more complicated

Who were the progressives?

Progressives: "the growth fostered by the railroad eventually produced a new middle class, encompassing merchants, doctors, lawyers, teachers, and skilled workers who were not dependent on the railroad. They objected to the corrupt practices and favoritism of the railroad's political machine, which they perceived as being responsible for restraining economic development of their communities". "To break the power of the machine, the Progressives introduced a new wave of reforms that shape California politics to this day. Predictably, they created a new regulatory agency, the Public Utilities Commission (PUC), for the railroads and utilities. Most of their reforms, however, aimed at weakening the political parties as tools of bosses and machines" The leader of the progressives, Hiram Johnson, was elected as the 23rd governor of the US in 1910

Why do many local governments and public schools in California hire lobbyists?

Prop 13 cut a lot of their funding. Budgetary power shifted towards Sacramento, and education became a huge $50 billion dollar fund. Well worth anyone to fight over. There's just a ton of money to fight over. Public sector also cannot contribute to campaigns, but lobbyists can circumvent this.

According to Matthews and Paul, how have some initiatives both directly and/or indirectly robbed the legislature of power?

Proposition 13, the bill that was meant to target property tax increases, began the process of taking away the budget powers of the legislators by making it so that a two-thirds supermajority was needed to pass tax increases, which made it harder to reach a consensus on how to fund the needs of that growing population. Touched off an "initiative surge" that would slowly reduce powers with the law then the budget. The most egregious was the term-limit proposition because it essentially destroyed the process that allowed lawmakers to become experts and competent in the legislature.

What are the pros and cons of term limits?

Pros Are that it would guarantee new faces, reduce the influence of money, and prevent incumbents from becoming entrenched in excess. Proposition 140 passed in 1990 set term limits for state senators and executive branch officers to two 4-year terms and assembly members to three 2-year terms while reducing the legislature's operating budget by 38%. Cons Political Cannibalism has increased, members of their own party are challenging others for positions because they have been termed-out by limits. Lower quality of legislation since the adoption of term limits. Less time for incumbents to get legislative experience and use it effectively as there are term limits.

What circumstances led to a leader like Ronald Reagan? And in what ways does Pastor argue it is similar to Trump?

Reagan won because of fear from the black panthers and the liberal youth while Trump won because of anti - immigration and populist sentiments Both appealed to the radical right who wanted to conserve the status quo through identity politics

briefly comment on California's main revenue sources and expenditures.

Revenue comes from: 21. 3 % Sales tax 66.9 % Personal income tax 8.6 % Corporation taxes 3.2 % other Revenue Goes to: 27 % Health and Human Services 11.6 % Higher education 42.4 % k-12 Public Education 9% Corrections and rehabilitation 4.6 % Bond Interest 5.4 % other

In reference to Prop 13, the authors find a particular irony: "the same measure that signaled voter mistrust of the legislature also gave state government even broader control over California life". How did this happen?

State provides more funding to the counties

The California constitution provides a number of mechanisms of judicial accountability. What are some of these mechanisms? Do you find these mechanisms to be effective?

The California constitution provides several mechanisms of judicial accountability, all of which have been used recently. Judges can be removed through elections, but they can also be reprimanded or removed by the judicial system itself. Although early efforts to oust liberal members of the state supreme court failed, anti court elements triumphed in 1986, when three liberal justices appointed by former Democratic Governor Jerry Brown were swept out of office—the only justices removed by the voters in California history. These mechanisms are ineffective because sitting judges are rarely challenged Judges also can be removed by the judicial system itself. The Commission on Judicial Performance was created in 1960 to investigate charges of misconduct or incompetence. Its members include three judges (appointed by the supreme court), two lawyers (appointed by the governor), and six public members (two each appointed by the governor, the senate Rules Committee, and the speaker of the assembly). Few investigations result in any action, but if the charges are confirmed, the commission may impose censure, removal from office, or forced retirement.

Describe California's judicial ladder.

