Read the following article about democracy in California. What is the author's point? Why is it happening? What you advise to fix it? Read some of your fellow students comments and respond- are they correct? Evaluate their solutions.
19 Comments
Noemi Plaza-Sanchez
5/4/2011 12:31:47 pm
This article is a warning to U.S. citizens and voters worldwide against the lures and temptations of "direct democracy." The author uses the situation in the state of California to illustrate his point, showing how a more relaxed and populist governing system, including the legislative and executive branches, has brought about the economic disaster we find ourselves in. In California, the era of referendums and initiatives which began with Proposition 13 has caused severe instability to the budget, stemming from the lack informed and educated decisions as well as circumvention of the checks and balances the U.S.'s constitution naturally provides. I agree with the author in that the solution lies with making the process leading to referendums and initiatives more strict, bringing the balance somewhat back into the hands of the government. However, the most important action to take is in the education and proper, unbiased informing of the voter.
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Kaylie Talbott
5/4/2011 02:02:15 pm
I agree with Noemi. The US government is using the state of California to show the flaws in a specific form of government. Personally, I feel that the US government is running out of "excuses," so to speak, for why our economy is doing so poorly. Now, I may be wrong, but that is just how I see it. I don't see anything wrong with having a democracy, and the article tells us that it has been successful in Switzerland for centuries, so why can't we make that the same for us?
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David Whalin
5/4/2011 02:22:22 pm
as kaylie said the government is running out of excuses they cant just keep saying all these things. what they are really doing is trying to cover their ass because they dont want to look like the bad people. whenever they can find a reason to make us think that is really the problem they will throw it out there and make us believe so they dont get hurt on their end
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Shelby Zumwalt
5/5/2011 09:31:52 am
In this article the autor is trying to make the point that the people who are governing California are not doing a very good job, and leading the Californians into a deep hole. This author is trying convince people to stay away from wanting direct democracy, especially Californians because this state has a very relaxed and populist governing system, leading the state into economic troubles. Californias problem started in 1978 when they passed Proposition 13, which lowered property taxes and passing hundreds of initiatives on subjects that range from eduction to regulations on chicken coops. These decisions have been left too much in the hands of the people, leading to the government to be more and more out of control of government issues. I think that by the government taking back some of the control and get some sort of better filtering system of initiatives and referendumsn it would help the government in getting back on track with our government. I agree with Noemi when she says that the government needs to be better at informing and educating the people making them an unbiased voter.
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Carol Taege
5/5/2011 09:35:46 am
In this article the author was trying to say that the government is failing in its attempt to reconstruct the economy. Like Kaylie said, i agree in that they are running out of excuses as to why the economy sucks. Its also stating the fact that "direct democracy" is becoming a huge issue and we should be aware of. I personally believe that if having a democracy that has been successful in Switzerland and its not doing much for us, then obviously the US government is doing something wrong and needs to alter the way they are doing things.
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Julia Smith
5/5/2011 02:50:08 pm
the author's point is that the economy and other aspects of the Californian government are not working. It started with Proposition 13. The author tells of how direct democracy has contributed to the troubles with the californian government. I agree with Noemi that the voters should be educated on what they are voting for before they vote.
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Logan Santillano
5/5/2011 02:53:30 pm
First of all, I feel like the US government has complicated things way too much, in the sense of blaming and looking at other countries. YEs, I agree with Kaylie and Carol on the idea that the Government needs to stop using so many exucses, in my opinon we should be focusing on how to fix the crisis at hand, rather than trying to figure out why it started in the first place. another point, yes, pure democracy has worked in Switzerland, but I disagree with Kaylie on the idea that it could work for the US. This is because the type of people, diveristy and culture is completely different, and with complications and discrepencies with voting habits being up for debate, how could we possibly try to completely change whats set into place now? As i said earlier I believe that our government has made things too complicated for the begining and therefore cant really compare ourselves to any other country that has implemented different types of democracy. I also believe that focusing on changing our ways of voting is a complete waste of time right now, honestly what i think we need as a state and a country is real leadership, not complicated voting methods and comparisons, but actually making positive changes.
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Ricardo Segura
5/5/2011 04:06:41 pm
I think that the point that the author wants to get across is that the people of California are taking advantage of the system. I don't think that it's the system it self that is flawed, but Californians. The individual interest is the root of the problem in my opinion, and direct democracy is facilitating the chaos with iniatives and referendums. I also think that we can't completely blame our politicians for all of California's problems because voters keep sabotaging their work with citizen made legislation. All I've got to say is that Californians have to let their legislators do their jobs and have a little confidence in their judgement and abilities.
