[wutbrodo]

> what we need is Democracy 2.0, where the people vote on individual packages, not parties. Switzerland may be the only country where that works out quite well.

This works terribly in CA, FYI.

I don't think there are any easy solutions to the political equilibrium we're in.

[joejerryronnie]

Are you referring to the ballot initiative process in CA? If so, what do you think doesn’t work?

[jfim]

Some of the ballot initiatives have had deleterious effects on California.

Proposition 13 putting a yearly property tax increase cap means that people who have owned property for a long time are basically not paying their fair share of local taxes. That tax advantage can be passed from generation to generation. It also has the perverse incentive to encourage cities to increase commercial and industrial zoning over residential zoning, with the effects on property prices one can see today.

Proposition 47 meant that many crimes under a 950$ threshold were considered misdemeanors instead of felonies. This is one likely factor for the large increase in the amount of car break-ins and shoplifting in some areas, such as San Francisco.