The California court system is the largest in the nation, with more than 2,000 judicial officers. Each of its three levels has its own responsibilities, but all the levels are linked. Most cases begin and end at the lowest level. Only a few move up the state's judicial ladder through the appeals process and even fewer end in the U.S. Supreme Court. Superior Courts (Trial Courts) -> Court of Appeal -> California Supreme Court

Describe the dynamics of California's immigration policy in the last few decades?

The current makeup of California derives from the impact of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 Since 1970, international immigration has been responsible for nearly half of California's population growth, not counting growth attributable to immigrants' higher fertility rates, and California has experience a net outflow of intra - U.S. migration Latino and Asian immigrants are younger and have more children than native - born Americans, creating a disparity that significantly increases the share of California's minority population even further Though growth in the immigrant stock has slowed considerably, its effects on the diversity of California's population persist. California's immigrant share rose only one percentage point between 2000 and 2010, from 27% to 28%, after having risen from approximately 16% in 1980. Pete Wilson, Republican Governor, ran to the right to get reelected and thus supported proposition 187. was a 1994 ballot initiative to establish a state-run citizenship screening system and prohibit illegal immigrants from using non-emergency health care, public education, and other services in the State of California. Immigration has been an issue along the lines of jobs and the economy, taxes, cultural assimilation and politics

What three fiscal trends have fueled the shift from the General Fund to "special funds"?

The state has relied on "user pays" financing. Usually these are earmarked and therefore impossible to go to general fund. For example a park entrance fee can't be justified to finance medical payments. Reliance on fees has been pronounced in areas of consumer protection, natural resource management and environmental protection. Instead of raising general taxes, advocates craft tax propositions to earmark the use of the new levies. Revenues will then be deposited in a special fund. For example, prop 63 of 2004 was an initiative to raise income taxes to allocate more funds towards mental health programs. Legislature created special funds to segregate revenues from general taxes already levied. Example: instead of raising taxes, earmarking a quarter cent of the sales tax to pay debt service on the deficit bonds.

"Term limits produced more politicking and undermined expertise in all fifteen state legislatures upon which they have been imposed. But in California, term limits were even more destructive because of how they combined with other features of the state's governing system. Term limits helped complete a cycle of contempt that weakened the legislature while strengthening the initiative process." How does this assertion from Matthews and Paul compare to the evaluation of the other authors?

The strengthening of the initiative system has essentially taken away much of the legislators' abilities to amend bills for the future. Passed initiatives are written with how to amend them, and in many cases they are completely infeasible. This does not allow for much flexibility. Term limits have also reduced the ability for the legislature to effectively teach new lawmakers how to perform their duties competently.

According to California Crackup, what is California's greatest issue?

The worst thing is not the decline in its once great public schools. It's not the tuition hikes at state universities that make college unaffordable for too many. It's not the cuts to health programs and parks and local governments. And it's not the decaying state water system. Nor is it that the prisons are so overcrowded and unhealthy that the federal courts have stepped in to oversee them. It's not the endless cycle of elections that never seems to leave time for governance. It's not the billions in borrowing that will hurt future generations, and it's not the billions more in retiree pension and health benefits that there's no money to pay for. It's not the joblessness or the lagging economic growth or the big declines in tax revenues (other states, after all, share these problems, if not on California's scale). And it's not even the multi-billion-dollar state budget deficits that persist, and the never-ending cycles of budget cuts that ensue. No. The worst thing about California's fix is that, under the state's current system of government, these problems can't be fixed. California has a lot of issue that can't be fixed Californians suffer from a deep political schizophrenia. The extraterrestrial would see that California is governed not by one system but by three. On the one hand, he would see a system of single-member legislative districts elected by plurality. This structure is well known to restrict representation to the two major parties, exaggerate the majority party's strength, empower the ideological bases in each party, and render the votes of millions of Californians essentially moot in most legislative elections. The system's driving principle? Create a majority and let it rule. On the other hand, he would see, superimposed on the first system, a second political system: a constitutional web of rules requiring supermajority legislative agreement about the very subjects—spending and taxes—over which the parties and the electorate are most polarized. The driving principle of this second system? Do nothing important without broad consensus. In practice, let the minority rule. And then on the third hand (here's where you need an extraterrestrial Tocqueville), he would see that, in response to gridlock, voters have repeatedly used the initiative process, another majoritarian institution, to override the consensus principle, which was itself put in place to check the majority-rule principle.

