Posted on 10/17/2004 9:40:31 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
When Arnold Schwarzenegger overwhelming won the race for governor last year, he vowed to break the hold that special interests and fringe groups have in Sacramento. But Schwarzenegger found that promise hard to keep, in large part due to something he has no control over - the Legislature.
The system under which California elects its legislators is engineered to elevate candidates who hold extremist views on the left and the right. Moderate, centrist candidates stand little chance because Democrats and Republicans conspired together to gerrymander legislative districts.
The gerrymandering is so bad that one party or the other is virtually guaranteed a lock in every district. As a result, the parties don't need to nominate candidates who can represent a broader platform, just ones who will follow party leadership.
Proposition 62 would end this by opening up primaries to all voters.
Under the current system, voters may only vote in the primaries for their own parties. The top vote-getters from each party then face off in the general election. But under Proposition 62, everyone would be able to vote for any candidate in the primary, with the top two candidates making it to the runoff.
The result is that, in districts where one party dominates, two Democrats or two Republicans could face each other in the runoff. The runoff would cease to be the mere formality it is now, but instead offer voters a real choice between two strong candidates who must appeal to as many people as possible.
In a state so long divided by ugly and destructive partisan politics, Proposition 62 offers the best way to end the gridlock in Sacramento and get politicians to start working for us, and not serving their parties' interests.
Proposition 62 is opposed by both the Democratic and Republican party machines. Neither party wants free and fair elections; they only want to preserve their advantages.
That's why they added Proposition 60 to the ballot - one of the most cynical and dishonest tricks ever attempted. Supporters of Prop. 60 are hoping to confuse voters with a measure that does nothing except preserve a system that has driven the state to the brink of bankruptcy.
Restore democracy to California. Vote yes on Proposition 62 - and vote no on Proposition 60.
RINO's RINO Richard "Dirty Little Girl" Riordan's support of 62 is plenty enough reason to vote AGAINST it. :-)
State Senator Tom McClintock is voting Yes on 60 and NO on 62.
62 would also destroy all third parties, which is why the Libertarian Party opposes 62.
You missed the point of my post.The legislature should write the laws in a republic.The initiative is seductive,but whenever we get a "good" one passed,the damn court throws the thing out.
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