Curious George Goes to Cambridge
Consensus has it that after Justice Bird was ousted from the California Supreme Court, the Justices tend to keep their heads down and hands clean of California politics.
Consider that as you read Chief Justice George's remarks from just a few hours ago in Massachusetts:
Consider that as you read Chief Justice George's remarks from just a few hours ago in Massachusetts:
In a rare public rebuke of state government and polices delivered by a sitting judge, the chief justice of the California Supreme Court scathingly criticized the state’s reliance on the referendum process, arguing that it has “rendered our state government dysfunctional . . . . he derided California as out of control, with voters deciding on everything from how parts of the state budget are spent to how farm animals are managed.
posted by Patrick Bageant at 9:55 AM
3 Comments:
Even taking into account that he's up for retention this year, these are fairly un-controversial remarks that have already been made by pols with much more accountability to voters. He also bashed Prop 8 and the two-thirds majority for passing a budget.
There's little chance these remarks will provoke much reaction beyond some raised eyebrows. Most Californians couldn't name the Chief Justice. There's no public figure in CA, certainly not the governor, who commands the kind of credibility through which these remarks could make any difference.
Well, regardless of its effectiveness, he makes a damn good point.
No, no, no. He makes a stupid point -- one that demonstrates that he has fallen from being merely out of touch to being totally out of touch. He works for us -- it's his job to figure out what the laws mean and how to effect the will of the people expressed through the ballot box. The initiative process has become so dominant in California politics precisely because elitists like George behave like they're overwhelmed by democracy. The state legislature is paralyzed and unable to approve anything important. So, the people have been forced to take control of the process. All the innovative laws that have made California a special place to live have been passed by initiative, like the Coastal Act. Yes, the two-thirds vote for a budget makes things very difficult for lawmakers. But 'very difficult' is not the same as impossible. Sorry, Ron, just do your job and leave the lawmaking to the people.
Post a Comment
<< Home