Direct Democracy Flashcards
Define Progressivism
Sought to rid politics of corrupting influences and return power to ‘the people’ and make government more business-like. Politics was a moral obligation for public good. (Ch 4 PoD)
What are examples of Progressive reforms?
Direct Primaries: voters directly elect nominees rather than Boss-controlled connections
At large-elections: Citywide candidates rather than district to minimize machine control
Non-partisan elections: place party designations beside candidate names on ballots
Merit system; government workers hired on the basis of merit
Professional management: created city manager, etc, to be above and apart from politics.
Define California Progressivism
(1) Represents pursuit of individual agendas and moral sense, (2) white and strictly middle class, (3) urban in natures, (4) non-radical (sought to clean up government and not destroy it), (5) dependent on entrepreneurial leadership
Describe Hiram Johnson
Father of direct democracy
SF attorney who helped prosecute local political corruption. He lead the progressive movement as he eliminated the overbearing political influence of the Southern Pacific Railroad (SPR) and stressed political individualism and non-partisanship. Progressive reforms weakened parties by req many officeholders to run as nonpartisans and thus there was a nonpartisan public spirit to accomplish shared policy goals. Under his leadership, there was the addition of initiatives, referenda, and recall.
Define Initiative
Proposed statute or constitutional amendment adopted by a vote of the people instead of state legislature or the governor. Between 1912-2022, 2,111 initiatives have circulated: 6% withdrawn, 19% qualified for ballot.
-Normal process statute: approved by majority of both houses and signed by the governor to become a law. Initiative bypasses this process!
-Process for constitutional amendment/bonds: approved by 2/3 houses, signed by governor, and voted on
What’s the difference between a statutory initiative and constitutional amendment?
Statutory initiative: 150 days to collect signatures; 5% of last gubernatorial vote
Constitutional amendment: 150 days to collect signatures; 8% gubernatorial vote
*signatures need to be valid (ink and registered voter in jurisdiction)
Define gubernatorial vote
Based on how many people voted in previous election for office
Identify and describe the different types of initiatives
Grassroots: Started without significant interest group or $, such as Prop 13 (to some degree)
Professionalized: Political consultants work with interest groups and wealthy individuals to get their proposal on the ballot
Candidate: Jerry Brown (1974), Pete Willson (1994), Travis Allen, John Cox (2018)
Future Candidate: Arnold Sch. (2002) and Gavin Newsom (2016)
Gubernatorial initiative: Even governors use the initiative process, showcasing its power. Arnold Sch. (2005) and Jerry Brown (2012)
Describe some of the concerns regarding Initiatives
-Too many
-Too long: can be confusing, for they are laws
-Quality of initiatives: citizens write them
-Overlap and contradiction: there can be two ballot measures on the same issue
-Voters level of knowledge: asking people to vote on complex issues
-Voters lack of context
-Ballot box budgeting
-Role of money and special interests: millions on spending, ads, and often dominated by special interests.
List potential reforms for the initiative process
-Limit number and/or length of initiative process (5,000+ words)
-ban paid signature gatherers (have been attempts to ban per signature so its not incentivized)
-Allow legislature to review and correct drafting errors once measure is qualified (after 25% of signatures have been received, the legislature can review the initiative publicly)
-Require legislature to vote on each qualified initiative (as it is their job to vote on laws)
-Improve disclosure of donors (during circulation, in ballot handbook, ads, etc)
-Limit donations and/or overall spending
-Make it harder to amend state constitution (2/3 majority instead), as it later becomes difficult to modify (i.e. Prop 13)
-Allow legislature to amend any successful initiative (as governor can only change it if the initiative sponsors provide way to do so in the law)
Name a proposition that is an example of what is wrong with the initiative process.
Proposition 35 (2024) as it tells the governor and legislature how to spend money in providing permanent funding to Medi-Cal. Nobody is opposed and it will win as interest groups leverage their power.
Briefly describe Case Study of Children Now in regards to initiative process
Initiative, backed by American Cancer Society and American Heart Association, for all children to get health insurance by taxing tobacco. Began drafting in December, signature gathering in February, and campaigning. However, tobacco industry attacked one thing Hospital Association had done, and spent $50 mill (paying non-profits to oppose) and initiative lost.
Briefly Describe the initiative case study regarding the Universal Preschool
Prop 82: Initiative for Universal Preschool for all 4 year olds (2006). Opposition believed it was too bureaucratic and got Berkeley professor (expert) on their side. It lost. Voters rejected taxes
Define Referendum
Gives voters the power to approve or reject legislative statutes. after the governor signs the bill, voters have 90 days to collect signatures, which must be 5% of the last gubernatorial vote. It is not use often but is relatively successful.
There have been 91 referendums since 1912: 51 qualified for ballot and 29 succeeded
What is the difference between a petition referendum and compulsory referendum?
Petition: A “yes” vote approves an already enacted law; a ‘no’ vote repeals it. (rare)
Compulsory: Referendum in which voters must approve legislative action for it to take effect. All constitutional amendments initiated by legislature and all bond issues over $300k require voter approval. (more common) (Ch. 4 PoD)
