I am in the middle of reading a terrific book, The People’s Machine, written by Los Angeles Times reporter Joe Mathews. If you haven’t had a chance to read it, I suggest picking it up. It’s a fascinating look at California politics and specifically a focused look at Arnold Schwarzenegger. Joe has done quite a bit of research and background work and I’ll be highlighting some of it over the coming weeks. Let’s start with a quote from the San Diego Union.

“California appears doomed to be continually in the throes of politics. As soon as one election is over, long-range campaigning for the next one will begin. This sort of political endless chain is not alluring”

The San Diego Union has certainly captured the way many of us are feeling and the quote is really no surprise. Except, the quote was written not this month, but in 1914 and in reaction to Hiram Johnson (in his second term as governor) and his extensive efforts to circumvent the state legislature with direct democracy. Prescient?