Tomorrow we have a special election here in California.  Very few voters will turn out and even fewer will really understand what it is about.  The Economist ran a great article about “The ungovernable state” in their May 16th-20th issue for the US market.  As they point out, the political system in our fair state is essentially designed to fail or to be able to deal with something like the current economic slump.  It barely functions in normal times so it is no surprise that it cannot handle the worst recession in my lifetime. 

The design flaws for failure are as follows:

·      We are the only state to require a two thirds majority for both tax and spending legislation

·      We have allowed severe Gerrymandering of our districts to insure that they are good for either Republican or Democratic incumbent

·      Our primary elections see very low voting turn-out so that factions on the far right and far left have much more influence than the bulk of rather moderate Californians

·      Our legislature is populated with highly partisan ideologues who tend to stand on “principle” rather than make any meaningful compromises

·      We have a “citizen-driven” initiative process which is very easily exploited by special interests and the dysfunction of our state legislature

·      We regularly pass initiatives that tie the hands of the state government in terms of spending or borrowing so that there is very little in the budget that is discretionary or which can be adjusted (up or down) to correspond to fiscal realities

 

So, when times are good we squander our money and make new commitments for spending.  When times are tough we don’t have the political rationality to make the best adjustments.  Our state does not work.

In a way we deserve better and some modifications to the state constitution would be desirable.  In a way we deserve what we have because the majority moderate middle does not participate as it should in the process.  Granted, there is not much incentive to do so because the available options are hyper-partisan.  What we need is what the entire nation needs, but we need it more urgently.  We need a third alternative which is not a party in the normal sense, but a grouping of moderate independents that can win at least some seats to change the current balance of power.

What we need is a form of moderate activism.  That seems like a contradiction in terms, but it is not.  Today far too many topics of civil discussion are dominated by extremist voices.  This has always been true, but it is easier for extreme voices to get out their message in the age of the Internet and of openly biased media sources.  For rational folk it is alarming to watch the disinformation that is so influential today.  What we need is a sort of “Modactivism” or “Radical Moderation” or “Centristism.”  We need a way to generate passion around reason and balance and informed opinion. 

Perhaps if California goes bankrupt it will open opportunities for this sort of change, but not if moderate, rational people continue to be disengaged.  People who see everything as black or white largely drive California politics, like national politics.  We who see the grey and the complexity and the need for experimentation need to step up to the plate.  Our schools, prisons and foster care system are a mess.  Our lack of functional public transit is a shameful thing.  Our water law is an anachronistic disaster and we have a huge problem with water in general that is only going to get worse with climate change.  We are living in gross hypocrisy with regard to immigration policy.  It may be a national dysfunction, but we are totally immersed in a system that is both morally and practically bankrupt. 

California is a remarkable place.  We have been blessed with some of the best growing conditions for high value crops in the world (wine grapes, fruit, vegetables, flowers…).  We have a diverse population, which can be at the forefront of rational change.  We have some of the best universities in the world and many of the most innovative companies.  We have tremendous natural beauty of more categories than almost anyone else.  We have really pleasant weather.  California is a great place.  It deserves better governance.

Tomorrow’s vote is almost guaranteed to be a failure by almost any standard.  Our state will be in big financial trouble either way it goes.  We won’t become a “failed state” like Somalia, but we will fail to achieve the tremendous potential that our blessings could allow. 

Tomorrow we have a special election here in California.  Very few voters will turn out and even fewer will really understand what it is about.  The Economist ran a great article about “The ungovernable state” in their May 16^th-20^th issue for the US market.  As they point out, the political system in our fair state is essentially designed to fail or to be able to deal with something like the current economic slump.  It barely functions in normal times so it is no surprise that it cannot handle the worst recession in my lifetime. 

The design flaws for failure are as follows:

• ·      We are the only state to require a two thirds majority for both tax and spending legislation
  
• ·      We have allowed severe Gerrymandering of our districts to insure that they are good for either Republican or Democratic incumbent
  
• ·      Our primary elections see very low voting turn-out so that factions on the far right and far left have much more influence than the bulk of rather moderate Californians
  
• ·      Our legislature is populated with highly partisan ideologues who tend to stand on “principle” rather than make any meaningful compromises
  
• ·      We have a “citizen-driven” initiative process which is very easily exploited by special interests and the dysfunction of our state legislature
  
• ·      We regularly pass initiatives that tie the hands of the state government in terms of spending or borrowing so that there is very little in the budget that is discretionary or which can be adjusted (up or down) to correspond to fiscal realities
  

 

So, when times are good we squander our money and make new commitments for spending.  When times are tough we don’t have the political rationality to make the best adjustments.  Our state does not work.

In a way we deserve better and some modifications to the state constitution would be desirable.  In a way we deserve what we have because the majority moderate middle does not participate as it should in the process.  Granted, there is not much incentive to do so because the available options are hyper-partisan.  What we need is what the entire nation needs, but we need it more urgently.  We need a third alternative which is not a party in the normal sense, but a grouping of moderate independents that can win at least some seats to change the current balance of power.

What we need is a form of moderate activism.  That seems like a contradiction in terms, but it is not.  Today far too many topics of civil discussion are dominated by extremist voices.  This has always been true, but it is easier for extreme voices to get out their message in the age of the Internet and of openly biased media sources.  For rational folk it is alarming to watch the disinformation that is so influential today.  What we need is a sort of “Modactivism” or “Radical Moderation” or “Centristism.”  We need a way to generate passion around reason and balance and informed opinion. 

Perhaps if California goes bankrupt it will open opportunities for this sort of change, but not if moderate, rational people continue to be disengaged.  People who see everything as black or white largely drive California politics, like national politics.  We who see the grey and the complexity and the need for experimentation need to step up to the plate.  Our schools, prisons and foster care system are a mess.  Our lack of functional public transit is a shameful thing.  Our water law is an anachronistic disaster and we have a huge problem with water in general that is only going to get worse with climate change.  We are living in gross hypocrisy with regard to immigration policy.  It may be a national dysfunction, but we are totally immersed in a system that is both morally and practically bankrupt. 

California is a remarkable place.  We have been blessed with some of the best growing conditions for high value crops in the world (wine grapes, fruit, vegetables, flowers…).  We have a diverse population, which can be at the forefront of rational change.  We have some of the best universities in the world and many of the most innovative companies.  We have tremendous natural beauty of more categories than almost anyone else.  We have really pleasant weather.  California is a great place.  It deserves better governance.

Tomorrow’s vote is almost guaranteed to be a failure by almost any standard.  Our state will be in big financial trouble either way it goes.  We won’t become a “failed state” like Somalia, but we will fail to achieve the tremendous potential that our blessings could allow.