California’s Ballot Initiatives
Peter King wrote a wonderful column, “On Taking (Back) the Initiative” (Oct. 20), a succinct history of California’s political device, the ballot initiative, and the confusing and deadly dull preelection required-reading assignment, the ballot pamphlet.
King discloses the insidious invasion of vested interests into the process. He suggests how we can curb their self-serving appetites by following the sage ideas of Jim Shultz, founder of San Francisco’s Democracy Center, to “develop a better voters guide” and for “fuller disclosure of major campaign contributors.”
Unfortunately, America has created a monster: the big-bucks business of managing campaigns for candidates seeking office and for those wanting to pass an initiative. The millions spent in this process go into someone’s pocket. The stuporous length of American campaigns no doubt produces bigger company profits and longer-term employment and better salaries for employees. Any attempt to turn off this lucrative faucet would provoke howls of protest.
A British-style short campaign would be quite sufficient to enlighten voters about the issues and the qualities and ideas of the candidates, without bludgeoning the public with seemingly endless rhetoric. Voters should nip this fast-growing enterprise in the bud.
LOUISE HAUTER
La Canada
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