Did California Gov. Jerry Brown Compare Himself to Jesus?

Washington Wire (WSJ Blog) ^ | 4 Mar 2011 | Vauhini Vara

[smokingfrog]

Gov. Jerry Brown, asked Friday by a reporter in San Francisco about The Wall Street Journal’s report that he has met quietly with California Republicans who may support his budget plan, said he doesn’t read the Journal and declined to confirm any Republicans he is talking with privately.

“I’m not going to blow their cover,” he said.

Then he playfully mentioned the biblical story of Nicodemus, a Pharisee who is said to have visited Jesus in the middle of the night to avoid raising eyebrows among his colleagues. The governor compared the New Testament tale to his secret discussions with Republican legislators.

Mr. Brown attended a Jesuit seminary in his youth and has often evoked Christian thought, quoting philosophers like St. Augustine and St. Ignatius.

“It was a humorous aside taken from scripture,” the governor’s press secretary said. “The governor spent almost four years in seminary and he knows the ‘Good Book’ very well.”

Lawmakers are expected to vote this week on a budget plan to close the state’s $26.6 billion budget gap. Mr. Brown has proposed $12.8 billion in cuts and fund shifts. He also wants the legislature to approve a ballot measure proposing extensions of several tax increases, which, along with other taxes, would raise $14 billion in the eighteen months ending June 30, 2012.

The Journal reported this week that some Republicans may support Mr. Brown’s plan if lawmakers also make policy changes in areas such as public pensions and regulations.

One suggestion Republicans have raised is changing pension rules for current employees. That’s controversial because state law is believed to prevent the government from changing current employees’ benefits, such as the retirement age at which they get full pension benefits, but some believe California could take advantage of a loophole in that law.

[decimon]

Jesus was resurrected but once.

[Dick Bachert]

Governor Moonbeam will have to take a number: Obozo has that position at the moment:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjrn4GZGd34&feature=related

[WhatNot]

These are California Repub”icks”, Jerry got his stories mixed up, he meant to say like Judas meeting in secret with the Chief Priests to betray Jesus. Very Soon we will know who is the Judas and who is the Chief Priests.

[ThomasThomas]

Didn’t he appoint a Buddhist as house Chaplin last time he was in office?

[goodwithagun]

Ahh, Jesus. I like him very much but he no help hit curve ball.

[stormer]

Is that a problem?

[StonyBurk]

These politicians who claim to know something about Christianity-and the Bible seem like the serpent in the garden very much so - to those who are still drinking their mothers milk what is said sounds true enough— but those with eyes to see -who look like the Bereans did the beguiling is easy to see.

[BigFinn]

Brown was a Jesuit. The Jesuits do not have a very ‘holy’ history. Enough said.

[MasterGunner01]

Note to Gov. Moonbeam: Many have claimed to be the Messiah, but I don't know of any that pulled off the crucifixion and coming back from the dead gig. Let us know if you ever do.