Re: question on constitutional changes

[Leigh Meyers <the.buffalo.in.the.midst@xxxxxxxxx>]

On 4/10/07, Jim Devine <jdevine03@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> living (as I do) in California, this sets off an alarm bell in my head
> (though perhaps it's a false alarm). We have a very well-developed
> popular initiative system, designed to get around the current power
> relationships. But its results seem to reflect the current power
> relationships.

Example: Santa Cruz voters overwhelmingly passed measure K last year
(backed with big bucks by George Soros), which would have forced the
police to prioritize their crime fighting budget and practices.

The city is refusing to enact it, and has joined in a lawsuit against
it claiming the city charter doesn't allow them to tell the police
what to do.

Which IS correct. That is the city manager's job.

But the city council hires that manger, and right now the city of
Santa Cruz has an acting city manager who would be quite easy to
...coerce... but the city won't, and has essentially
denied/circumvented the right of Santa Cruz's voters to utilize the
initiative process.

Regarding electoral colleges... I say we bring back the riders. Make
the electoral college appointees RIDE to Washington DC on horseback.
If they don't vote their college vote as the electorate demanded, at
least there will be some sort of accountability, and a trail...of
blood.

Leigh