Who Runs The State

Lobbyist Arthur Samish boasted to newspaper columnist Lester Velie that he, Arthur Samish, was more powerful than the governor. This prompted Governor Earl Warren to give an address about Arthur Samish at the San Francisco Press Club. On that occasion Will Aubrey sang the following ditty:

“Who runs the state? You’re going to get the answer.
Who runs the state? It’s plain as can be.
Who runs the state? Is it really Arthur Samish?”
No. It’s the Southern Pacific and the PG&E.”

There is an old saying that the road to hell is paved with good intentions. I do not know that would go that far, but there are certainly times when our attempts to reform a corrupt political system have caused more harm than good. The initiative process in California was an attempt to neutralize the undue influence of the Southern Pacific, Pacific Gas and Electric, and other powerful corporations that had a strangle hold on the state’s economy. It seemed like a good idea at the time. Let the voters override or bypass the state legislature by proposing and passing amendments to the state constitution. The problem is that it takes a good deal of time and money to get such a measure on the ballet and to campaign for it. As a result this seemingly democratic process has become a gold mine for the special interests.

The interests to the left of center typically propose initiatives that mandate expenditures for progressive programs such as pre-school education. Their goals are usually lofty and are feasible in prosperous times. The problem is that those mandates negate the government’s ability cut expenses when austerity seems necessary. The interests to the right of center typically propose measures that give them an economic advantage at the expense of the consumers. I think the damage that causes speaks for itself. Since the initiatives are constitutional amendments it is very difficult to get rid of them after the voters have approved them. The only way to accomplish it is to pass another initiative, and that requires the concerted effort of someone has a lot of time and money to spend.

What brings this to mind is the upcoming primary election and the initiatives now on that ballet. Collectively, those initiatives comprise a very large pile of crap. It is unfortunate that primary elections take place during allergy season because this apparently causes the voters to display a remarkable inability to sniff out the crap buried beneath the perfume the special interests use to disguise the fact that what is being placed on the table is a pile of crap.

One of the current initiatives is proposed by the insurance industry and is designed to gouge consumers who have let their auto insurance lapse at sometime in the past. It sounds much like the old pre-exiting conditions scam used by health insurers. The worst of the bad lot of initiatives, however, is probably the one that is proposed by Pacific Gas and Electric. Yes, that is the same company whose bad behavior prompted the initiative process in the first place. The PG&E proposal requires a two thirds voter approval before a local government can provide electrical services to new customers or establish a community choice electricity program using public funds or bonds. To hell with PG&E! Why should we let them defy our municipalities. Let PG&E provide buckets full of campaign contributions like all the other special interests. Hopefully the voters will smell this fecal material before PG&E rubs their noses in it.

My advice to voters is to remember who has the time, the money and the incentive to place initiatives on the ballet. In other words, vote no whenever there is the slightest doubt about any given initiative. Frankly, I would like to reform the initiative process by making any measure passed a law rather than a constitutional amendment. This would allow the legislature to ameliorate the consequences of the really egregious measures that are passed. Most politicians are not foolish enough change a law the voters have approved unless those politicians are certain that they can demonstrate a compelling need to change that law. Unfortunately, it would take an initiative to accomplish the reform I propose, and I do not know of anyone who has the incentive and resources to do it. So I guess I will just have to continue holding my nose while voting no. Do you think we could get “hell no, not now, not ever” as an option on the ballet? I am afraid you will tell me it would require an initiative.

Regulation

I do not have a lot to post today. BP’s catastrophic oil spill in the gulf speaks for itself. I am not someone who says there cannot be any drilling off shore, but I want a moratorium on it. If it is to be done at all, there most be very strict controls and an agency that actually provides oversight. What we are seeing now is the rule of money. It is pure greed with no conscience and little accountability. We are seeing this in virtually every industry. Not since the days of the robber barons have we seen such irresponsible and detrimental behavior. When Theodore Roosevelt started trust busting the great straw dog of socialism was used against him. When Franklin Roosevelt passed the regulations that helped to give us the most stable and prosperous economy the world has ever seen the great straw dog of socialism was used against him. The straw dog is exactly that. It is a contrivance used to create an unreasonable fear.

It is not about socialism; it is about social responsibility. We must have rules of the road. The government is the only entity that has the power to make those rules and enforce them. The anti-government, anti-regulation environment has created executives who walk away with hundreds of millions of dollars even as they drive their companies and our economy into the ground. The government must act as a good referee who does not allow the powerful to take unfair advantage of the people of this nation. Goldman Sachs should not be allowed to take advantage of unsuspecting investors by promoting securities it knows are worthless. Anthem Blue Cross should not be allowed to hike its rates through the roof while finding any excuse to withhold the coverage its policy holders have been paying for. Oil companies should not be allowed to make outrageous profits while failing to protect the environment and thus destroying the livelihood of people who depend on a healthy environment for their living. Politicians who choose to represent the special interests rather than you must not be tolerated. Important elections are now coming up. If you really want change you can believe in, you must work for it. Take your government back!