Make Up Your Mind!

Why Don't You? California voters - nothing if not feckless - have just rejected a set of tax/bond/finance/"special purpose" ballot propositions. See my earlier post regarding the California Budget Process. Some claim it's Voter Outrage: "Why did all the propositions except 1F fail? Robinson Earl ("Voters aren't happy," Letters, May 20) identified the reason. Voter outrage is the key. But why?" (Letters, SF Chronicle May 22). Some are putting the blame where it belongs: "Yes, the politicians have all done a horrible job managing the state's finances. But California voters as a whole deserve just as much if not more of the blame for the mess we're in." (Letters, SF Chronicle May 21). Now here's whats annoying about all this (aside from the economic devastation, that is): The wise voters of the State of California, wanting to make sure the government doesn't get out of hand, have used the Initiative and Recall process to create a Legislature that can't legislate and a Governor who can't govern. The leges get term-limited on account of "we don't want career lawmakers". They're supposed to be those "Citizen Congress"people the Founding Fathers supposedly intended. Amateurs,that is, who temporarily shelve the Important Business of their careers to selflessly serve in the government. Amateurs, you got'em. They're routinely stampeded by well-rehearsed Lobbyists. Once they become sufficiently confused, they turn to the Voters, who are supposedly the best-qualified to Decide Matters. The voters get balky at the system they themselves created!
I don't want an amateur Doctor, an amateur Pilot, an amateur General. Nor do I want an amateur Government. But it looks like that's what I've got.