Hope

I has it. Today, it feels good to be an American. Our world is imperfect but we have the power to change it. We have the power to become better. We have the power to correct past mistakes and to grow as a people.

I am disheartened by the way many of the CA ballot propositions turned out. I am frustrated by the fact that rich people who don’t even live in our great state can create legislation by preying on the fears and emotions of people through advertising and lies. I am angry that even on this day I must face the fact that our noble legal system is not immune to the pressures of (well-funded) religious groups.

But today I am hopeful. I know that with effort and dedication we can make our state better. A lawyer friend of mine explained to me that the reason we legislate through propositions in CA is because California requires 2/3 vote in the assembly to enact any fiscal change. Since that level of majority is virtually impossible to achieve, we’re stuck with the proposition system to get anything done. This means that the general public makes the decisions by a simple majority. That’s not entirely a bad thing. But when the information we are given comes from interest groups creating their own commercials and controlling the message, how can we be expected to make the right decision? How can we be expected to understand the long term legal and fiscal implications?

I don’t know what the answer is but I hope we can find a better way. I hope we can work together to improve CA and the systems that govern it.

Tagged as: california CA politics hope obama