Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Poizner said today that he supports going to a part-time legislature in California. Great idea. A part-time legislature is one of the key government reforms proposed by The Fresno Bee's editorial board. I've also pushed that idea in several columns over the past couple of years. Now maybe he'll pick up my proposal for a unicameral legislarure.
Here's part of today's news release from the Poizner campaign:
Poizner Calls For Part-Time Legislature
In an interview on KTKZ 1380 AM today in Sacramento, Steve Poizner made the following push for a part-time legislature:
STEVE POIZNER: "A part-time legislature would transform the nature of the legislature and make it much easier to actually solve problems and get things done. The fact is, you have a bunch of full-time politicians who care about their careers. We have to wrestle control out of the hands of these career politicians and instead elect people that actually come from the trenches: teachers and bus drivers and business people who have a career, that have income coming from having to make a payroll some place, or getting a paycheck. Send them to the legislature with their wisdom and their ability to make tough policy tradeoffs, and then combine that with forcing the legislature to focus just on those few things that actually make a difference rather than a full-time legislature going through 3,000 bills a year. That would really transform the place and help me as the next governor to get the job done."
I guess there is one vote the Republican Steve Poizner can count on.
Isabell is correct.I would add we must NOT fall pray to the promises that come out of there mouth. In other word. I believe he will do what he says, when he has done what he says.Until then he is full of more blank promises to get elected then he goes all partisan on us and continues the lies. We can not trust one of these people even this guy says we cannot trust them and he is one of them right?
I supporting looking into a partime legislature, but would like to take the issue one step furter and suggest a unicameral system as well.
Thats great but it will take more than one guy to get this done and I agree it should be made up of just regular hard working folks that have to deal with the issues in real life. No politicians allowed. As Dana said he is a ploitician trying to get elected as our next governor so I take what he says with a grain of salt.
Everyone needs to be patient and see what happens when Prop. 11 is put into practice...calmate, calmate people lol
We should all think very carefully before embracing a part-time legislature. When you do that the lobbyists and government employee unions will come to wield much more power than they do now. We will essentially be turning over the operation of the state to unelected bureaucrats instead of elected representatives.
Let's not forget that the term-limit effort was aimed at accomplishing the same goals. I've witnessed first-hand what a failure that has been, with the ascension of special interests. If you don't think so, let me ask, "Are you happier with government now than you were ten years ago?"
I guess I am as one track minded about it as is Jim Boren. I am as passionate and persistent about NOT getting rid of California's present system of government, as Jim Boren is about wanting to dismantle it . With Californians having INITIATIVE as well as REFERENDUM as a tool to influence legislation, why should we give up that power the California Constitution gives to the people. Californians can change the legislature when ever the people deem it prudent to replace a legislators who fail to do the delegated job of representing the people. This direct democracy works fine in Oregon. And they do vote on practically every phase of Oregon social and economic life. And if I deem it necessary to post on the issue again....I shall!
What makes anyone think that California voters would vote wiser for the legislators of a unicameral, part-time legislature which would have (as pointed out by JoeFeldon) give up considerable people-power to special interests.
Viva California! And boo to the current administration in Sacramento!