Dan Walters' Capitol Q&A

Question: Today, the new (old) news is that the California presidential primary is now February 2008. What is your opinion about new initiative propositions being moved up from having to wait until the June 2008 legislative primary? What about new opportunities for nonpartisan independent presidential candidates on the November 2008 general election ballot ... maybe even a California favorite-son candidate? Is there an independent Ronald Reagan waiting to emerge?
-- Connor Vlakancic, San Jose

Answer: None of the latter events are likely to happen. But as I have written, allowing initiatives to go on this or any other primary ballot distorts the outcome because primary turnouts are low, weighted toward the party with the most interesting contests and virtually exclude independent voters. We should go back to the pre-1960 practice of placing measures only on November general election ballots.
--Dan Walters

Question: When the Senate passed SCA3 they amended out nesting (two contiguous Assembly Districts comprise one Senate District). That allows gerrymandering, no matter who is doing it. Is the Legislature likely to pass a meaningful reapportionment bill in exchange for amending term limits? If not, who is watching the store?
-- Warren Conklin, Atascadero

Answer: Chances of something emerging on redistricting this year are less than 50-50 because of the issue's many political complications. Other than term limit modification, theres very little reason for Democrats to do it.
--Dan Walters

Question: You really have an understanding of the political possibilities and I was wondering what your thoughts were on the outcome of the education studies just released. Do you think the studies will have any real impact on K-12 education or will they simply collect dust on a shelf?
-- Stephen Corl, Lemoore

Answer: As I said in a recent column, the political positions on education are very rigid. Ask me again after governor's commission issues its recommendations next fall.
--Dan Walters