Direct Democracy

Next year, 2011, brings the 100th anniversary of statewide initiative, referendum and recall. And the city of Los Angeles adopted direct democracy a decade before it was adopted statewide.

But referendum may be even older than that in California -a century older.

Supporters of direct democracy - initiative, referendum and recall - like to go on about "The People." But the official role of the people in California's initiative process is limited.

The people give their signatures to paid petition circulators. And they vote on measures. That's it.

The 2010 Global Forum on Modern Direct Democracy (full disclosure: I was co-president of the event) finished up last week in San Francisco after five nights and days of discussion of initiative and referendum around the world.

While there were many disagreements, one verdict of those in attendance was crystal clear: American direct democracy moves too fast for its own good.

The House ethics charges facing Maxine Waters for aiding a bank on whose board her husband sat have been met with a shrug here in California, and why not? Waters’ alleged misdeeds are only the latest scandal produced by the state’s members of Congress, authors of a decade-long list of embarrassment so lengthy that it begs the question:

Does California have the worst congressional delegation in the country?

Two backlashes are possible as a result of this decision.

Why would Europeans be coming to California, seeking advice?

Well, a group of European activists and scholars are coming this week to learn as much as they can about our initiative process. Their goal? Learn what to do (and perhaps not to do) as they design a new initiative process of their own.

A couple weeks back, I moderated a couple different events comparing the initiative process in Switzerland (where it originated) and in California. What makes these two systems different? And why should it matter?

Here is the answer, in essence:

Is the new European initiative process going to change what you eat and invest in? Has Oregon figured out a better way to find errors in ballot measures? Will robots solicit your signature on referendum petitions? Should California's initiative process be expanded, reformed or eliminated? How does Hong Kong conduct direct democracy in the shadow of the People's Republic of China? Why is tiny Uruguay so good at soccer and direct democracy?

Answers to these and other questions were discussed at this international forum.

In 1911, the state of California adopted a system of direct democracy that its authors based on the Swiss system. A century later, Swiss initiative and referendum is considered a crucial part of that country's formula for efficient, consensus-based government. In California, however, initiative and referendum are considered leading culprits in turning the Golden State into a chaotic, ungovernable mess.

What happened?

(cross posted at Fox & Hounds Daily)

If you think California governing system is badly broken, how should you vote in the governor’s race?

The likely nominees of each party, Jerry Brown and Meg Whitman, haven’t even bothered to offer an answer. (And for the record, Steve Poizner, despite being more specific about his policies than his rivals, has dodged this big question too).