I fully agree that government employee unions and associations are not remotely as powerful as the nut fringe paints them, but it’s always in their interest to peddle fear through the creation of evil straw men. Republicans sell fear – always have, always will.

You’re missing the point, SkippingDog. You see, it’s OK for the Chamber of Commerce, PG&E, Mercury Insurance, and others…aka “the people”, to buy as much legislation as they want. And if they can’t buy it in Sacramento, they buy it at the ballot box. But OMG, let working people dare to do the same things through their unions and all hell breaks loose.

If the unions in our state were as powerful as the right wing makes them out to be, our educational system and public services would again be the envy of the nation, we would have had health care reform long before President Obama, and our legislature wouldn’t be in gridlock.

Look, just follow the money. Then you will understand. Don’t blame “direct Democracy.” Blame the self servers who perverted this system.

BTW, I am lovin’ this. Watching these corrupt people screaming how unfair things are and all. I now don’t care how much money the politicians and the unions steal. This system is done.

Even Prop 13 had a number of unintended consequences, chief among them the shift of nearly all government financial authority from the local to the state level. Many of our current problems directly result from the direct democracy choices made through the California initiative system — review Prop 98 if you’d like more details. It makes no sense to have elected officials if we don’t trust them to make decisions on our behalf, though I agree that the system needs many reforms. Neither unions nor business interests like the Chamber of Commerce should be able to buy the legislation they want for their memberships.

While we have some good props that have passed (Prop 13), most of these things are won or lost on TV. Most voters don’t read them or understand them. Therefore the one with the most money to spend on propaganda wins. The unions will spend millions to win the propaganda war.

CA is on tract for an complete collapse. Whether the Feds bailout out the state is irrelevant. The bankrupt bailing out the bankrupt is nothing more than kicking the can down the road.