[Marxism] California's propositions

[dwalters@xxxxxxxxxxxx]

The defeat of Gov. Arnolds propositions on the ballot show a continued dangerous
trend in 'democracy-by-proposition' in the State. All the propositions lost by
5% to 10%. However, it does show that a large section of the population
(California's populatio is 35 million or around 10% of the US as a whole)is
still swayed by the pro-business arguements.

It is not unreasonable to state then, that almost half the state's population
supports restricting the right of women to choose an abortion (prop 73),
believe unions abuse their power (prop 75) and would like to see teachers loose
their privilage of tenure (prop 74). The non-Arnold proposition 80, to
reregulate the state's electrical system, failed the worse 65 to 34. My own
comapny, one of the 'Southern Pirates' that raided the State back in 2001 when
the energy crisis hit, is now touting this as "Californians Put Faith In
Competition" and "Controversial "Proposition 80" voted down; efforts to turn
back the clock on competitive markets fail...".

On the Arnold props, the unions were, by and large, succesfull in pulling their
people out to vote and vote the right way. But, the consevatives are by no
means disappointed. They realize that they essentially failed to bring out
their own members/supporters 'enough'. The rightwing evangelicals, who don't
trust Arnold or the family he married into, were key to bringing the right wing
to the ballot box last Tuesday...but there was a definite lack of enthusiasm for
Arnold.

Historically, propositions, or initiatives as they are technically called, were
brought into being here in Califronia by the left and the populist movement due
to the ownership of the California State Legislature by the Southern Pacific
Railroad and the new upstat company "Pacific Electric" (the ancestor of PG&E,
the country's largest private utility).

In the last 15 years they have been used by the right wing of bourgois politics
to roll back gains and reverse progressive legislation that got through the
state capitol. The rolling back of gay marriage rights, the cutting and
elimination of any sort of public aid to undocumented workers, the
establishment of "English" as the State's official language are all part of the
kind of reverse democracy that the initiative process brings to our State. It is
playing the role of the "Bonapartist referendum" because the bosses are so able
to use the media to propagandize their line with little opposition from anyone.
The growing evangelical churches...San Jose is one of the country's mecca's for
the Christian Right provides a mass base of millions to carry their message
forward.

This problem is getting worse each election, and the right's defeats are simply
being used as organizing lessons for future attacks.

David Walters


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