h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Glossy political advertisements accompany the arrival of spring. As sound bites drown out bird song, we California voters must sift through layers of obfuscation to determine which ballot measures to support and which to reject. A quick civics lesson and a healthy serving of skepticism can help a voter sort through ballot measures.

A measure has to follow one of two paths to arrive on our ballots. The traditional route is through California Legislature. The Direct Initiative Process lets any California voter can put an initiative or a referendum on the ballot.

First let's consider the traditional method of changing existing law. One or more legislators drafted a bill. Perhaps the bill languished in committee, perhaps it was altered as part of a compromise, or perhaps it was debated publicly and at length. Eventually the bill either died or was passed into law. In the bad old days, the wealthy and powerful would influence enough politicians to produce a favorable legal environment.

In 1911, the California Constitution was amended to permit voters the right to enact legislation. In theory, the Direct Initiative process gave each California voter equal footing with any member of our State Senate or Assembly. In practice, the amendment gave large corporations, powerful groups, and wealthy individuals a means to buy a particular legal advantage without having to purchase the whole politician.

Change the California Constitution to create an economic advantage for a multinational corporation? No problem. Corporate lawyers draft the bill. Corporate money pays signature gatherers to stand outside grocery stores and collect enough voters’ signatures to qualify the bill for the ballot. Corporate marketing departments plaster political ads on TV, radio, and the Internet, including social media. Corporate dollars even create fake grassroots organizations to promote the measure.

Fortunately, the Internet makes it pretty easy to follow the money trail. Start with the California Secretary of State (http://cal-access.ss.ca.gov/). A couple of clicks later, and anyone can see who the big money donors are. Just compare the behavior of the ballot measure's major contributors with your family's and community's well-being.

I've already marked my absentee ballot. I won't say how I'm voting until June 9, but I will provide a special prize for the first person who replies to this journal entry with an accurate guess as to my vote on all five propositions. (To receive a prize, you have to supply a mailing address.)

I'm getting 'page not found' on your link.

I'm sort of glad other states don't have this sort of direct legislation. This could be endless work on the part of the taxpayer.

On the other hand, people in California stay interested in off-year elections. Unlike us in North Carolina, who are bored bored bored...

Perhaps I should have said how much PG&E and Mercury Insurance are spending to cram Propositions 16 and 17 down our throats.