Being part of a nation that is founded on the pillars of democracy, it seems to make sense to give the people a voice in the governing process. In California as well as other states, the initiative and referendum process is a tool of direct democracy utilized by the citizens. California allows statutory and constitutional initiatives to be placed on the ballot. In a utopian world, direct democracy is an ideal form of governance for it gives the people the power to decide; however, direct democracy is an idealistic tool for it gives the ability to create policy and constitutional changes to people who are not knowledgeable of the issue. William Jennings Bryan argues that direct democracy such as the initiative and referendum process does not decrease the importance of the legislative body nor does it take away the authority of the legislators elected into the legislature. However, it is evident that past propositions had a great impact on the function of the legislature by changing its institutional processes and norms. Through the passage of different initiatives pertaining to the legislature, it is undeniable that the relationship of direct democracy and the California legislature has created tension in Californian politics. In order to understand how the tension formed, we must address the changes that the initiatives brought to the legislative system. Addressing the consequence and benefit of the passage of propositions on the legislature is crucial in understanding the formed tension. We must also address how direct democracy has impeded the function of the legislature. By tackling these issues, we will better understand the tension it created in Californian politics.
First, initiatives like any other issues have two sid...
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...th the legislative body. The premise that direct democracy has impeded the job of the legislature is evident. We see that the usage of direct democracy has created a tension in California politics. The initiative process is not solely used by the citizens but by legislators as well. Tension is created when the job of legislator and the function of the legislature are affected. However, there is lack of tension when the initiative benefits the legislature. The constraint created by the passage of Proposition 13 and 140 contribute to the tension and only reinforces it. Although we see a tension between direct democracy and the California legislature, it does not mean the legislature lost its full authority but rather slowly decrease some of it. The legislature cannot lose full authority for the legislative body is an integral part of representative governing.
Society cannot let factions become disenfranchised and lose their self determination. The United States, a country founded upon the ideals of freedom and individual prosperity, cannot hold unjust elections brought upon by the current dominant political party. President Johnson created a bipartisan effort to pass the Voting Rights Act of 1965, enriching democracy and continuing the American spirit of democratic values. Johnson united Congress with the simple message, “Our mission is at once the oldest and the most basic of this country: to right wrong, to do justice, to serve man.” (Johnson) Today, the citizens of the United States must push Congress formulate an oversight measure to fix voter
Orsi, Richard J., and John F. Burns. Taming The Elephant: Politics, Government, And Law In Pioneer California. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2003. eBook (EBSCOhost). Web. 26 Mar. 2014.
Several states try to allow citizens to make decisions without elected officials. Referendums, initiatives, and sunshine laws are all ways that the states incorporate the public into lawmaking and government decisions. However, the United States is not a direct democracy because it includes elements of a republic. The government has more than five hundred thousand elected officials that answer to the public. The constitutional framers believed that the majority in a direct democracy would get carried away and make decisions that only benefit themselves. That is why the government was set up to be able to check the power of the majority. Because the government is a mixed system that combines a democracy and a republic, it is not considered a direct
The proposed plebiscite has drawn criticism from many quarters, and on various grounds. Two of the main arguments that have been raised are;
In the following essay I will be talking about the disadvantages and advantages of partisan elections for state politics. I will also examine the last couple year’s election results and costs. Finally, I will discuss if partisanship made a difference in the vote, as well as if a judge should be decided by partisan vote. In the next couple paragraphs I will talk more specifically about these topics.
this type of proposition is not new to the voters of california. In the past several attempts to pass an ammenent of this type have failed, and yet the supporters of this change are resiliant to accept the current system and they continue to present the voters with various versions of the same proposed change.
California’s constitution delegates that its government divides its power into three separate branches: the legislative, the executive, and the judicial. The legislative branch consists of the Senate and the Assembly, both holding the power over California legislature. The constitution calls for 40 members in the Senate and 80 members in the Assembly. The legislative has the power to write laws, but they must propose the bill to the governor beforehand. “Perhaps the greatest change to the constitution was the insertion of direct democracy” (Fiber-Ostrow, 16). Although the legislative holds the power to make laws, citizens have the right to propose initiatives and amendments which created a direct democracy.
