I don't know how many other states besides California have propositions, but if you do, just read who pays for them. These propositions are often written by experts in legal speak with the intent to hide or spin the real agenda.

Come election time, Californians are flooded with these advertisements to vote "No" or "Yes" on propositions. These ads usually list who pays for them. It's time to do a little research. The committee who advocates a "Yes" vote is probably the committee who wrote the proposition. The committee who advocates a "No" vote may be special private interest or public interest. The public interest committees have no reason to hide the agenda, so their propositions are probably strait forward.

Before your tempted to research law just to understand the legal speak, spend a little time and research who pays for the ads. The hidden agendas are usually maid clear when you know who is pushing the proposition. If it's written by a committee of big business owners or affiliates, you know that big business profits are at stake, public interest be damned. If it's a committee of regular middle-class people, you know that community-oriented progress is at stake. If it's written by environmentalists you know that the environment is at stake.