[BigV]

SD: You're right. Radar's point that teh gummint does all the thinking in California is incorrect.

Your point that there is a *very* active political culture in California is also right. Many, many good things have come from California, things that started as political ideas, brought to life by laws. Not all of them were invented there, but once adopted there, they blossomed.

sm: Prop 13 was conceived and passed because there *was* a real problem with rising tax bills. I don't contest that. My point was that it was an oversimple solution that caused as many problems as it solved. It was effective. But, because it was put together by amateurs, it was poorly made.

There is a reason we have professionals of all stripes, and this is a good example of why we should have professional lawmakers.