CALIFORNIA: From a Constitutional Republic to Dysfunctional Direct Democracy – Here’s a Solution

Joe Hoft

joehoft.com

CALIFORNIA: From a Constitutional Republic to Dysfunctional Direct Democracy

(The following is taken from a piece at Shasta Unfiltered)

California was once the shining symbol of American dreams—innovation, opportunity, and endless possibility. Today, it’s a cautionary tale: skyrocketing costs, crumbling infrastructure, rampant homelessness, wildfires raging out of control, and a mass exodus of families and businesses. These aren’t random misfortunes. They’re symptoms of a profound governance failure—the near-total collapse of our state constitution into a bloated, contradictory disaster that has shredded the principles of republican government.

The 1879 Constitution (which replaced the original 1849 constitution) started as a solid framework for a representative republic, where elected leaders debate and decide on behalf of the people. But after more than 525 amendments—the most of any state—it has swollen into one of the world’s longest governing documents, a sprawling 75,000-word monster packed with conflicting rules and ironclad mandates. It’s no longer a coherent blueprint; it’s a chaotic patchwork where voter-approved propositions clash, override each other, and handcuff the legislature…

…The truth is stark: California’s constitution is broken beyond patchwork repairs. We need bold action to reclaim republican governance…

…But with California’s yawning regional and ideological chasms—urban coasts versus rural interiors—made worse by this broken system, a bolder fix demands attention: dividing the state into two or more. Over 220 split proposals in history signal deep desperation.

One standout is the New California State movement, launched in 2018 by grassroots

conservatives led by Paul Preston. Fed up with what they call “tyrannical” overreach violating the U.S. Constitution’s Guarantee Clause, they aim to carve a new state from dozens of rural and inland counties, leaving coastal power centers (Bay Area, Los Angeles, Sacramento) as the remnant “old” California.”>

Inspired by West Virginia’s Civil War split, they’ve held symbolic county elections, drafted a simpler constitution echoing the 1849 original, and convened gatherings—like their July 2025 constitutional convention in Visalia.

This very week (January 22-24, 2026), they’re hosting a major conference in Shasta County: “The Road Back to Liberty, Making California Great Again.” With committees active in all counties, in counties like Shasta, Yuba, Fresno, and Tulare, it channels rural rage over urban-imposed taxes, regulations, and neglect of water, energy, and farming…

Here is Paul Preston on with Jerome Corsi:

Preston was also on a morning show to discuss the state of New California: