Unlike the east coast, with its party machines and opaque movements of money, California’s love of direct democracy, which weakens parties and allows individuals to be recalled from office, was supposed to keep politicians honest.
词汇突破：
opaque 不透明的
direct democracy直接民主。指公民直接参与、讨论、决定和管理国家与社会事务的民主形式。
be recalled from office 被弹劾
长难句解析：
主干识别： California’s love of direct democracy was supposed to keep politicians honest.
其他成分： Unlike the east coast, 状语
with its party machines and opaque movements of money 状语(原因)
its=east coast’(指代一般是往前指代)
which weakens parties and allows individuals to be recalled from office 定语从句修饰主语(California’s love of direct democracy)
参考译文： 加州与东部沿海各州是不一样的，因为在东部有政党的机器和不透明的资金流动，而加州对于直接民主的挚爱削弱了各党派的力量，使个人能直接被弹劾，进而被认为能使政客们保持诚实。