Three months late, California has found itself a budget. It satisfies no-one, fails to address the long-term systemic flaws in the budgeting system, doesn't provide the services that people expect to receive when they pay their taxes or cast a vote, and essentially accomplishes little more than keeping (most of) the lights on for a few months until this comes around again.

The problems will be the same, the partisan divisions and rancor will be the same, and we'll be another year down the road towards a completely ungovernable state. We simply can't keep doing this every year; it fails everyone, and we deserve better.

So Rick Jacobs and Courage Campaign floated an idea, but it's ultimately up to you: Should we call a Constitutional Convention?

It's clear that the system isn't working, and bold action is needed to break out of this perpetual stalemate. Rick Jacobs laid out the full case in an email Thursday, but it's up to you to vote and tell us what you think:

California is in crisis.

And, no matter what happens with the state budget this week in Sacramento, the reason for this crisis is clear -- California's government is broken.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger may veto the state budget. And the legislature may override his veto. But our state will still be structurally ungovernable.

On Tuesday, we highlighted the destructive gridlock caused by the 2/3rds voting requirement to pass a budget. But that is just one part of a larger government failure to address the problems that face Californians. Runaway ballot initiatives, annual budget stalemates, and arcane rules are some of the structural problems that plague Sacramento. As unemployment and foreclosure levels soar, a broken government is an impediment to economic recovery.

America has been here before. During the 1780s, our newly independent nation faced a crippling economic crisis and a government that was unable to effectively respond. To remedy the crisis, James Madison, George Washington and other public servants met in Philadelphia in the summer of 1787 to reshape the federal government to resolve the crisis and provide for stable government that also protects our freedoms and rights. We celebrate their achievement by calling them Founding Fathers.

We believe California is at a similar crossroads. The economy and the political stalemate will only get worse unless we fix Sacramento. To fix Sacramento, we need the kind of structural change that can only come from a revised California Constitution.

The Courage Campaign is therefore considering asking the state legislature to convene a Constitutional Convention for California, which would open up a formal process to enact significant structural changes in our government -- just as our Founding Fathers did in 1787.

We think it is imperative that such an important decision only be made with the support of our members and our allies in the progressive movement.

We are not the only California community considering calling for a Constitutional Convention. The "Bay Area Council" -- which includes representatives from Google, Yahoo, Chevron and Wells Fargo -- has already gone on record in support of the idea in a San Francisco Chronicle op-ed, strongly advocating that "drastic times call for drastic measures."

There is momentum behind this idea, but unless progressives begin to engage this discussion, our agenda for California's future will be marginalized.

In our view, if a Constitutional Convention is called, it should be narrowly focused, with the power to propose to voters reforms of the budget process, legislative process, ballot initiatives, and other aspects related to the way California's government operates. We would insist that the convention have no authority to discuss changes to parts of the Constitution that protect individual freedoms and rights, or anything related to social issues. The convention delegates would be elected by California voters, and any proposed changes would have to be ratified by voters.

A Constitutional Convention could create change that would transform California and our country. To make that change as progressive as possible, public participation and approval -- at every step down this pivotal path -- is fundamentally important.

That's why we're putting our decision in your hands. We want you to tell us whether calling for a Constitutional Convention is a good idea for the Courage Campaign and for the progressive movement in California.

Do you believe we should call for a California Constitutional Convention to fix our state's government? Please read our brief explanation of how the process would work and then take our simple "Yes" or "No" poll today. One person, one vote. DEADLINE: Monday at 12 p.m. PT:

http://www.couragecampaign.org/ConstitutionVote

We are calling on you, the people of California, to lead, because that is the only way progressive change will happen. We can give the legislature and the Governor an opportunity to act, but they will only do so if we build a grassroots movement for change -- from the bottom-up.

That's what happened in 1787 and that's what we can make happen now.

Thank you for doing everything in your power to help us make 2008 -- and 2009 -- a new and historic era for progressive politics in California.

Rick Jacobs
Chair
Courage Campaign

P.S. To make our decision as people-powered as possible, we need your help to increase participation in this important poll.

If you know any friends who care about the future of California as much as you do, please forward this message to them and ask them to vote as well. But remember, only one vote per person. DEADLINE: Monday 12 p.m. PT:

http://www.couragecampaign.org/ConstitutionVote