[BJungNan]

A populist crusade could do for Republicans what they couldn't do for themselves.

The question is, once the Republicans are helped, will they do any good for the populists.

The Repubicans ran from Simon. They ran from Quayle, they ran from the California recall drive. Now they benefit from it? You need fortitude, strength of conviction to take a ball and run with it. Is it there? We do have the Republicans unified front on the budget as an ecouraging sign, but I not yet convinced.

[happygrl]

And the establishment won't know what hit it.

That includes the Republican establishment.

There is much criticism about the direct democracy offered by the referendum process in California. It flies in the face of representative government.

But it afford the opportunity, recommended by Jefferson, to overthrow the established government, albeit through peaceful means. It's good to act on Jefferson's ideas as Californians periodically do.

It sets the rest of the politicos on notice.