Oh, California

摘要

Across America, political power rests on a knife-edge. A slight slip could switch control of the Senate, or of the House, or of numerous governors' mansions. The result of this gridlock, Americans are so often told, is politics of the basest sort. Caution and defensive negativity are the order of the day. Big issues go unaddressed while political troops snipe at each other in gruelling trench warfare. Political life in a "50-50 nation" regresses to a tenacious battle of primitive loyalties. Could politics be any worse? Well, for one in eight Americans, it is. California, the richest, most populous, most dynamic state in the country, definitely does not have 50-50 politics. Its public life lacks even the semblance of balance-and it stinks. California's Democratic governor, Gray Davis, is cruising towards re-election with a ten-point lead, according to the latest poll. Both senators (neither of whom is up for re-election this time) are Democrats, as is the bulk of the congressional delegation. Thanks to gerrymandering by the Democrats, the entire state can muster only one competitive congressional seat- the one currently occupied by Gary Condit, a disgraced Democrat who is retiring. State government is equally one-sided: the Democrats have comfortable majorities in both houses. Just one statewide office is held by a Republican.