There is no doubt that California is in dire financial straits – caused by long-term politicians who have become well-accustomed to a privileged existence where they can game the system to live a very, very comfortable lifestyle. 

Well it's about time that Californians pushed back against these politicians, on both sides of the aisle, who have turned our formerly golden State of California into a cesspool of political and special interest corruption. Where votes can be openly purchased by campaign funding, media support and voter drives. Lobbyists donating to tax-exempt "protocol" funds which pay the expenses of elected officials and are touted as saving the taxpayer millions of dollars.

Now comes a proposed initiative to alter California’s term limits laws …

While it might sound good on the surface, reducing a politician’s total time served in the legislature from 14 years to 12 years, it is absolutely another ploy to keep the ruling (note I did not say governing) democrats in power for longer periods of time in a single chamber.

According to the Sacramento Bee  …

“The initiative would create a 12-year cap on legislative terms, allowing lawmakers to serve 12 years consecutively in one house or split time between the Assembly and the Senate. Currently, lawmakers can serve up to 14 years -- three two-year terms in the Assembly and two four-year terms in the Senate.”

This would allow politicians to become even more embedded in the legislative procedures … and as we have seen on numerous occasions, these procedures are rife with self-dealing, favors, trades and swaps; in essence, you vote for my proposal and I will vote for your proposal – the public be damned.

“The changes would take effect for officials elected beginning in 2012, so current lawmakers and candidates elected this year would not be affected.”

The usual suspects supporting “special interest” corruption …

"Californians know our current system has created a merry-go-round of politicians looking ahead to the next office instead of focusing on the state's complex issues. ‘By reforming term limits, we will get a fresh start with lawmakers who will gain independence from lobbyists, develop expertise and be accountable to the people who elect them,’ Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce President Gary Toebben and Los Angeles County Federation of Labor/AFL-CIO Executive Secretary/Treasurer Maria Elena Durazo, co-chairs of the campaign, said in a statement.”

An absolute lie?

“By reforming term limits, we will get a fresh start with lawmakers who will gain independence from lobbyists, develop expertise and be accountable to the people who elect them.”

One need only look at whose statement was cited as a positive endorsement of the proposed initiative to know that both co-chairs of the campaign represent lobbying groups and that the toxic influence of  the special interests including public service employee unions is the proximate cause of California’s fiscal woes. How can the State afford to continue to fund outrageous union salary and benefit packages – including the underfunded pensions – without going broke?

Truth-be-told, this would allow favored politicians even more time to trade favors for campaign support. It would put them in a position of accumulating even more power in terms of seniority committee assignments.

Bottom line …

There is nothing positive to be found in this initiative that will do what its proponents claim.

It will not give California a fresh start.

It will not make the lawmakers more independent of lobbyists.

It will not allow legislators to develop more expertise, since most of the expertise is supplied by staff and consultants; and in many cases, the legislative language found in bills is proposed by special interest lobbyists.

And it will certainly not make these legislators more accountable to the people who elect them.

And it certainly will benefit those who have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars supporting this initiative drive.

Considering what these legislators have done to our State, I suggest that we not reelect incumbents at all – throw them all out on their asses. And vote for conservatives to replace the far-left liberal and socialistic democrats who have helped make our state the “social experiment” for the nation. At a great cost in time, effort, money and jobs.

Throw these people under the bus – or accept that we will become Alta México in word and deed.,

-- steve

Reference Links …

Capitol Alert: Ballot measure to alter terms limits turns in 1 million signatures