Published: May 20, 2009
LOS ANGELES — Direct democracy has once again upended California — enough so that the state may finally consider another way by overhauling its Constitution for the first time in 130 years.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger returned home from a White House visit on Wednesday to find the state dangerously broke, his constituents defiant after a special election on Tuesday and calls for a constitutional convention — six months ago little more than a wonkish whisper — a cacophony.
As the notion of California as ungovernable grows stronger than ever, Mr. Schwarzenegger, a Republican, has expressed support for a convention to address such things as the state’s arcane budget requirements and its process for proliferate ballot initiatives, both of which necessitated Tuesday’s statewide vote on budget matters approved months ago by state lawmakers.
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The west coast has always been viewed as the place to go if you want to see the future. Fashion. Cultural trends. Political trends. And yes total collapse. The 10th biggest economy in the world is in a state of total collapse. Housing prices continue to fall. Unemployment continues to rise. Institutions continue to implode.
Does California provide a glimpse of our future. Peacenik hopes not but thinks so. The voters of California had a chance to weigh in on how to solve the economic crisis. Did the voters realize that there is no solution? Or did they simply continue with the anti-tax mantra of the last 30 years? Were the voters selfish or stupid or both? Peacenik doesn't know. But California is on the leading edge of living a new standard of living. A lesser one. A third world one. Here come the cuts to healthcare, education, and welfare. Here come 20,000 prisoners, on the street, cause the state can't afford to keep them in prison.
Will Canadian voters vote for progressive solutions when their turn to vote comes? Or have 30 years of brainwashing so engrained libertarian ideas that Canadians' too will vote against their own self- interest? Is there a way to prevent collapse? Peacenik thinks probably not.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger returned home from a White House visit on Wednesday to find the state dangerously broke, his constituents defiant after a special election on Tuesday and calls for a constitutional convention — six months ago little more than a wonkish whisper — a cacophony.
As the notion of California as ungovernable grows stronger than ever, Mr. Schwarzenegger, a Republican, has expressed support for a convention to address such things as the state’s arcane budget requirements and its process for proliferate ballot initiatives, both of which necessitated Tuesday’s statewide vote on budget matters approved months ago by state lawmakers.
Read on...
The west coast has always been viewed as the place to go if you want to see the future. Fashion. Cultural trends. Political trends. And yes total collapse. The 10th biggest economy in the world is in a state of total collapse. Housing prices continue to fall. Unemployment continues to rise. Institutions continue to implode.
Does California provide a glimpse of our future. Peacenik hopes not but thinks so. The voters of California had a chance to weigh in on how to solve the economic crisis. Did the voters realize that there is no solution? Or did they simply continue with the anti-tax mantra of the last 30 years? Were the voters selfish or stupid or both? Peacenik doesn't know. But California is on the leading edge of living a new standard of living. A lesser one. A third world one. Here come the cuts to healthcare, education, and welfare. Here come 20,000 prisoners, on the street, cause the state can't afford to keep them in prison.
Will Canadian voters vote for progressive solutions when their turn to vote comes? Or have 30 years of brainwashing so engrained libertarian ideas that Canadians' too will vote against their own self- interest? Is there a way to prevent collapse? Peacenik thinks probably not.
