So the Governator's second round of ballot measures got the perverbial smack down last night. Every Propostion with the exception of 1F which called for cap on Legislator salaries in an economic downturn. With low voter turn-out California voters sent a very clear message they're not happy with Schwarzenegger. Why should we be. He rode in on his "Savior Horse", using the myth of his movie hero status and a wife part of a political dynasty promising to "PUMP UP CALIFORNIA". Well now that such ideas have not only been deflated but kicked to death and stuffed under the baseboards - we can turn our attention to the 2010 election and who else people think is going "save" them. Hint: it will NOT be Newsom so try not to fall for the okey doke AGAIN people!!
In the meantime an second recall initiative is officially underway. For real this time. With an October deadline and a 1M signature requirement I think it will go through. The state is currently $21B in the hole for this year alone AFTER this past budget shortfall of $53B. Now I know other states have high unemployment, high taxes and Governors who may not be the most popular *cough New York cough* BUT their states are in no way near as bad shape as California. Patterson and the NY Legislature BALANCED their budget. What's up with California?
They can't keep blaming it on the economy. Not with Pelosi, Boxer and Feinstein being such poltical powerhouses. Not when the Governor and President have a cordial relationship. Not when the state is getting BILLIONS in stimulus funds. Sure we can point to individual politicians and the fact that passing a budget here requires a 2/3s majority - which is just plain FOOLISH. If Ah-nuld had run as a REGULAR candidate, mounted a great campaign and had won fair and square (ha) then perhaps we could take all of these other factors into consideration. Except his political ambitions got the best of him and he listened to the bees buzzing in his ear about how awesome he was....about how they could change OUR constitution to allow for a foreign-born to run for President....and the Republicans still had an iron grip on local, state and national politics in collusion with their corporate media bedmates.
When Gray Davis was trying to get MILLIONS back to the state from ENRON who supported BUSH and BILKED us in fake fees, rate hikes and rolling blackouts, the Republicans planned for a little hostile takeover of California. And so many people fell for it that I still find it scary to this day. People were really sleeping at the wheel. Davis was no "saint" but he certainly wasn't a villian either. As soon as Arnie got in office, the Enron recompense effort was halted and I bet many people would love to have that money back NOW. He also tried to go right-wing in California of all places, by going after the unions of teachers, nurses and fire fighters and cutting our vital services. It failed spectacularly! Can you imagine if the fire fighters had held a grudge and told us to bugger off with all the wildfires that have been unleashed?
His first set of ballot measures FAILED and there was grumbling about getting rid of him less than two years into it. He quickly saw the writing on the wall, retreated and miraculously found money to put back into education that he'd taken away. How do you "find" $2B? By the way are you aware the state spends more on incarcerating people than education? Let's think about that for a minute. Instead of PREVENTION the solution is to LOCK EVERYBODY UP. That Lynwood facility where they send all the celebs to, process and spit out due to overcrowding is one such example.
So we can blame nearly ALL the politicians for having their priorities askance. We can vote them out. But I take offense to the very idea that a man who had NO EXPERIENCE WHATSOEVER made wild promises about fixing the State only to make it worse in every way possible. He should be held accountable because he said he could handle it. The budget should not be based on future projections of earnings and overinflated home prices. Non-violent criminals should be released (with discretion of course). We shouldn't have to pay a fee on top of a fee with yet still another fee.
Yesterday's ballot measures failed because they called for an open-ended period of time of tax increases and a reduction of services to divert funds. There was no guarantee that IF the State did get that money that they'd be responsible with it. Now I know people don't like the idea of paying more taxes but if there was an even exchange for vital services it could be argued to pan out in the end. These recent increased coupled with double-digit unemployment just are just a blanket pile-on because they can't add and subtract. So now I've got to give serious consideration to living in a state that may soon resemble a third world country with the expense of the Soviet Union.
I want to see a PLAN Arnie about how you're going to turn things around and STAT! Taxes should be proportionate. Firing teachers at public schools when you send yours to private ones is NOT a good look man. Don't threaten to "let criminals run loose" in (white) neighborhoods to manipulate votes. Don't say you're looking for buyers for State-owned properties that hold value with people. Don't force the SEIU to work for minimum wage when the average politician earns six figures AND a per diem. You look desperate, undisciplined and just plain MEAN. use some of that charm to convince people we're all in this together and you have solutions that are different from the ones you've proposed before. Otherwise I can see that recall effort picking up speed by July I guarantee it.
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