Governor considers calling special election (Schwarzenegger)

ContraCostaTimes.com ^ | 12/12/04 | Ann E. Marimow

[SierraWasp]

Carpe Deim, Governatter!!!

[goldstategop]

I support a special election. The special interests don't want to change things in Sacramento - and our State Legislature's approval ratings here are lower than Al Qaeda's.

[goldstategop]

Time to take out the broom to clean house again in 2005.

[Enterprise]

"I just don't see anything that requires that kind of urgent attention," said UC Berkeley political scientist Bruce Cain. "It looks suspiciously like it's there to keep Arnold amused and his advisers paid.""

Let's roll then. Who needs political scientists anyway? Maybe if Arnold passes enough initiatives, parasites in the University system might find real meaningful employment.

[FairOpinion]

Gee, Arnold is doing so well ( with a few exceptions), that he is even surprising me, and you know I had full confidence in him from day 1. :)

CA: State Power Agency Shuts Down ~ Dies with a whimper ~ accomplishes little ~ thanks Arnold )
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1299987/posts

'Christmas' Returns to the Capitol (CA) (Schwarzenegger)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1299615/posts

[GVnana]

I like it. And he can do it.

[SierraWasp]

Catch my fair opinion at the end of that first link you provided. I'm STILL not impressed!!!

I do think this is possibly a good idea. It does have some dangers to it as well. But CA is so screwed up now, that just about anything might be an improvement. Especially since we have such a phlegmatic legislature!!!

[Carry_Okie]

Redistricting: Schwarzenegger wants to take elected officials out of the process of designing legislative and congressional districts.

Good, then do half of it by suing in Federal Court to reverse Reynolds v. Sims.

Return the State Senate to its original purpose.

[Carry_Okie]

See #8.

[SierraWasp]

Essentially, I do too. I do have mixed emotions of so much Direct Democracy in a state that proclaims it'self a "REPUBLIC" right in it's flag!!!

I stongly supported Prop 13, but since then so many, especially people like Harvey Rosenfeld (can't remember what he called his group) and Gerald Mearl of the Urban Planning and Conservation League have made an abject mockery of the initiative process!!!

[goldstategop]

We win some and we lose some. Let's not forget the fact the state-wide electorate is on the whole, a different creature from the one that votes to return Democrats to power in Sacramento around election time.

[SierraWasp]

"Diluting the weight of votes because of place of residence impairs basic constitutional rights under the Fourteenth Amendment just as much as invidious discriminations based upon factors such as race or economic status...."

That's right yer honor, but it cuts both ways!!!

Cows may not vote, but their owners sure have been screwed out of their taxation with adequate representation ever since your stupid decision!!!

[Carry_Okie]

I originally posted this on the wrong thread:

I'm very uncomfortable with the governor having even indirect power to control the composition of the legilsature via the power to nominate a board controlling reapportionment.

The less accountable we make the legislature, the less the local elections mean, the less representation we actually have. It's one of the perverse effects of the initiative process.

When ends are used to justify means, we'd best have more respect for the law of unintended consequences.

[SierraWasp]

That's ok. You know Reynolds v. Sims is my favorite subject, you rascal!!!

[SierraWasp]

Well, if you can do it, I can do it too... Here goes:

Arnold has the annoying habit of grabbing off other people's initiatives for his own and tweaking/torquing them till you can't recognize them!

NormsRevenge has been pushing Howard Kaloogian's redistricting initiative and Arnold should help Howard, not snatch it away, like he did the recall and another on on workers comp, I believe... It's irritating as all get out!!!

[GVnana]

Interesting. A political theatre controlled by rural interests. I can almost remember a glimmer of that in CA. A time when people with established interests in a locality had more influence at the state level than the transient and non-aligned urbanite. Almost.

I don't see a reversal as likely, considering the abuses that brought it about. That earth has been scorched. But a non-political body could make a difference here.

[GopherIt]

Oh Yes.

[Carry_Okie]

I don't see a reversal as likely, considering the abuses that brought it about. That earth has been scorched. But a non-political body could make a difference here.

The original alignment of State Senate and Assembly, reflected the grand compromise between populous and sparsely populated and small states that gave us the US Constitution. For Warren to chuck it was to concentrate urban power and completely disenfranchise rural areas with the potential to grow. His decision was a bald faced repudiation of the Federal Convention.

[GVnana]

The original alignment of State Senate and Assembly, reflected the grand compromise between populous and sparsely populated and small states

That's the part I'm missing here. What was the basis for apportionment in CA before the case you cite?

[SierraWasp]

And why GVgirl and I share one state senator with 13 other counties, while some one in LA county has access to 13 state senate votes!!!