San Jose State's Survey Policy and Research Center just released some
survey results on the term-limits weakening measure, public sentiment
on illegal aliens, and popularity numbers for the Governator. You can
read the summary release which is attached below.
Of particular
note in this survey were the numbers on the term-limits weakening
measure being placed on the ballot by termed-out legislative leader
politicians Don Perata and Fabian Nunez. On the first pass, the career
politician set would be chuckling with glee as respondents to the
survey, based on having the 'official' description of the measure read
to them, seem to support the measure with 56% saying they would vote
for it.
Well,
that is where the good news stops for them and the good news for those
who oppose career politicians begins. The analysis with the attached
survey penned by survey director Melinda Jackson makes it clear that it
is Jerry Brown's slanted wording that is responsible for the faux
support for this measure. Jackson says that Jerry Brown's description
of the measure that emphasizes that the overall amount of time that an
individual can serve in the legislature is reduced, rather than the
extension of the amount of time that a legislator can spend in the
house in which they were elected, is responsible for the support.
She
goes on to say, "If opponents spend money on television ads against
this proposal, if Governor Schwarzenegger opposes it or if Republicans
or conservatives feel tricked, the measure could lose ground very
quickly."
The reason for Jackson's point is undoubtedly due to
the fact that the strongest support for the measure, as described,
comes from the most traditional proponents of term-limits -
Republicans, conservatives and decline-to-state voters! As this group
of folks starts to understand that this measure weakens term limits,
and even worse, allows an entire group of politicians to serve in the
State Legislature long beyond the current Prop. 140 limits, you can
easily see where they will flip around, and how this measure will be in
dire straights.
The supporters of this measure are fooling
themselves if they think that this battle to weaken term-limits is
going to be waged in some sort of vacuum. There will be a strong,
vigorous campaign against this ill-advised attempt by politicians to
keep their jobs at all cost, afraid of life in the private sector, and
unwilling to allow other eager Californian citizens to come up and
'give back' by serving time in the legislature.
When I saw how
essential support from Republicans, conservatives and DTS voters is for
this measure to break into the mid-50's, it made me think of a tower of
cards preparing to topple...
Download CApoliticalpressr.pdf
(Cross posted from the FlashReport)