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Terry woodworth sr. The 1st
5/5/2011 04:22:18 pm
the gov't has it's right to keep some things from us all. The gov't is digging itself a whole that no one can get themselves out of. I dont know what all these big words meen but our gov't is jumping around all over the place like Logan said trying to change our ways of voting is the biggest waste of time since looking for a pot a gold at the end of the rainbow. And yes everyone should no what there voting for but everyone complains and doesn't do jack. They just question authority while they sit there like the president is going to please every one. The gov't lies and they will never stop lying and with the whole switzerland democracy are we them?? Are they us?? Hell no we are our own country and I believe we can pull our selves out of this trench.
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Dominique Stall
5/5/2011 04:40:12 pm
This article demonstrates the becoming of a countrywide governmental shift in the direction towards a direct democracy using California as a prime example. The author’s point in this article is that, although a direct democracy works in some parts of the world such as Switzerland, and the founding fathers did support it, in California it is not working. Curbing gerrymandering and non-partisan primaries are both two positive things that have been introduced by initiatives, and referendums allow the legislature to remain in account, but the way that we are abusing initiatives shows major correlation to the economic crisis that we face today. I believe that this is happening because people are becoming more sovereign and less interested in what the government has to say. They want to develop more initiatives, but many of the initiatives are uneducated and often create more problems than they solve. I agree with the author of this article, that the solution to this problem is to once again revert to a direct democracy only as a “safety valve,” and to use sovereignty as a form of checks and balances much like the Constitution intended.
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Melani Whitley
5/6/2011 06:02:19 am
After reading this article, it shows that the California Government isnt doing their job to their fullest ability, and are putting California into this deep hole. And then in the article it is comparing that direct democracy does work in Switzerland, but to me Switzerland is a complete differnt society then ours. There is no way of knowning that the direct democracy will work here in California then it does in Switzerland.
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charline arranaga
5/10/2011 03:37:47 am
In my perspective the point the author is trying to make is California is being governed poorly. There thinking if there should be representative or direct democracy. I think they should choose direct democracy so they can be straight up and let their opinions be heard.
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the article clearly states California is not being governed correctly and because of that they have dug a hole that we possibly are not able to climb out of. Direct democracy is a possibility they are willing to try but then again just because something works somewhere else doesnt mean its going to work here.
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Julian Carson
5/12/2011 02:01:59 pm
The author's point is to show how California and its citizen got themselves into the situation we are in. The problem is that the legislature does not have enough money in its budget cover the things it needs to spend on because of the massive portion of the budget that goes to initiatives backed by often localized special interest groups that are then approved by the voters. The amount of approval for these bills can be largely attributed to the misinformation provided on the voting ballots. I believe what the author stated is the best solution, to provide the voter with as much information as possible so as to make a sound decision and not be guilted and enticed into voting for initiatives that we cannot afford.
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Chris Borges
5/12/2011 02:37:02 pm
in this article, the author argues his point about how direct democracy Is the main "culprit" in california's economic situation. Although he is talking mainly about California, he is proving a point about how uneducated decisions in the voting booth can have lasting effects on economies all over the world. He gives an example of prop 13 in 1978 , and how it lowered property tax rates and let people essentially Make a "citizen legislature". People just don't have the states or countries best interest in mind when it comes to voting. The article says that California has voted itself into a mess, an I completely agree with that. I also agree with Noemi when she says we need to educate voters so that the make informed, unbiased decisions.
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Cole Ballentine
5/12/2011 04:01:34 pm
The article is about how direct democracy is the main source of the economys situation. People aren't thinking for themselves and for the countries or states best interest. They are being persuaded into not thinking for themselves and voting on unimportant things rather than things that is best for this country or in the writers perspective the state. People think if something works somewhere else that it will happily fit in to our system or our needs. But that is not the case.
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Tessa Coon
5/12/2011 04:03:57 pm
In this article, the author is clearly trying to get across the point that uneducated voters actually do have a lasting effect on all aspects of our government. California has fallen into a rut, and can't seem to get back up out of it due to the fact hat we are poorly governed. I also agree with both Chris and julian; the voters definitely need to be educated to a further extent about what they are voting for because their votes really do have lasting effects. The government is just not getting the facts and correct information out to he public, therefore, people are voting in very biased ways as well as only looking for the option that has the best incentive.
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Amaury Avalos
5/12/2011 04:13:22 pm
The author's point is that it is not the executive's branch that the California economy sucks, but the peoples. Because of too much democracy, in a sort of way Californians are abusing their power to elect new officials when they tire of old ones, to regulate property taxes, and chicken handling. Honestly, there is no way to fix this problem. If voting rights are taken away, the ideals of the United States of America will be meaningless. If the executive branch decides on a stronger policy, he will be hunt down by the people. No one can be satisfued becasue people are too selfish, they want what feels good now but they don't stop and realize that in the long run they are opnly hurting themselves. I agree with Noemi, but being strict can only be done to a minimal extent and regulating the strictness would be done by who? The people or the government?
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Victor Almanza
5/13/2011 04:18:46 am
The point of this article is that California is on a ditch on their economy and because of that, California has made enormous changes. The United states wont be the same if the government takes away peoples rights to vote and other freedoms.
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