If the cause is deemed worthy by the media, then it receives easy treatment. But those initiatives that offend liberal sensibilities are destined for rough treatment by a predominantly liberal fourth estate. All three measures were approved by near-landslide majorities, yet all three were condemned by the mainstream media as either damaging to government's ability to provide basic services or as socially divisive. The voters' filter is simple, even commonsense, and surprisingly balanced. They have approved of medicinal usage of marijuana yet rejected various HMO reforms.
Voters measure the worth of initiatives, then look at their own circumstances.
Then they look at the political establishment's ability to handle the matter if voters don't take matters into their own hands. Because a liberal legislature would not. Unfortunately, the initiative process does not sit well with the media. How insulting to a majority of Californians. That begins with the issue of taxes, which the media so far have scoffed at in this election.