Uruguay, where I’ve spent the past week, is a global leader in
direct democracy. Referenda are very much a part of civic life,
from the local level (these folks vote on stoplights) to the
national level. And the initiative process for national
constitutional amendments is used to settle big questions. So
how is that different than California? The context, two big
things. First, there are limits on what can go on the ballot.
The Uruguayans don’t permit votes on two issues: international
treaties and taxes. When I asked a senior government official
why Uruguayans didn’t avail themselves of the supreme
torture/entertainment of tax votes, he smiled at me and, with a
look of superiority, explained, “Because we don’t want to become
like California.” Fair point, though we’re not about to follow
Uruguay’s lead in this. The second big difference between
Uruguay and California, however, is something Californians might
think about. Direct democracy in Uruguay is almost exclusively a
game for parties. For reasons that in