California: Initiative Bad, Republicanism Good

NOW they tell us. It seems that the initiative process, famously used by Californians to amend the laws of that State is under seige. According to an article on Townhall.com by Meredith Turney, the California legislature is contemplating laws to make the initiative process more difficult, or too expensive for the average citizen of that State.

California’s initiative process is officially passé, at least according to the media and those who have recently lost critical battles at the ballot box. Since last week’s California Supreme Court ruling upholding the people’s ability to amend the state’s constitution via the initiative process, there has been a steady drumbeat—which will certainly increase in its intensity—that the initiative process makes it “too easy” to amend such an important governing document.

The initiative process was born of the "Progressive" "good government" movement during the late 19th Century. It introduced direct democracy into a republican representative governing process. It was, therefore, derided by conservatives at the time for this very flaw. Interesting that now that the tables are turned, and it is the radicals in power, and the conservatives have learned to use the intiative process, that suddenly direct democracy doesn't look like such a keen idea. What utter hypocracy.

If you want to understand Statist principles, just look at what gives them an advantage. As soon as that stops working, they will abandon their "long held principles" and pick up another. 1984, here we come.

Switching topics, there will be light blogging during the next week, as I will be out of town. But I ask that my readers continue to check in, read the blogs in the sidebar, and click on Digg, when it will allow you to.