California's education system is in dire need of reform, providing adequate funding to education has been a problem for decades. The “Golden Moment” in California took place in the mid twentieth century. During the governorship of Pat Brown, a Master Plan for higher education was adopted. This plan passed in 1960, it created a three tier system and aimed at providing universal access to higher education for all Californians. It was an innovative system that brought prestige to the state and helped manage the needs of the rapidly growing state population. The growth in population was fueled by the idea that California was the land of milk and honey but this influx caused property values to rise and consequently property taxes were hiked. California voters have the ability to use the initiative process to implement policy. While this is a unique aspect that allows Californians direct control in governance, it can make it difficult for the state government to provide enough funding. Among the legislation pushed by voters has been Proposition 13, it continues to have long lasting effects that impact tax revenue and budgetary decisions.
The United States is run by a democracy. There are many pieces to democracy that must be in good health in order for democracy to be effective and work. In this essay I will critique some of the most important parts of democracy in America and go deeper. I will first focus on the strengths of United States democracy and then I will dive into categories of democracy that I believe to not be thriving. I believe that the current conditions of United States democracy are becoming a hindrance to this nation, because the opinions and freedoms the public possess are being stripped away through poor media, education, and economy.
Governing California is no easy task. California’s size, growth in population, and diversity are advantages and disadvantages at the same time. With Arnold new in the chair, Californian’s were looking for a new face, a new approach to things, and maybe sometimes, that is not the way to go. One problem is politics by initiative. It is interesting ...
Famous American poet James Russell Lowell once said, “Democracy gives every man the right to be his own oppressor” (“Quotations” 2011). And it should be just that. James Russell Lowell successfully defined democracy when it is in its truest form; a citizen’s beliefs should be equally represented and considered for. The representative democracy instated in the United States presents the need for three branches in the government; they include the executive, legislative, and judicial branch. The Congress embodies the lawmaking branch of the government, having “all legislative powers” as it is stated in Article I of the Constitution. To prevent one state from having too much power over other states, the Congress was separated into the House of Representatives and the Senate to have checks and balances over each other. Although they have several different functions in society, both legislative bodies play a very important role in representing both the citizens’ and government’s choices.
Janda, Kenneth. Berry, Jeffrey. Goldman, Jerry (2008). The Challenge of Democracy (9th ed.). Boston; New York: Houghton Mifflin Company.
...Brian. Democracy in California: Politics and Government in the Golden State (IIed). San Francisco: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc., 2007.
The American government prides itself on the foundational principle of democracy which allows individual voices to be heard. Afterall, the roots of power in our nation stem from the people. The Constitution was established to ensure the balance of powers among the federal government, state legislature, and the common people. Time, however, has worked against the American people in the battle towards democracy. The idea of a governing body drawing its power directly from its constituents has been undermined by the corrupt nature of modern politics where politicians act out of self-interest. While the Constitution and later amendments had every intention of securing basic liberties, certain limitations later undermined the original intentions of the founding fathers to give power back to the people by placing the larger majority of power in the hands of the state.
More specific arguments originate from the participatory theory of democracy and the critique of a lack of responsiveness and legitimacy of representative (party) democracy. The two sets of democratic institutions are distinguished by basic features of direct participation: (1) direct democracy focuses on specific issues, in contrast to voting on candidates and general programs for long terms of office, and (2) citizens themselves act as decision makers rather than delegating these powers. Like electoral systems, a variety of procedural forms, designs, and regulations are likely to influence processes and outcome. One must also keep in mind that direct-democratic processes cannot operate in isolation but are always linked to the structures of an overall political system that includes major representative institutions. Thus, interactions between the two types of institutions will be an important challenge for analysis. For instance, as George Tsebelis notes, referendum voters can be seen as an additional veto player. Some authors contend that direct democracy may undermine representative democracy, while others focus on the deliberative functions for a democratic public sphere and the capacity for integrating citizens in the democratic process. One can also assume that basic