Whatever you may think of Jerry Brown (I didn’t vote for him OR Meg Whitman), at least we have a Governor who knows how to pronounce “California”. It’s not “Collie”-fornia (as der Gropeinator called it). Nor, thank G_d, will it be “Carly”-fornia!
The good news is that every rich (expletive deleted by me) running for statewide office in California was soundly defeated! It’s not that Brown, Boxer, and Lockyer are that great—they aren’t. It’s just that their opponents are far worse!!!
To think that someone who did not vote for 28 years, who was up to her eyeballs in Goldman-Sachs (and other) misdeeds, who knowingly hired an illegal alien housekeeper, who did not have a clue about how to govern a state, could spend upwards of $150 million of her multi-billion fortune in a cynical attempt to con the voters and buy the Governorship, boggles the mind.
To think that someone who outsourced jobs to foreign countries, laid off upwards of 30,000 American workers, then padded her own pockets to the tune of $100,000,000, yet had the chutzpah to call herself the “jobs” candidate for the U.S. Senate, defies the imagination.
To think that someone who was rated the very worst California legislator by the California Consumer Federation, voting against consumer interests at almost every turn, would be a major party candidate for no less than State Treasurer, is a sad commentary on our broken political system
But the really best news of all is that the efforts of two Texas BIG OIL giants to destroy California’s clean air and clean energy laws in order to maximize their own obscene profits went for naught as California voters overwhelmingly saw through and soundly defeated their Proposition 23 scam.
As Abe Lincoln so eloquently stated, “You can fool some of the people all of the time, and you can fool all of the people some of the time, but you can’t fool all of the people all of the time”. Amen!
Instead we get Governor Moonbeam who created the pension mess that is strangling California’s economy, who is in the pocket of the labor unions public and private that are sucking the life blood out of the state, who is a career politician that has no idea about having to meet a budget or make payroll, who has changed positions more than Paris Hilton changes cloethes? Oh goody!
Vey clever use of the term “governor moonbeam” that means absolutely nothing except it’s a trite little phrase used by the intellectually challenged. There’s much more to the economy than public pensions, and let’s agree that the “life blood of the state,” whatever that means, is a complex economic system that depends on money coming in to pay for all sorts of infrastructure. We’re not taxed as badly as your leaders keep saying, and Brown is a smart, forthright person who is up to the task. Who isn’t is the electorate, who pass propositions at will without knowing the repercussions. Sort of like you, I’ll bet, who is concerned about one thing only–not paying taxes, right? And then we can live in a third world country with crap schools and potholes. But your rich “friends” who could not care less about the common right wing folk are happy to have you adopt the mythology. Goody, indeed.
Very interesting Rapscalion [sic – it is actually spelled “Rapscallion,” but then what do I know, I am “intellectually challenged”], you call me and the electorate “intellectually challenged” in a single post. At least I am in very good company. This arrogant and dismissive attitude was also displayed by President Obama, your fearless leader, who remains convinced that he is right and that the American voter is just too darn stupid to get it.
You are right that there SHOULD be much more to the economy than public pensions, but unfortunately the wave of unfunded pension liability has not yet crashed onto the shores of our beloved state. Within a very short period of time, this unfunded public pension liability will dominate the state budget, limiting our flexibility and options and chasing more and more business out of state.
Are you actually condeming me because I have worked hard and have to pay a lot of taxes? By the way, while it is fashionable to bash Republicans and call them rich, one of the defining characteristics of the United States is its historically unique committment to philanthropy. A history of giving, dominated by the Republicans that you disdain, recognizing the need to help those less fortunate. It just so happens that those philanthropic soles see this as a private, not a public function. We are willing to be generous with our own money. The Democrats are very will to be generous with other people’s money.
While you’re at it, it’s “condemning” and “souls,” but then, what do I know.
You use all the usual talking points we’ve been hearing from the RWM, that Obama is “arrogant,” when actually he’s just smart. I suppose you thought W was “folksy” and see where that got us. “Fearless leader”? What the hell does that mean? LIke Boris and Natasha’s?
