State voters can't agree on solution either
Californians have been demanding for months -- no, years -- that this increasingly ungovernable state remake itself by renovating some of its institutions and ways of conducting business. State legislators, whose inflexibility is usually cited as one of the main problems, generally agree that some change is needed. What that change might be is a matter of continuing disagreement.
It turns out state legislators and their constituents have something in common. Average Californians can't agree on the best remedy for this disaster of governance either.
A new statewide poll shows that most voters want to modify the way California conducts its business, but they're not sure they really want to shake things up by implementing the reform ideas some have suggested.
An Oct. 14 Field Poll said 51 percent of the voters who were questioned think changing the state Constitution is the way to go if we ever hope to correct what seems likely to become a series of multibillion budget deficits.
But should we drop the two-thirds vote requirement for the passing of a budget? Or the two-thirds vote requirement to raise taxes?
Most say no.
Most of the voters surveyed supported proposals to convene a constitutional convention or a commission of public policy experts to revamp the Constitution -- while at the same time opposing some of the possible changes to the Constitution.
In fact, 56 percent support requiring approval by a two-thirds majority of voters to amend the state Constitution, instead of the current simple majority, suggesting they would choose to make it more difficult to authorize meaningful change.
What does it mean? Simply this: Arnold Schwarzenegger, California's historically unpopular governor, must sell voters on the necessity of some big changes -- meaning he'll have to change some minds. And the unfortunate man or women who's elected to succeed him must be prepared to lead in ways that might not endear him or her to voters, including supporters.
Criticizing is easy. Change is hard. With indecision and polarization so rampant, it's clear California needs strong leadership like few other times in its history.
And this difficult juncture comes at a time when Californians have lost confidence in their leaders to a stunning degree. Another recent Field Poll, released Oct. 13, shows abysmal approval ratings for the Legislature and governor -- the very people we'll have to count on to lead us out of this historic mess.
