CA Democrats, taking a page from the DC Republicans' playbook, want to takefull control of the state with no checks, no balances.

It started with redistricting, as described by the L. A. Times:

Redistricting: A Satan's pact between Republicans and Democrats in 2001 led to a redrawing of legislative and congressional district lines that assure the parties mostly safe seats throughout the state. [How the Engine Derailed (10/8/03)]

What this means is that Democrats will have their current 60% majority in Sacramento for the foreseeable future.

The only defense against uncontrolled spending by the majority has been California's constitutional requirement for a two-thirds vote to adopt the state budget and related tax legislation. Without this safeguard, we'd be at the mercy of an uncontrollable majority (thanks to redistricting, now effectively enthroned forever).

As it is, we have suffered through a "Spend-and-Tax" binge for at least the last 25 years. Here's what happened between 1977 and 1999:

Since then, spending has jumped from $60 billion in 1999 to $100 billion in 2003. That is a far greater increase than population+inflation or revenues, and the cause of the state's current fiscal crisis.

Let me repeat that: spending is the problem.

Apparently that's not bad enough for California Democrats. Using a trick they learned from DC politicians, they came up with a proposed act that does theopposite of what its name says it does:

The Budget Accountability Act

This proposed act, now an initiative that will be voted on next year, would reduce the required majority for imposing new taxes to 55%. With the Democrats holding a 60% majority as far as the eye can see into the future, thanks to the "Satan's pact" on redistricting, the "Accountability" act means that there would be no way to hold them accountable.

Based on their earlier editorial, I would have expected the L. A. Times to support the existing constitutional limit on uncontrolled spending. Instead, they let party politics get the best of them and supported the (No) Accountability Act in Primedfor Fiscal Overhaul (10/12/030).

They seem to have missed the point that had the Democratic majority been on the recall ballot, they'd have been voted out, too.