California: How Process Creates Crisis
California is the nation's largest state, and is often seen as a bellweather for economic and social change. However, the peculiar dynamic of state government institutions has threatened that role, as the state has slipped into an almost perpetual crisis mode. Despite an overwhelming majority of progressive lawmakers in the state legislature, the two-thirds rule for passing a budget and tax increases, among other issues, handcuffs them and empowers a radical conservative minority. Thirty years of short-term fixes and failed leadership have only exacerbated the problem and put the state—and the nation—in real danger. As Paul Krugman recently said, "Years of neglect, followed by economic disaster—and with all reasonable responses blocked by a fanatical, irrational minority ... This could be America next." In this session, we will look at the reasons for California's budget tangle, the larger implications for the progressive movement at large, and what some organizations are doing to change these outdated rules and take back state government for the people.
David Dayen has been blogging about state and national issues since 2004. He currently writes and reports for the News Desk at FireDogLake (news.firedoglake.com). His work has appeared in the LA Times, the New York Times, the Washington Post and Capitol Weekly, and he has been a guest on NPR, Pacifica Radio and Air America. He is a former delegate to the California Democratic Party.
Robert Cruickshank is the Public Policy Director at the Courage Campaign, an online organizing network that empowers more than 700,000 grassroots and netroots activists to push for progressive change and full equality in California and across the country. He has also been a contributing editor to Calitics since 2005. Robert is the chairman of Californians For High Speed Rail and founder of the California High Speed Rail Blog. Robert is also the vice-chair of the Monterey County Democratic Party.
Born in Orange County and educated at UC Berkeley and the University of Washington in Seattle, Robert has been recognized as one of California's most influential progressive voices through his commentary on the state's politics and economy. Through his work at the Courage Campaign, Calitics, and his other projects, Robert seeks to redefine the California Dream for the 21st century while beating back the right-wing forces. He currently lives in Monterey.
Follow him on Twitter @cruickshank
And @CourageCampaign
Jean M. Ross is the founding executive director of the CBP. Her professional experience includes serving as principal consultant to the Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committee; senior consultant to the Assembly Human Services Committee, where she staffed the California Legislature's Joint Select Committee on the Changing Family; and assistant research director of the SEIU where she was responsible for coordinating research on tax, budget, and employment policy issues. Ms. Ross serves on the Board of the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, the Advisory Committee of California's Franchise Tax Board, and the Board of the California Tax Reform Association.
