Yesterday much to-do was made of this historic nature of the California Assembly electing its first African American female Speaker. There isn’t an article that appears in a major newspaper today on Bass’ taking the oath of office that does not mention this fact. But there is a very important fact that is not mentioned. A critical factor is left out of the story. A factor so important that without its occurrence, it is extremely unlikely that Speaker Bass would have been elected…
Legislative term limits.
If the “ruling class” of the Capitol had been successful in passing Proposition 93, the term-limits weakening measure placed on the ballot by former Speaker Fabian Nunez, this “historic event” never would have taken place. Without the voter-enacted three-term limit for members of the State Assembly, Karen Bass would not have had an opportunity to become Speaker. In fact, without Proposition 140’s limits, it is entirely likely that Bass would never have been elected to the Assembly in the first place. Yes, the very term limits that will cause Karen Bass to retire in 2010 are responsible, in a large part, for her being able to serve the next few years in the Assembly’s highest post.
Before Proposition 140 was passed by the voters, it was commonplace for members of the legislature to serve for decades (in many case three, and in some cases four decades). Look no further than the poster-child for the passage of 140, former Assembly Speaker Willie L. Brown. Brown served in the Assembly for over three decades, and famously occupied the office of Speaker for 15 years.
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