Government by Proposition - The American Spectator

Government by Proposition - The American Spectator | USA News and Politics

.top-bar .mobile-menu-btn{--wpr-bg-da51e3d3-443f-498c-9ed3-ca0d1d574a29: url('https://spectator.org/wp-content/themes/spectator/imgs/menu.png');}.top-bar .search-form input[type="submit"]{--wpr-bg-c0868e07-666b-4ded-804b-247715706ce1: url('https://spectator.org/wp-content/themes/spectator/imgs/search.png?v=2');}.navigation a.next{--wpr-bg-ea1cf402-5e1e-4c09-8a77-80442f6523f4: url('https://spectator.org/wp-content/themes/spectator/imgs/right-arrow.png');}.navigation a.previous{--wpr-bg-9f2b35f1-d002-4caf-87c6-673c8fd813b7: url('https://spectator.org/wp-content/themes/spectator/imgs/left-arrow.png');}.americana-body{--wpr-bg-d4ba3584-2b45-40b1-ae0c-9e69d42c6537: url('https://spectator.org/wp-content/themes/spectator/imgs/americana-bg.png');}.blog-body .top-image{--wpr-bg-e5cf6cd8-5411-4798-a637-8e01fe019617: url('https://spectator.org/wp-content/themes/spectator/imgs/blog-bg.png');}.politics-body .top-section{--wpr-bg-3f77df9b-f78c-4bcd-981a-ee5436f814c4: url('https://spectator.org/wp-content/themes/spectator/imgs/politics-bg.png');}.ctct-form-wrapper input[type='text']:required.ctct-invalid,.ctct-form-wrapper input[type='text'].ctct-invalid,.ctct-form-wrapper input[type='email']:required.ctct-invalid,.ctct-form-wrapper input[type='email'].ctct-invalid,.ctct-form-wrapper input[type='password']:required.ctct-invalid,.ctct-form-wrapper input[type='password'].ctct-invalid,.ctct-form-wrapper input[type='tel']:required.ctct-invalid,.ctct-form-wrapper input[type='tel'].ctct-invalid,.ctct-form-wrapper input[type='number']:required.ctct-invalid,.ctct-form-wrapper input[type='number'].ctct-invalid{--wpr-bg-2efd4470-9fc7-4f12-a7bb-9d68be341fcd: url('https://spectator.org/wp-content/plugins/constant-contact-forms/assets/images/error.svg');}.ctct-form-wrapper input.ctct-invalid{--wpr-bg-4caed2f8-68ce-499a-8ee1-f4333577420e: url('https://spectator.org/wp-content/plugins/constant-contact-forms/assets/images/error.svg');}.ctct-form-wrapper input[type='text']:required:valid,.ctct-form-wrapper input[type='email']:required:valid,.ctct-form-wrapper input[type='password']:required:valid,.ctct-form-wrapper input[type='tel']:required:valid,.ctct-form-wrapper input[type='number']:required:valid{--wpr-bg-18fc9f61-6250-4e79-9eb4-da05bfcb6522: url('https://spectator.org/wp-content/plugins/constant-contact-forms/assets/images/check_circle.svg');}.ctct-form-wrapper .no-recaptcha .ctct-submitted:disabled{--wpr-bg-4afef7bd-0fe8-477e-b7ce-af28e51bc7d1: url('https://spectator.org/wp-content/plugins/constant-contact-forms/assets/images/oval.min.svg');}.custombox-fullscreen .sanpop-close{--wpr-bg-a0d04c13-2d72-42c8-923c-e75bf0e17a61: url('https://spectator.org/wp-content/plugins/search-and-navigation-popup/assets/images/close.png');}.pp-form-wrapper select{--wpr-bg-c6bf0380-3a0f-44bb-b50f-752752bd9da0: url('https://spectator.org/wp-content/plugins/wp-user-avatar/assets/images/frontend/arrow-down.png');}a.pp-button-social-login .ppsc-google{--wpr-bg-c693f383-2e4f-4210-b15c-e98253555c2d: url('https://spectator.org/wp-content/plugins/wp-user-avatar/assets/images/social-login/google.svg');}a.pp-button-social-login .ppsc-vk{--wpr-bg-895cfb98-28dc-47f6-8aba-973d06e0e449: url('https://spectator.org/wp-content/plugins/wp-user-avatar/assets/images/social-login/vk-fa.svg');}a.pp-button-social-login .ppsc-microsoft{--wpr-bg-c43961ed-88e0-4e5e-976f-65d5bea5a110: url('https://spectator.org/wp-content/plugins/wp-user-avatar/assets/images/social-login/microsoft.svg');}a.pp-button-social-login .ppsc-amazon{--wpr-bg-d912638f-4c73-4082-8abc-2e0e1663ab36: url('https://spectator.org/wp-content/plugins/wp-user-avatar/assets/images/social-login/amazon.svg');}a.pp-button-social-login .ppsc-yahoo{--wpr-bg-6df5e7ea-7c77-46c5-b036-ae119c247fed: url('https://spectator.org/wp-content/plugins/wp-user-avatar/assets/images/social-login/yahoo.svg');}a.pp-button-social-login .ppsc-wordpresscom{--wpr-bg-826fe2d3-aa2c-4dcc-9a88-626ef9417f58: url('https://spectator.org/wp-content/plugins/wp-user-avatar/assets/images/social-login/wpcom.svg');}a.pp-button-social-login .ppsc-facebook{--wpr-bg-1f18027a-976f-44df-8f29-ab18d71499cf: url('https://spectator.org/wp-content/plugins/wp-user-avatar/assets/images/social-login/facebook.svg');}a.pp-button-social-login .ppsc-twitter{--wpr-bg-65602038-e465-4805-8292-8e1cc246a29b: url('https://spectator.org/wp-content/plugins/wp-user-avatar/assets/images/social-login/twitter.svg');}a.pp-button-social-login .ppsc-linkedin{--wpr-bg-1213c843-e2a7-4f8f-912e-e0c7086e47dd: url('https://spectator.org/wp-content/plugins/wp-user-avatar/assets/images/social-login/linkedin.svg');}a.pp-button-social-login .ppsc-github{--wpr-bg-54e96f4f-afd9-42f0-b9fb-460ca1b2736f: url('https://spectator.org/wp-content/plugins/wp-user-avatar/assets/images/social-login/github-fa.svg');}#heateor_sss_mastodon_popup_bg,#heateor_sss_popup_bg{--wpr-bg-ee193b14-9596-452c-872b-af3514828fb6: url('https://spectator.org/wp-content/plugins/sassy-social-share/images/transparent_bg.png');}.rll-youtube-player .play{--wpr-bg-7505a6fd-f07c-4024-a5b2-1424dd7694e8: url('https://spectator.org/wp-content/plugins/wp-rocket/assets/img/youtube.png');}

Home » Hot off the Press » Government by Proposition

California Watch

Government by Proposition

The latest California Supreme Court ruling on a sentencing-reform measure reminds us of the pitfalls of direct democracy.

by Steven Greenhut

January 7, 2021, 12:05 AM

Former San Diego mayor Kevin Faulconer (YouTube screenshot)

Sacramento

California’s Gov. Hiram Johnson propelled the state into its century-long embrace of direct democracy in 1911, as he ushered in the referendum, initiative, and recall process. For conser...

No hoodwinking or hornswoggling here.

Support independent journalism and get unlimited access to quality commentary.

Steven Greenhut

Follow Their Stories:

Steven Greenhut is a senior fellow and Western region director for the R Street Institute. Write to him at sgreenhut@rstreet.org. His political views are his own.

Be a Free Market Loving Patriot. Subscribe Today!