Citizens Assembly: Latest Articles

Let the Citizens Gather to Decide on State Reforms

Articles — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 11:40:00 -0400

All reform proposals for making California government more representative and responsive face the same obstacle: Entrenched interests, including lawmakers, who benefit from the status quo.

The best means for overcoming those interests is a citizens assembly, a body of approximately 160 average citizens -- randomly selected like a jury pool to ensure diversity and impartiality -- empowered to formally propose electoral reforms via a statewide referendum to their fellow voters.

The citizens assembly members study political reform recommendations for nine months, listening to experts and holding public hearings.… more

How to Revive Redistricting Reform

Articles — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 08:40:00 -0400

In the movie Groundhog Day, the Bill Murray character, a weatherman who is doomed to repeat the same day over and over, asks a question that haunts redistricting reformers in California: "What would you do if you were stuck in one place and everyday was exactly the same, and nothing that you did mattered?"

With the recent failure of the Legislature to place redistricting reform on the ballot -- for the second year in a row -- reformers are scrambling for… more

The Way Forward for Political Reform

Articles — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 19:28:00 -0500

As Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger renews his call for an independent redistricting commission, a new opinion poll finds that California voters overwhelmingly support improvements in the election process, but there's a catch -- it depends on who is proposing them.

A statewide survey commissioned by the nonpartisan New America Foundation found that 70 percent of voters are more likely to support recommendations made by a panel of average citizens than they are to support the ideas of a government committee or… more

Let Citizens Guide Electoral Reform

Articles — Thu, 09 Feb 2006 03:00:00 -0500

A year ago in January, Gov. Schwarzenegger declared 2005 "The Year of Reform," kicking off a contentious special election that ended with voters rejecting all of his proposed measures.

California's representative democracy is broken, and serious electoral reforms are needed. The best solution is reforming our electoral process to improve our chances of electing leaders who understand our problems and are committed to solving them.

We suggest convening a Citizens Assembly of randomly selected citizens who care about their government… more

Solving a Classic Dilemma of Democratic Politics

Articles — Tue, 10 Jan 2006 00:00:00 -0500

This article is adapted from the last chapter of the author's book Speak Softly and Carry a Big Stick: How Local TV Broadcasters Exert Political Power (New York: iUniverse, 2005).

The founders of the United States were deeply concerned about the corrupting influence of power. They understood that, given the chance, elected officials would seek to preserve and enhance their power, even at the expense of democratic institutions. Accordingly, they designed a government based on separation of powers, where "ambition" would… more

Citizens' Assemblies

Articles — Wed, 16 Nov 2005 03:00:00 -0500

Despite voters rejecting Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's attempts to end-run the Legislature, that does not mean voters don't want change. California's political leaders must try to pick up the pieces of what is left of state politics. The challenges are daunting, particularly because both the governor and Legislature have lost so much credibility.

The question is: How do we move forward? One of the solutions may lie across the border in Canada. It's called a Citizens' Assembly, and it was on… more

Citizens' Assembly Can Lead Reform

Articles — Tue, 15 Mar 2005 00:00:00 -0500

The first-year honeymoon is over, and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger now must decide whether to engage in an epic battle to transform politics in California. It looks like the Govern-ator is up for the task, putting reforms like legislative redistricting on the top of his agenda.

But the challenges he faces are daunting. Solving the budget crisis will require compromise with a Democrat-dominated legislature, but reforming government means attacking a dysfunctional legislature. Schwarzenegger may be forced to choose between his… more

Consider Alternate Systems of Voting

Articles — Sun, 09 Jan 2005 03:00:00 -0500

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is right. California needs a government that's less partisan and better reflects the many voices in its diverse population. The disconnect between the government and the governed threatens the state's ability to solve its problems and plan for the future.

But there are better ways for the governor to solve the redistricting problem than allowing retired judges to redraw the boundaries for political districts, as he proposed in his State of the State speech Wednesday. California's single-seat,… more

Alleviating the Problem of Rational Voter Ignorance: A Proposal for a "Ballot Portal"

Articles — Sat, 01 May 2004 00:00:00 -0400

Political scientists have long observed that what is good for the individual may be bad for the group. Under a ruthless dictatorship, for example, the people might want to overthrow their leaders and establish a democratic government. But it is very risky for any particular individual to participate in such an uprising. The individual bears all the costs, but the public at large receives the lion's share of the benefits. Economists call such goods "public goods."… more