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CA: Budget deal makes democracy safe -- for more gridlock
Sac Bee ^
| 12/14/03
| Dan Walters
Posted on 12/14/2003 9:34:47 AM PST by NormsRevenge
Edited on 04/12/2004 6:02:03 PM PDT by Jim Robinson.
[history]
Self-government, bereft of a monarchy, was a novel concept when the architects of the American republic designed our governmental structure two centuries ago -- but, as it turned out, so was the design itself.
The founders saw a three-branch government, each exercising its own powers while acting as a check on the other two, as a bulwark against tyranny. What they could not envision, however, was a society's becoming so culturally and economically complex that civic consensus would become virtually impossible to achieve, and checks and balances therefore would become insurmountable hurdles. They could not, in brief, envision California and its gridlocked state government.
(Excerpt) Read more at sacbee.com ...
TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Government; Politics/Elections; US: California
KEYWORDS: budgetcrisis; budgetdeal; calgov2002; california; democracy; gridlock; knife; schwarzenegger
To: *calgov2002
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2
posted on
12/14/2003 9:35:09 AM PST
by
NormsRevenge
(Semper Fi ... Support Our Troops .. For some ideas, check my profile.)
To: NormsRevenge
Absolute, liberal crap. A typical avoidance of California's key mistake. Allowing the legislature to draw the boundaries of political districts.
We are a republic. We depend on representatives to convey our individual views. The choice of these representatives has always been a balancing act between our individual self interests and the well being of the body as a whole. This concept is illustrated in the bicameral nature of the legislature. One group to represent parochial interests and the other, the well being of the whole.
This concept is born out in the recent compromise which sailed through the assembly but barely escaped the Senate.
When California finally addresses the issue of political districting with an eye for providing even a bit more representation of the whole in it's legislative districts, California will emerge from a gridlocked government without suffering the constant tyranny of the majority. Balanced compromise will return to governance and the ship of state will remain in the deeper channel nearer the center of the stream.
To: Amerigomag
Sounds like someone has been reading too many comparative politics books and dusting off old PoliSci notes. This is a "thoughtful piece" but I will not comment on the thoughts or whatKIND of piece it is.......
4
posted on
12/14/2003 10:07:11 AM PST
by
jraven
To: NormsRevenge
Our system of government has its problems but - so far - is more dynamic and representative, more capable of generating wealth and adjusting to changes, than any other on earth.
To: NormsRevenge
Let's see if we can follow this reasoning: A) The rest of the world follows a model that is less successful than ours, but "everybody does it." B) Therefore we should abandon our model, which has been for over 200 years, more successful, but requires politicians to show more decisivensss and courage if they actully want to solve problems, more than most of them are presently showing, in favor of what the rest of the world does. C) Euro-parliamentary socialism good, American-style constitutional republicanism containing democracy and making it sustainable bad.
We hate to spoil this grand Eurosocialist vision, but maybe the answer is for politicians to move away from focus groups and polling and indecisiveness a la Gray Davis and actually acknowledge problems and seek out solutions to them, listening to actual citizens rather than lobbyists and consultants. Isn't that what the recall was about?
6
posted on
12/14/2003 10:17:20 AM PST
by
AmericanVictory
(Should we be more like them, or they like us?)
To: AmericanVictory
We hate to spoil this grand Eurosocialist vision, but maybe the answer is for politicians to move away from focus groups and polling and indecisiveness a la Gray Davis and actually acknowledge problems and seek out solutions to them, listening to actual citizens rather than lobbyists and consultants. Isn't that what the recall was about?I beleive the Govt.will be run by, and for the good of it's people, only when lobbying is made federal crime.
When the Govt. lets Corps.like Enron device legislation there is no hope for Joe Citizen.
To: jraven
but I will not comment on the thoughts or what KIND of piece it is.......Thanks. Your demurer is welcomed, and I might add wise, in view of recent circumstances.
To: AmericanVictory
The sad news is: Arnold caved to the Democrats. The budget deal is a sham. Arnold showed himself to be a wimp. The budget deal Arnold agreed to will not help solve California's problem of government overspending. And this was his best chance to do something positive. All you can say is : Arnold is a wimp who caves to Democrats and doesn't have the guts to do the right thing. Will Arnold change? I don't know. But it doesn't look good. He's now in bed with the Dems, (in more ways than one).
9
posted on
12/14/2003 11:02:36 AM PST
by
MarkM
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