"A Huge Waste of Money"

"Steyer argues that measures like Proposition 39 are necessary because the Legislature can't act. 'The Legislature tried three times since 2009 to close the loophole but it couldn't, because of concerted action by the moneyed interests.' He ticks off the raft of political issues that have been getting addressed not by the Legislature but at the ballot box: 'Gay marriage, three-strikes, GMOs, environmental law, taxes,' he says. 'That's a pretty big legislative agenda.'
"But is the initiative process up to the task of taking over? Almost certainly not, because it's already been co-opted by the same moneyed interests."

In the Los Angeles Times, Michael Hiltzik criticizes California's "self-indulgent initiative process."