"the executive branch is a hodgepodge of independently elected authorities who serve in overlapping and conflicting institutional positions". Elaborate on this statement. What implication does this have for government?

There are a lot of contradictions in the government. For instance, the money officiers oversee money yet the governor determines the budget I would say it's not completely accurate. There is not a whole lot of overlap with the positions and there has been quite a bit of reform. The office of the insurance commissioner, for instance, has been reformed quite a bit. It shows that there needs to be more executive reform but not substantial executive reform

Given the previous question, why does a larger legislative majority still substantially aid governors?

There are two reasons that a larger legislative majority helps governors First, such a situation typically suggests that the governor and the legislature have roughly similar ideological leanings, and therefore are more likely to agree on issues Second, the governor is better able to threaten to veto bills, knowing that he or she is less likely to be overridden by the legislature, and the threat of a veto is a powerful negotiating tool

how does California bind its governors and legislatures with "an array of fiscal fetters

There is a ⅔ majority vote requirement for passing budgets and non school appropriations. Voters have used power to create spending obligations for health, mental health, prisons, drug enforcement, environmental protection, parks, early childhood education, and after school programs, mandates can't be altered without voters approval. This lies deep within the states constitution.

Describe California's new economy? What did it lead to?

There was a steady decline in manufacturing durable goods in California, as well as the fact that deindustrialization came later for the state. In its place, especially in the case of computer manufacturing and the like, rose the intellectual and service side of the same industries. Where the shutter computer factories were now stood the high-tech campuses of Google,Facebook, etc. Shift away from manufacturing and construction have hurt low skilled workers, as these jobs used to pay well without needing access to higher education. Wages went down for those without a high school degree, those with just a high school degree, while only those with a BA or higher had a real wage increase.

Why are, as Rarick describes, California governors "hardly at the mercy" of legislators

This has to do with budget proposals in California. Governors generally get much of what they want on budgetary issues. According to a study by Kousser/Phillips, they examined four governors and found that 78% of their budget proposals and 57% of their policy ideas were approved by the legislator

"voters are not nearly as extreme as we might expect given this new partisan alignment and the national mythology about the state's politics"

This is based on Morris Fiorina's idea that voters only appear to be polarized because they are effectively forced to choose between two extreme alternatives The voters would vote more moderately if they had more choice

How has reapportionment and redistricting changed the California legislature?

Until 2011, redistricting was carried out by the legislature. Was previously done to create artificial strongholds of either democrats or republicans (ie. Gerrymandering Proposition 11, the Voters FIRST Initiative changed this to give redistricting to a commision of five democrats, five republicans, and 4 unaffiliated members. The new commission made legislative districts equal in population again, 482,500 for assembly districts and 965,000 for senate districts

Matthews and Paul finish off their chapter with a provocative conclusion, describing a "cycle of contempt" that had originated when Californians voted in term limits. Do you find this characterization compelling? Why or why not?

Yes. Legislators make a great scapegoat because they are easy to blame for government failures despite citizens binding their hands through direct democracy. Direct democracy developed out of the southwest railroads Led by Hiram Johnson It seems increasingly true that people simply do not want to trust them and have taken actions themselves through the initiative process, a method that has in time bound the hands of legislators to be able to be incompetent in amending laws to keep up with the times.

What do the authors contend is the "greatest power" given to cities? Do you agree?

Zoning lands - yeah I do because they determine the distribution of land. As such, they have authority over an essential resource.