>Here is an idea. Move the refineries to Sacramento where the State Capitol buildings are located. Sell the land (very prime) and pay off the states debt. When the refineries have their next chemical emergency no one will care!

Good idea! Some of my family moved to the capitol for a few years, but they've all left now...

>With one person at the head of government who owes nothing to anyone it is like “odd man out”! What do you do with the hoards of state assemblymen, senators, clerks, lobbyists, and assorted political flunkies? This should be interesting.

I don't know, but I'll bet that's something Ventura can relate to!

>As with Minnesota, I think California is fed up with “politics as usual”! For better or worst we are about to have a change I am sure. Being a Democrat does not mean I like the system. In fact if there were 200 political parties I would seriously question the intent of all of them! All political parties are self serving entities that could care less about society. The “me only mentality” is absolute! :)

Here in Maryland, "fed up" means electing a (moderate) Republican (Erlich) for the first time in 30 years, but he's in nearly the same boat as Ventura (and maybe Arnold will be), since this entire state is controlled nearly exclusively by Dem. party apparatus. So Erlich can't do much of anything, even with a reasonable victory margin of popular vote. So he's sort of "locked away" by himself in Annapolis, can't get a thing done...

I agree on "partys." One thing about this CA recall mess is that it has opened me up to looking at other countries' forms of gov't. Aside from the nasty dictatorships, it seems most of them already have a form of "Recall" in place, wherein they can have new elections quite quickly, at most anytime. Not saying this is good or bad, but may reflect the will of the people a little better that what we get here sometimes...