OPINION: Why California can't be governed

Los Angeles Times / latimes.com ^ | June 25, 2009 | By Jerry Roberts and Phil Trounstine

[thecodont]

Afew [sic] hours after California voters approved his Proposition 13 tax-cut measure on June 6, 1978, a bibulous and exultant Howard Jarvis dropped his pants for the benefit of a few reporters gathered in his suite at the L.A. Biltmore Hotel.

A reporter had asked Jarvis why he was limping, so his ostensible reason was to show a large, ugly bruise, which he'd suffered in a fall a few days before, on his ample, boxer-clad behind. The surprise gesture, however, also afforded the earthy and profane Jarvis a chance to display his contempt for the press and, by extension, the political class that had mocked him and opposed his cherished measure.

Thirty years later, the ghost of Jarvis and his legacy initiative still aim antipathy, scorn and disdain at California's government and its leaders. Proposition 13 was the first, and most far-reaching, in a cascade of political decisions over the last three decades that have shaped the dysfunctional structure of governance in the state.

Simply put, California today is ungovernable.

As state and local officials struggle to weather the state's fiscal crisis, they wield power with the damaged machinery of a patchwork government system that lacks accountability, encourages stalemate and drifts but cannot be steered.

In this system, elected leaders carry responsibility, but not authority, for far-reaching policies about public revenues and resources. That's not governance -- it's reactive management of a deeply flawed status quo.

Here is a look at six key factors that have made California impossible to govern.

[Osnome]

ALL OF THE NATIONAL NEWSPAPERS ARE LEFTWING!
Not Liberal, they’re leftwing.

The NY Post does not count, it is a tabloid.

[Political Junkie Too]

No mention of one-party rule?

-PJ

[clamper1797]

And not mention even once, the word “unions”.

Or illegals or excessive taxation

[Osnome]

>>My three heroes are Ronald Reagan, Al Bundy<<

I do not think The Gipper would have any respect for that vulgar fictional character from a TV series that was defamitory of American Family Life.

[Frantzie]

Don’t forget illegal aliens.

[Buchal]

They’re not stupid, they’re evil.

[Fred]

Lets Rock

[max americana]

Thanks. I’ve read it a couple of times and though smaller in scope, a breath of fresh air.

[vbmoneyspender]

You must not have watched the show.

Al Bundy is an archetype of the blue collar American family man - and as such he follows in a long line of much beloved fictional American heroes such as Ralph Kramden and Archie Bunker.

The reason Al Bundy is a hero is because he works in an unheroic job in order to provide for his family. He does this day after day and year after year with relatively little complaint. And even though times can get tough and his efforts may go unappreciated, he never gives up and he never leaves his family.

Aside from that, anyone whose favorite movie is Hondo is alright in my book.

[Dennis M.]

Get rid of prop 13 and California would be a little more like New York, no better off. If the state is compared to a state with similar demographics like Texas the solution is obvious.

1. Get rid of the full time legislature, make them get a job. The legislature just stands around thinking of ways to tax and kill business.
2. Stand up to the unions, which will never happen and why Cali will BK.
3. Get rid of the ridiculous pensions. Make them get a job.

Cali needs bankruptcy to break the unions and deal with the pension problem. Until then nothing will be solved.

They say as California goes so goes the nation. I hope not.

[Osnome]

>>“The America of my time line is a laboratory example of what can happen to democracies, what has eventually happened to all perfect democracies throughout all histories. A perfect democracy, a “warm body” democracy in which every adult may vote and all votes count equally, has no internal feedback for self-correction….

Once a state extends the franchise to every warm body, be he producer or parasite, that day marks the beginning of the end of the state. For when the plebs discover that they can vote themselves bread and circuses without limit and that the productive members of the body politic cannot stop them, they will do so, until the state bleeds to death, or in its weakened condition the state succumbs to an invader — the barbarians enter Rome.”

