3.11-3.13

Inequalities

• Californian Mexicans (Californios) were gradually marginalized and impoverished following California becoming a state

• By 1850, the Chinese had become the population that the political class found to be a threat to their interests

  • Arrived in large numbers, particularly after 1851

  • By the 1870s, composed nearly 10% of California’s population

  • Remained important segments of many mining, agriculture, and urban communities into the early 20th Century

  • Many were brought to California to build the railroads during the 1880s, during which they were targets of serious forms of racism, including lynchings

  • The second California constitution (1879) was loaded with anti-immigrant provisions (aimed at Asian immigrants), which were later declared invalid as violations of the US Constitution.

  • The first official apology from the State Legislature to California’s Chinese American community came in 2009

• California’s large gaps between wealth and poverty continue to create vast inequality among individuals.

  • Wage gaps clearly divide whites and Asians from African Americans and Latinos

• In 1849, before becoming a state and without the assistance of the federal government, California politicians quickly put together a constitution

  • Language taken from other states, primarily Wyoming

• In 1879, the first state constitution was replaced by the one now in effect

  • Similar to US Constitution:

    • The California Constitution provides the traditional three branches— legislative, executive, judicial
      

  • Different from the US Constitution

    • the California legislature shares lawmaking authority with the people through the initiative process

    • the governor’s power is diminished by the popular election of seven other executive officials

    • California judges must be approved by voters

The California Constitution

• The California Constitution guarantees additional freedoms than those in the US Constitution

  • enjoying and defending life and liberty

  • acquiring, possessing, and protecting property

  • pursuing and obtaining safety, happiness, and privacy

  • Similar refences to property acquisition, safety, and privacy do not explicitly exist in the US Constitution

Campaigns and Elections

• Beginning in June 2012, Californians no longer have partisan primaries for state offices, but instead now use the “voter-nominated” or “top-two” system, which allows for the two highest vote-getters to go into the general election even if both are from the same political party

• In general elections for state offices, the ballot includes the top two primary vote-getters for each office

Direct Democracy

• Created by the Progressives of the early 1900s as part of their strategy to bring political power back to the people

• Three forms of direct democracy:

  • Initiative

    • Permits registered voters to place a proposed law, or statute, on the ballot through petition signatures equal to 5% of the votes cast in the last election for governor

    • Voters may propose amendments to the state constitution which requires 8% of the votes cast in the last election for governor to get onto the ballot

  • Referendum (2 types)

    • One type allows voters to repeal a law passed by the legislature

      • Signatures must be gathered within 90 days of the legislation’s passage

    • Second type is one submitted to the voters by the legislature rather than by petition

      • This is most frequently used for bond measures

  • Recall

    • a device by which voters can petition for a special election to remove an official from office before their term has expired