Commentary

CA poll: government not in public interest

PPIC has new California polling data today as the state heads into another dazzling array of ballot initiative campaigns. Polling shows decidedly little support for parental notification, banning same-sex marriage (Prop. 8) and redistricting. Results on Proposition 4 (parental notification) and Proposition 11 (redistricting) closely track with the breakdown of the Field Poll released July 22 by the Sacramento Bee on the same measures. Also from today’s PPIC poll:

Seven in 10 likely voters (71%) say that state government is pretty much run by a few big interests looking out for themselves, while far fewer say that it is run for the benefit of all the people. This distrust is apparent across party lines (seven in 10 believe that the influence of special interests is pervasive in state government) and across regions. […] Latinos (66%) and whites (69%) as well as men (66%) and women (69%) say the state government is run by a few big interests, an opinion more prevalent as age increases.

Fully 75 percent of likely voters in the survey think California is headed for bad times financially in the next year.