I find this article very helpful in my orientation as a new Californian.

My wife and I moved here permanently 2 years ago and participated 

in this year's election officially as California residents.

We find the liberal political environment very agreeable and

like the concept of "direct democracy" very much by so many propositions to vote on

in every quadrennial election.

As the article elaborates, it seems the common sense of the ordinary people

of diverse backgrounds, 1/3 of them being Latinos, 1/3 being whites and 15% being Asians,

dictates a significant control of the politics by direct voting on propositions.

I feel like I'm part of the real democracy, which I didn't have in Michigan where 

I lived for 52 years.