THE GUARDIAN has been following the debacle called a $42 Billion deficit in California for some time. They are in trouble (short list) for the following reasons:
1. Budgets and new taxes take a 2/3 majority in their legislature to enact. This let's the Republican minority rule the roost on spending. They can't agree on a budget.
2. Initiatives are a form of direct democracy in California and are enacted as written. More often than not, they poorly worded with double negatives that make what you think you are voting for not the reality. Yes means NO and No means Yes.
They are not advisory and become the law of the land. Special interests pour millions into bad legislation via all manner of media and robo calls.
3. Closed Primary elections keep the extreme wings of the parties in office. Most elections are decided at primairies. Hence a lot of people simply do not vote. This keeps extreme party line people in office.
4. Voting districts are drawn to keep extreme right or left wing people in office.
5. Too many people simply pay no taxes whatsoever. Their underground economy thrives, illegal alien social services are out of control, government employee unions control their legislature.
Idaho may be the most Republican State in the Union but the framers of our Idaho Constitution saw cities and counties going bankrupt all over the West. They made a balanced budget (living within the reality of income) a Constitutional mandate. This last session of the State Legislature was not pretty to watch but they walked away with a balanced budget.
Idaho with open primaries keeps both parties "big tent" parties with RINO'S and DINO'S in office. We do not want to see a closed primary happen in Idaho.
All you have to do is look at California caving in on itself to appreciate the wisdom imbued in our Idaho Constitution. Every year, the "easy pay" people try to dismantle the living withing our means sections of the Idaho Constitution.
So far our legislators have been able to stand their ground on the basic principle of pay as we go. "Revenue generating entities" is the buzz word to try and get around the Pay-Go requirements of our constitution.
California is reaching a crisis of finance and may have to call a constitutional convention to clean up this mess. The myriad of laws, closed primaries and direct democracy initiatives (sponsored by special interests) have removed common sense from California politics.
Let's all hope that does not happen in Idaho.
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