Tax Crusaders and the Politics of Direct Democracy
- Binding: Hardcover
- Publisher: Routledge
- Publish date: 07/01/1998
These faux populist initiatives -- in contrast to genuine grassroots movements -- involve minimal citizen participation. Instead, the tax crusaders hire public relations firms and use special interest groups to do the legwork and influence public opinion. Although they successfully tap into a pervasive anti-tax public mood by using populist rhetoric, these organizations serve corporate interests rather than groups of concerned neighbors. The author shows that direct democracy can, ironically, lead to diminished public involvement in government.
Daniel Smith looks at the key players, following the trail of money and power in three important initiatives: Howard Jarvis and Proposition 13 in California (1978), Barbara Anderson and Proposition 2 1/2 in Massachusetts (1980), and Douglas Bruce and Amendment 1 in Colorado (1992). He provides a thorough history of tax limitation movements in America, showing how direct democracy can be manipulated to subvert the democratic process and frustrate the public good.
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