Pension fund liability is indeed a problem, and maybe you’re forgetting all the Republicans who signed off on it. Perhaps if we had a working legislature that was not dominated by special interests, (and that’s much, much more than unions,) some compromise could be worked out. But there’s little chance of that when the phrase “we won’t compromise” is sort of a point of honor for a certain party.
Not all Republicans are rich; who said they were? What’s frustrating is that so many are low on the socioeconomic ladder, they always will be, and they get used like cannon fodder (literally and figuratively) because they’ve bought into the myth that Republicans are patriotic. I congratulate your spinmeisters on selling this so effectively.
Your assumption that uber rich Republicans give away vast amounts of their own money while Democrats give away others’ is just pure baloney. When defense contractors stop getting billions to fight the Afghanistan air force, get back to me on that one.
AGREE with the post above if things are bad in california now . with a all democratic goverment . look at the mess we are in now and what do we do . we get the same old crap . could not agree with you more this state is run by the unions and until we say f. u to them we will keep going down this road .. we are headed for b/k and then will want a big gov hand out from the rest of the country WHO GOT IT YESTERDAY except in nevada . . and the rest of the country is gonna say HELL NO ITS YOUR MESS YOU CLEAN IT UP .
Perhaps Brown will surprise all of us. I really did not like either major candidate.
Brown was likely the more likely to be able to work with the legislature to get things done. I will wait to see how it works out.
*We voted for Downtown Jerry Brown because he is real. Good or bad….the boy has
a track record of NOT trying to cover up. Meg started the whole process by trying to
cover up her voting record, her employment of illegal aliens and then tries to beat up
on an old guy that has never slept since he was born. Downtown Jerry Brown is a doer.
Now you can easily beat him up for selecting Adriana Gianturco as CALTRANS chief – in
the 70’s or for the connectors to from the 5 to the 134 Freeways – or suggesting that
we have a Golden Coastal Freeway up and down the coast of California by way of Imminent Domain….and of course the worst of all was Rose Bird. But other than that – Downtown
Jerry Brown was sharp as a tack. He will be the best Governor that we have had since Reagan. Mark our words, we could have done alot worse!
By the way, where are those superstar Governor candidates that you would have rather
employed? We want Mel Gibson, but he had wife and girlfriend problems. We wanted
Bruce Willis….but he was too busy working in film. We wanted Tom Sellech but he didn’t
want to complicate his life – he just wanted to work in film and keep it simple. George
Clooney might have been a good choice – but does he have a superstar First Lady?
Who knows? Rob Reiner thought he was too old…..and Mary Carey has retired from
the public life – for the time being! Tough, tough, tough – finding real candidates for
Governor of California in these awful economic times!
If you have read any of Rose Bird’s decisions you’d have a different perspective. She was not in the league of Janice Rogers Brown, e.g., or the apologists on the very right wing US Supreme Court. She was opposed to the death penalty, (the horror) and that’s about it for those who know nothing about her decisions.
I have read a number of her decisions and had the chance to have a conversation with her. The vote to not return her to office was a sound decision by the electorate – but then that isn’t very important to you since you hold the elctorate in shuch disdain.
Yes, sure. Name her position on MICRA.
Since she wrote extensively on the Medical Injury Reform Compensation Act (“MICRA”), I have my pick but I think most significant would be her opinion that arbitration clauses are invalid to compel arbitration when the claim involves intentional or criminal conduct. Is this like jeopardy? Do I get a prize? Do I get to ask you about strange legal issues outside of your ken?
Well, no, she held that MICRA was constitutional, which probably pleased you, although it screwed victims of medical malpractice with its artifical damages cap. It was a low point in anotherwise distinguished legal career.
First, what do you mean “no.” Evidently you are not as familar with her cases as you contend.because she did in fact issue a controversial opinion along the lines above, in which Justice Lucas issued a stinging minority opinion.
Were you looking for me to guess about the opinion that you had in your mind? While I am a good lawyer, I have never professed to be a pyschic.
While MICRA cases have virtually no impact on my practice, from a socialogical standpoint if I could rearrange the legal system it would be so that no one could screw anyone. No damages awarded when a thief falls through my window breaking into my house., no damages for the drunk guy drowning falling into a pool where he was trespassing – in a word, restoration of personal responsibility on both sides.
