Stem Cell

Rex Babin, cartoonist for the Sacramento Bee, offers up this take on the lack of fiscal discipline of California voters, who love to approve new, extra-budgetary spending at the ballot.

A daily diary of developments in the world of blockbuster democracy:

SILENCE IN MISSISSIPPI: Today is the presidential primary in the Magnolia State, the newest addition to the map of initiative states. But only 23 initiatives have been filed since Mississippi added the initiative in 1992. And there isn't a measure on today's ballot.

NEIGHBORS BACKED CALIFORNIA TRIBES: The support of neighbors of California tribes with fast-expanding casinos was important to the victory of four compacts -- Propositions 94-97 -- on the Feb. 5 ballot, according to this analysis from the Press Enterprise.

CHALLENGE TO STEM CELL: In California, something calling itself the San Jose Group has filed an initiative that seeks to roll back the funding mechanism of Prop 71, the stem cell measure passed by voters in 2004. The measure is here.