PS 103A: Professionalizing the California Legislature

1
PS 103A Professionalizing the California
Legislature

• Californias voters
• 43 Democrats
• 34 Republicans
• 19 decline to state
• 56 of Latinos voted for Cruz Bustamante

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Professionalizing the California Legislature

• Artie Samish and His Amateurs
• Jesse Unruh and Professionalism
• Moving the 3rd House into the Speakers Office
• Defining Professionalism
• Evaluating the Reforms

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Artie Samish and His Amateurs

• "And how are you today, Mr. Legislature?"
  Colliers Magazine, August, 1949.

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Artie Samish and His Amateurs

• Until his 1953 income tax evasion conviction,
  Artie Samish claimed to be the Secret Boss of
  California.
• He represented the liquor industry, horse racing,
  banks, chemical manufacturers, and
  transportation.
• Samish took payments from companies and turned
  them into votes.

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Artie Samish and His Amateurs

• How Did the System Work?
• Select and Elect. Samish says that he mostly
  selected likeminded candidates and helped them
  win.
• Campaign Contributions in exchange for influence.
• Shrimp Hour

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Artie Samish and His Amateurs

• What was the Legislature like circa 1950?
• Influenced by the third house, which dangled
  answers and treats.
• Possessed of less information and patience than
  the full time executive branch.
• Tilted in favor of rural interests.

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Artie Samish and His Amateurs

• Malapportionment Any drawing of legislative
  districts that does not lead to equal populations
  in districts.
• Californias 80-member Assembly was loosely based
  on population, but 40-member Senate went by
  county lines.
• 7 million voters vs. 29,000 voters.
• Outlawed by Baker v. Carr (1962)

8
Jesse Unruh and Professionalism

• Elected to the Assembly from Los Angeles in 1954,
  Unruh shifted power in the Legislature by
• Moving the 3rd House to the Speakers office
• Professionalizing the Legislature through
  Proposition 1A in 1966

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Jesse Unruh and ProfessionalismMoving the Third
House

• How Did the New System Work?
• Howard Ahmansons Home Savings and Loan Money
  went to Unruh.
• Big Daddy dispensed campaign funds, legislative
  perks, and other goodies to those in need.
• Legislators supported him for Speaker and his
  interests

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Jesse Unruh and ProfessionalismProfessionalizatio
n

• As Speaker from 1961-68, Unruh professionalized
  the Legislature
• Staff More and more expert
• Salaries Enough to make it a career
• Session Length Full time.

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Jesse Unruh and ProfessionalismProfessionalizatio
n
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Jesse Unruh and ProfessionalismProfessionalizatio
n

• Proposition 1A in 1966
• Allowed the Legislature to set its own calendar
  and salaries.
• Passed by a 3-1 margin.
• Unruh also hired expert staffers so that the
  Legislature could be independent of lobbyists and
  the governor.

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Evaluating the Reforms

• The Benefits of Professionalism
• Made Legislature transformative. In contrast to a
  parliament that rubber stamps cabinet requests,
  it could change proposals and design bills of its
  own
• Expert staff made lobbyists less powerful
• Full-time members not tied to the whims or
  special interest of a day job

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Evaluating the Reforms

• The Problems with Professionalism
• Power of incumbency grows with increased
  resources, makes government less responsive
• Special interests still wield power through
  campaign contributions
• Career politicians drawn from ranks of staff
  and local office

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Evaluating the Reforms
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Discussion Questions

• Has the Californias Legislature come full circle
  from the Artie Samish era to today?
• Would you support an initiative to
  deprofessionalize the legislature? Why or why
  not?