This piece about California is currently the top story at the New York Times and it relates directly to several recent lessons including the politics of election districts. I would like to see more of a political science treatment to these issues, but the article has several obviously credible sources supporting its contentions. I think the article understates 2 important factors that help explain the more constructive tone in Sacramento: the Democrats supermajority status, which leaves the remaining Republicans a choice of being constructive or being shut out from governing, and Governor Brown's leadership, especially on fiscal issues. Still, having voted for all of these changes, I am glad to see that they might be having the intended effect.
On another note, the lack of blogging this week was my fault but we will return to student-driven blogging next week.
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The article compares California's strides in political progress to its condition ten years ago. Since I was not extremely politically aware ten years ago, I feel a bit ill-equipped to make an apt comparison between then and now myself. However, when reading the article it seems like the author is also hesitant to declare California today as radically different from "old California." The author goes on to even acknowledge the Democrats' "ironclad control of the government," indicating that although these newer laws involving immigration, gun control and the like are a good sign, it is too soon to be jumping to any long term conclusions about the state government for now.
Great article! Without the politically-minded legislature in charge of drawing district boundaries, I think that it's had the effect of moderating opinion and therefore moderating the types of politicians elected. Rather than having a majority faction's opinion overwhelm each district with little regard for minorities, districts seem to have a greater representation of each variety of people with less clear majority factions. This moderating power I think has served California well as seen by the productive legislature.
With the supermajority that Democrats hold in both chambers, this may normally be of great concern considering that this is rare if not unprecedented in California and a large population of conservatives reside in this state. I think it's worked well thus far because Gov. Jerry Brown has been a powerful moderating force. He's shot down numerous Democrat-sponsored bills that he deems far too "left" as he promised years ago. The supermajority should work out well in the future as long as there is a moderate governor focused on passing laws not to please one side of the table but benefit the vast majority of Californians.
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