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18 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A strong indictment of a dangerous trend, April 10, 2000
An odd phenomenon of American democracy is that trust of government and voter turnout has dropped as the franchise has expanded. As the legally empowered citizenry becomes more diverse, its differences become more difficult to deny. This poses a problem for representative democracy - good representatives who take the concerns of many into consideration produce laws through compromises that rarely constitute wholesale victories for any particular faction. The result is the disenchantment of many, especially some of the more newly enfranchised populations (voter turnout is particularly low, for instance, amongst young people and African Americans). The traditionally powerful - the wealthy - have, since 1979 discovered a new way to exert their dominance, in the guise of an old populist device: initiative and referendum. David Broder's new book touches on the philosophical origins of I&R, but its real value is its exposure of the money behind the industry. "Democracy Derailed" debunks the notion that ballot initiatives empower regular citizens by explaining the million-dollar minimum price tag to put a measure on the ballot in California. Broder details the layers of lawyers, media consultants, paid signature gatherers, and political professionals involved in simplifying and distorting the yes-or-no measures that have been mutating state laws in California and other states. The reality of I &R is chilling, yet its illusion of citizen empowerment is alluring. So, "Democracy Derailed" is not only fascinating and compelling, but it is also a terribly important book. The mechanics of democracy rarely generate the attention of issues they are designed to address. It takes a writer of Broder's stature to draw attention to a subject such as this. Will it be enough to stem the dangerous tide of I&R? Maybe not, but its an important step in the right direction. "Democracy Derailed" is an excellent compliment to 1998's "Paradise Lost : California's Experience, America's Future" by Peter Schrag and last year's "A Necessary Evil" by Gary Wills. Alan Rosenthal's "The Decline of Representative Democracy" takes a more academic approach to the state of state lawmaking and is also excellent.
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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good Book, but Common Knowledge for Most, July 7, 2000
Being a Californian, and one who works for a State Senator, I was interested to see what an outsider would have to say about our Great State. After chuckling about what some in the national media have said about California politics, I was surprised to see that Broder did a decent job in summarizing the recent proposition campaign in 1998. His book is a case study that follows the money, and the advertising campaign tactics meant to trick and deceive voters. Unfortunately, this tale is all too common in Californian's high priced television driven political process. Broder could have chosen any major proposition ballot initiative in this state and produced similar results. However, because Broder's case study and thesis is such a common occurrence in California, anyone with just a meager understanding of politics would have found the conclusion of this book axiomatic. Of course, this speaks to the well researched and truthful nature of the book, but I picked it up looking for special insight into the political process from a veteran reporter. Unfortunately, Broder's book shines no more light on the problem of money and the lack of checks and balances in proposition campaigns than already exists. I don't want to sound like a snob, and in all honesty, I would recommend this book as a primer in California's proposition campaigns, but it only provided a basic understanding and little more. A clear problem exists, and Broder does a good service in pointing it out so eloquently.
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16 of 23 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Democracy Derailed Misses the Point, April 10, 2000
Washington Post columnist David Broder has been called the dean of American political journalism. Indeed, he may be one of the last political journalists having a shred of unbiased credibility with the American people. Broder's book nails moneyed interest schemes to subvert the initiative process, but he fails to recognize the people's need for more democracy. DEMOCRACY DERAILED misses the real purpose of the right of initiative, referendum and recall, which is aptly written in Article II, Section 1 of the California Constitution: "All political power is inherent in the people. Government is instituted for their protection, security and benefit, and they have the right to alter or reform it when the public good may require." California's Proposition 13 "tax revolt" revived the initiative process and it spread across the country jolting local and state governments, which decried common sense tax limitation as destructive to public education and government services. Time proved Prop 13 opponents wrong. However, it did not resolve government's subversion of voter mandates or special interests using the courts to overturn initiatives, until it became nearly impossible for the people to reform government. Unfortunately, sovereign power, which is supposed to rest with the people, has been derailed, not only by moneyed interests but by government itself. Clearly, the initiative process is so costly and increasingly restrictive, that ordinary citizens have little time or opportunity to experience their right to participate in self-government. The condescending view of citizens is nothing new. It began with Plato saying the people were too ignorant and unsophisticated to govern themselves. Many of the founders subscribed to that view. Thomas Jefferson and Thomas Paine did not. Since then, the majority of people have been increasingly indoctrinated into believing it through constant reminders from political mercenaries, academics, the courts and media elites. Undoubtedly, Broder's efforts are well-intentioned, but America has already been overly assaulted by selfish interests and battered by the failures of good intentions. And it's rather hypocritical for the elite to use the term "democracy" when they want the people's attention and support, then revert to the term "republic" when they don't. Though elements of society have become too superficial, self-absorbed and vulnerable to extremes, the elite tend to paint the public with broad strokes of contempt, as evidenced by the growing parade of shallow political books. Alas, it is difficult at best for anyone looking down from such lofty views to understand what it's really like down here in the trenches of democracy.
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