My column saying the California Legislature has outlived its usefulness and should be done away with leaves this question: Now what?
My colleague, Dan Walters of the Sacramento Bee, says a parliamentary system might not be a bad idea. Walters long ago concluded that California is ungovernable.
We also might consider a unicameral system where there's only one house on the legislative side instead of an 80-member Assembly and a 40-member Senate. That way the two houses couldn't duck responsibility by pointing fingers at the other chamber. It might increase accountability and be more efficient than the current Legislature.
Others suggest a part-time Legislature where being a politician isn't a lawmaker's only duty. You might get things done in the Legislature if you also had to worry about having to go out and make a living that day.
But there is no doubt that today's version of the California Legislature is no longer relevant. The state is too big and the problems are too complex.
Dan Walters' column today points out that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, with his celebrity and other great gifts, can't make the system in Sacramento work.
It's time for a change. The politicians won't do it because they like being unaccountable. Redistricting reform would help, but the changes must be much more drastic.
Let us try a dictatorship form of government.
Don't we have one now?
At least we would know who is accountable.
Maybe any format would work if we gave it a chance to. But we would have to have competitive elections (no more gerrymandering). End term limits - things only got worse since they were imposed. Let the Legislature govern without tying its hands with ill-advised initiatives. And start voting for people who offer vision, thoughtfulness and candor instead of those who pander to our fears.
well said, mike d...candor in a politician is as rare as the condor...in ancient china they spread the responsibility for government around, everybody,{presumedly men},took a turn at civil service ,it shifted the power around and brought an appreciation for the complex nature of governance to every village.