The Wrong Way to Fix California

June 15 (Bloomberg) -- California desperately needscourageous leaders with innovative ideas. Unfortunately, the new“top two” primary system, which went into effect for the June 5election, is a step toward rewarding careerist politicians whotout the same old status-quo solutions.

In 2010, California voters approved Proposition 14, whichinstalled a primary system similar to those that exist in twostates: Washington and Louisiana. Previously, voters electedprimary candidates from their own party, and the winner wouldface off against the other parties’ candidates in the generalelection in November. Under the new system, candidates from allparties compete against one another in the primary. The top twovote-getters fight it out in the general election, regardless oftheir party affiliation.