To Sail Beyond the Sunset
Robert A.Heinlein
<<
That simplistic cynicism shows Heinlein lack of faith in America, and Democracy in particular.
He did not think we would last this long.
In his book ‘StarShip Troopers’(1959) he predicted that the North American Republic would colapse after 1987.

I could say the same about Science Fiction in general for its’ UnAmerican Cynicism.

Many factors brought about the ruin of democracy, many factors bring about the ruin.

[Osnome]

>>The reason Al Bundy is a hero is because he works in an unheroic job in order to provide for his family. He does this day after day and year after year with relatively little complaint. And even though times can get tough and his efforts may go unappreciated, he never gives up and he never leaves his family.

Aside from that, anyone whose favorite movie is Hondo is alright in my book.

<<

Point well taken.
When that show first came on the air I liked it very much, but it went on and on, got more vulgar and ludicrous.

In the end I could not believe in a show, even a comedy, where a guy who works as a shoe salesman can afford a two story three-bedroom house in the Chicago Suburbs.
Not possible!

[Jabba the Nutt]

Propostions only came about due to the incompetence of the government of the State of California. Peole wouldn’t resort to the proposition option otherwise. I see the LA Times did not include the Civil Rights Initiative. Why not? They love race discrimination.

[sloop]

i am sick of hearing about california - they won't allow power plants but want to suck down power - they pay for sea otter hemorrhoid research but say they need my texas tax dollars or criminals will be freed and fire stations closed

here is an idea on a new government that might work

wall off the state, open the prison gates and air drop millions of guns - see what happens - couldn't be anything but an improvement

(attention cali freepers - texas is open for business and no state income tax - with a budget surplus - git yourself on over here)

[Redcloak]

Prop. 13 did no damage to the State whatsoever. Not one bit! The damage was done by thirty years of politicians who have refused to admit that Prop. 13 passed. They have carried on for all these years as though the former revenue stream was still there; as though property owners would continue playing saps and pay through the nose for the privilege of being governed by the rabble in Sacramento.

[budwiesest]

Heinlien makes sense to me. If raising taxes were a simple majority vote, this state would have been in the ditch years ago.

The pols go along with the insane spending to get re-elected by the 'plebs' who benefit, and are rewared to higher office as well.

If they spent more time on this state's future needs (energy, water, etc.) rather than it's income redistribution scheme they'd be doing what they were elected to do. Today, it's tax the productive and give it to the un-productive (unions, schools, welfare, state employees, etc.)

[NoLibZone]

The LA Times thinks California can’t be governed because of the inability to raise taxes faster.

They should be true to their thinking and increase the price of their paper to see how that helps their budget situation.

[VeniVidiVici]

I love it. They list “six key factors” that make CA impossible to govern and yet CA had NO PROBLEM in during the 30 years of Prop13 to raise spending over and over and over again.

Only now, when the chickens have come home to roost and spending has to be reduced, does it become a “problem” due to lack of flexibility.

Strange, I see the main problem as overspending.

[NoLibZone]

A gang banger gets shot goes into an ER and gets 40 grand worth of FREE medical.

Goes home, after a few weeks; the same gang banger returned with multiple stab wounds and again received 100% free health care worth tens of thousands.

If he requires additional long term care it can possibly be hundreds of thousands of dollars in care- FREE!

My wife saved his life twice.

His care alone would have built a pretty nice state of art computer lab at four High Schools.

[Osnome]

>>
The pols go along with the insane spending to get re-elected by the ‘plebs’ who benefit, and are rewared to higher office as well.

If they spent more time on this state’s future needs (energy, water, etc.) rather than it’s income redistribution scheme they’d be doing what they were elected to do. Today, it’s tax the productive and give it to the un-productive (unions, schools, welfare, state employees, etc.)
<<

Maybe you are right- -

I have just posted my thoughts on the decline of Rome in the SMOKEY BACKROOM

They are my considerations.