“No damages awarded when a thief falls through my window breaking into my house., no damages for the drunk guy drowning falling into a pool where he was trespassing – in a word, restoration of personal responsibility on both sides.”
From where did you drag out that old chestnut? you forgot to mention the welfare queen driving a Cadillac. You’re right–you know nothing about negligence law, and that means medical malpractice as well. The insurance companies usually win, which should please you, because it means the regular folk get hosed.
I was excited after reading your first post because I always enjoy jousting with someone of intellect. Obviously I was very wrong about you. Your response is an intellectually empty red faced “oh yeah??”
I feel sorry for Whitman, not because she lost the election so much but because I think she was ripped off by the Republican power structure, including traditional Republican campaign consultants/strategists who I suspect profited handsomely from the $100 million plus they encouraged her to spend in this futile effort. I think those folks, including Pete Wilson who was at her side during much of the campaign, smelled money in the air (Whitman’s) and that was what drove them. Whitman has been had.
Geoff and Great One,
With “blow up the boxes Schwartzneegger” in office for 8 years it is clear a Republican Governor has been an abject failure. Should we continue down that path, with a unprepared, novice public leader with NO EXPERIENCE?
To put it another way who would you rather have coach your kids football team: Pete Carrol (damaged goods to be sure) or Meg Whitman (a “proven Leader”).
At the end of the day I am not sure that Governor Schwartzenegger was either a Republican or supported by much of the Republican party. Yes, I would have taken Ms. Whitman in a heartbeat over Jerry Brown who has consistently shown his ability to be very generous with other people’s money.
No one is as generous with “other people’s money” than a Republican congressman. Any chance of reducing the Pentagon budget, that dwarfs other expenditures? I thought not.
I will agree with you that the Republicans have lost their way in the past few years. There are a number of us that really do stand for smaller government, less spending, less taxes – and I think that we came out in droves on Tuesday. I hope the rest of the Republican Party heard the message.
Yes, the message is that hooray for the rich privileged ones. Screw the common folk.
Name a program you’re willing to cut, apart from defense spending.
Rapscalion [sic], I would cut public employee pension costs, increase and closely regulate retirement age and qualification for public employees, I would limit grants of foreign aid, I would eliminate earmarks and rider bills – that enough, or do you want my entire economic policy?
How about eliminating all foreign aid, close all overseas bases, end all business and agricultural subsidies, abolish the Dept of Homeland Security, the Drug Enforcement Agency, The Dept. of Education (sorry Dems…education should be a state and local matter) and the Federal Reserve and a return to gold and silver as opposed to the current system of fiat currency? There is one person in the Republican Party that would advocate all of these things and that person is Ron Paul.
It’s one thing to pay lip service to “smaller government” and “fiscal responsibility.” It’s another thing to practice what you preach. As my left-libertarian/anarcho-voluntaryist friend Thomas L. Knapp would say “Voting Republican for smaller government is like ******* for virginity.”
That’s a no brainer. Pete Carroll. Two national titles speak for themselves.
Despite having CHEATED. he is the right choice. Correct GF?
So let’s overlook, for a moment the issues that you dislike about Jerry Brown and ask yourself. “WHO IS BETTER SUITED TO LEAD CALIFORNIA”
The answer is clear, not Meg Whitman. So quit bitching GOP and give this a chance. Of course they won’t . They still want to write off thier Ford Excurisons as business expenses, and Cosco trips as “SUPPLIES” small business politics cripples California. Plain and simple.
Single Unmarried earners (read GAYS) pay way more than the Jesus Freak that pretends to be a contractor in Yorba Linda!
Interestingly enough, Brown earned the nickname “Governor Moonbeam” because in the 1970’s he had wild, far-out ideas like using solar and renewable energy, conservation, and eschewing the perks of the office for simplicity.
also toss in cut off all benefits to illegals that will also save us a ton of money along with cutting down all public employee pensions
Genius,
WE DON’T PAY IT.
The FED DOES. Thats a seperate arguement.
READ THE RULES
and stupid DOPE KEN I NEED TO GET LAID .. WHO PAYS THE FEDS ?
*Hey, did you hear…..”Downtown Jerry Brown” has already called for a meeting in Sacramento
on he Budget!! Think it starts Monday or Wednesday!
rw