Updated: 12/6/06; 8:30:11 AM.
Fluid Flow
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Tuesday, July 29, 2003

It's Tuesday in California, so I am thinking about running for Governor. One neighbor has already stated his intentions, so I can't be first in my neighborhood, but perhaps I can still be first on my block.

How many California citizens will trade $3500 and 65 signatures for 15 minutes of fame.

In the recall, we are seeing the ultimate perversion of a populist ideal.

Ninety years ago, California Governor Hiram Johnson instituted the intiative and recall processes to wrestle government control away from rich and powerful and put it into the hands of the people. He beat the railroad and newspaper robber-barons and put the power to govern the state into the hands of the its citizens. For fifty years, the state prospered and became the jewel of the nation.

In the past four decades, however, we have seen the process perverted by money and media.

Once again the rich and powerful are controling the state. We have new robber-barons. They own car dealerships and media conglomerates. In the past they were content with placing measures on the ballot by buying signatures and inflaming public sentiment with attack adds on TV.

But now, even that is not enough. Now, they buy new elections, when the state can't afford them.

California is once again under the control of robber-barons. They may work within Hiram Johnson's populist processes, but the results are the same. They buy elections and tell us what to do.
1:21:44 PM    
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© Copyright 2002-2006 Tom Clifton.
 
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