[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Frank D. Russo

The Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) has released a massive survey today that shows just how important the internet has become to most Californians’ lives and has major implications as to how Californians are getting their information about their communities, news in general and political news, variable access to the internet by different demographic groups, and that there is strong support for local government provided broadband access.

The PPIC survey is based on the opinions of 2,253 California adults—a very large sample with a margin of error of just 2%--and runs to 40 pages. Much of what it contains confirms trends and changes that have been chronicled before—the young, the wealthier, and the urban tend to use the internet more—but there are lots of surprises and a lot of data that folks will be analyzing and talking about for some time.

Bear in mind in interpreting this data that it is of California adults—not registered voters, likely voters, or even those who are citizens. The PPIC painstakingly interviewed many Californians in their own language and has sought a large representative sample of those residing within our borders.

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Bill Cavala
A veteran of over 30 years in Sacramento

The latest PPIC survey shows the remarkable gulf that occurs between Republican and Democratic voters in California. It extends over an ideological framework (liberal – conservative), on specific issues (immigration, gay marriage), indeed, even to geography. Democrats control the BayArea, North Coast and Los Angeles. Republicans dominate the remainder of the state except for Santa Barbara and Imperial County.

The survey writers want to focus on the 20% of the vote not affiliated with the Democrats or Republicans. Growing in numbers, should we not change the system to involve them to a greater extent? So the PPIC folk suggest. Moving from single member districts to proportional representation, for example.

When did we begin this vilification of American Political Parties?

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

The Public Policy Institute of California has lined up an All-Star cast for their forum on legislative reform today at noon in Sacramento : Willie Brown. Pete Wilson. Jim Brulte. John Burton. Fabian Nunez. The group will focus on a report unveiled today by the PPIC.
 
Among the recommendations of the report:

• Limiting campaign donations and encouraging public financing of campaigns
• Open primaries
• Non-partisan elections
• "Cross filing" that will allow candidates to run in more than one party's primary

The PPIC report also downplayed the significant of redistricting: Noting that "districting is not destiny," PPIC says "Redistricting would probably soften partisanship only at the margins." It also noted that Schwarzenegger's last initiative "might easily have produced an uncompetitive, bipartisan plan, the opposite of the measure's intention."

by Brian Leubitz [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

Health Moves Up to Tie as Most Important Issue with Perennial Favorite Immigration

By Frank D. Russo

The Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) has released a new poll that shows that health care has catapulted into a virtual tie with immigration as the most important issue to likely California voters and that an overwhelming 69% of Californians and 72% of likely voters want "major change" in the health care system.

The 34 page survey, which can be read or downloaded directly from the PPIC was taken of 2003 California adult residents, a very large sampling between September 4 and 11, and has a margin of error of 2% as to Californians and 3% as to likely voters. This is a very large sample and the PPIC is highly respected. It includes many other issues and quesitons besides health which will be dealt with in separate articles.

When given a relatively short description of both the Schwarzenegger and Democratic health plans, there is support for both, but likely voters are split on the Democratic plan as described. There was no question about the single payer plan being advanced by Senator Sheila Kuehl.

The Most Important Issue in California

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

The widely respected Public Policy Institute of California released a poll this morning with a lot of compelling data. It looks like voters aren’t too keen on how things are (or aren’t) working in Sacramento. They are hungry for change and show that through their support of term limits reform. The poll shows 55 percent of likely voters supporting February’s term limits initiative.
 
Also from the PPIC poll report:
 
"Today, 66 percent of residents say major (36%) or minor (30%) changes are needed, while three in 10 think that the term limit structure is fine just as it is (31%). Across parties, independents (67%), Democrats (66%), and Republicans (61%) are similar in their likelihood to say that either major or minor changes are needed."

by Julia Rosen [courtesy of Working Californians blogs]

It is ironic that the day that the PPIC poll comes out showing that Californians want to see their state government be more aggressive in combatting global warming, the Republicans are trying to defang Attorney General Brown's ability to go after local polluters. Despite all of the national magazine covers and international praise, Arnold's approval rating on the environment dropped. It turns out the voters want less talk and more action. Shocker right? Merc:

Californians overwhelmingly believe global warming is a serious threat but they seem less than impressed with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's six-month, highly publicized international campaign on the problem, a poll released Wednesday shows.

Instead, Californians want more progress to protect the environment and say they are willing to pay for it, but have been disappointed so far this year, according to the survey by the San Francisco-based Public Policy Institute of California.

read more »