Posted on 10/17/2006 3:41:21 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
If we have lost anything in this country, it is our sense of what is important in a political election.
Recently, in California’s election race, Oakland Mayor [and former Governor], Jerry Brown, called Chuck Poochigian an extremist because State Senator Poochigian believes in the Constitution.
Mayor Brown is a very smart and experienced politician. Obviously, he thought his accusation would get him votes. That is very frightening. An electorate that doesn’t soundly reject any politician who advocates ignoring the Constitution, expanding government power, and diminishing freedom is in serious trouble. In so many ways, California is in serious trouble.
Quite frankly, there are just too few voters whose decision on issues and politicians are driven by protection of the fundamental American value of freedom.
Of course, a lot of politicians invoke that value in political discussions to justify their political positions. Unfortunately, in California, fewer and fewer politicians believe that they need to use their defense of freedom as a reason to vote for them. Like Brown, they just invoke some obscure fear as a reason for government expansion. The people then vote for him over someone, like Senator Poochigian, who will actually defend freedom and the Constitution.
There are bigger things to fear. Like an all powerful government.
In the last week, Secretary of State records revealed that the League of California Cities gave over $2.5 million to oppose Proposition 90. When the contributions from the California State Association of Counties ($400,000) and the California Redevelopment Association ($300,000) are added to the totals, the contributions to the No on 90 campaign from government supported organizations totals over $3.2 million. In addition, the list of donors includes a laundry list of private organizations who make money off of big government, either as government vendors (such as lawyers, trash collectors, and street improvement contractors) or beneficiaries of the use of government powers (such as the developers who use eminent domain to take your property so they can pay less money for their development projects).
Almost $5 million has been collected by the opposition.
The question is: how did they get that money? How are the League, CSAC, and the CRA able to raise $3.2 million to contribute to a political campaign, when they a consortium of local government entities? They say the money is “nonpublic” funds, but how can that be? Are there private individuals whose favorite charities are lobbying organizations for government? Or, are these just our taxes, laundered through some complicated scheme, into the campaign? Are those private organizations who are contributing to oppose property rights in California getting preferential treatment from these governments for helping to protect the power of these governments? Or are they being forced to pay the money under threat of being denied some government permit to do business? The whole thing stinks.
The former Soviet Union used to have elections, complete with campaigns. The people were told they were free because they had a Constitution and elections, but the courts ignored the Constitution and the government hijacked the elections. If anyone had the audacity to challenge the existing power structure, they were first vilified, and then jailed.
In California today, our courts routinely ignore our constitutionally guaranteed rights, such as property rights. And government uses our own tax dollars to vilify anyone who deigns to challenge the inappropriate assertion of government power, like those who support Proposition 90
Why should freedom be the overriding value in our political choices? Unless we vigilantly defend and preserve freedom, evil things like government trying to hijack elections, will continue to occur. The campaign against Proposition 90 has exposed this evil. The only question is whether we will heed the warnings, or succumb to an all powerful government.
There is nothing "moderate" about Jerry Brown.
"Brown is a moderate Democrat"
He's a far out liberal homo with the addition of of wierd ideas.
Where do you think he got the title "moonbeam"?
So he at first appears. In truth he is amazingly insidious.
My guess is they are getting a lot of "private" funds via the new zeal for "public private partnerships"
I know all about him. He is the louse who put Judge Rose Bird in a position to reverse the death penalties of the Manson gang. But I still think he's less radical than the Kos-kissing wackos out there these days.
A Pulitzer? Never. These days they go only to ultra-liberals. Maybe a Murdoch Prize if there were such a thing. The fact there isn't something along those lines for conservatives is part of the problem we face. We accept, and operate within, rules made by liberals.
BTTT
Thanks for the "Heads Up"! Will comply.
BUMP for freedom.
I understand violent crime went up something like 70% while Moonbean was Mayor of Oakland. That's just what we need, a molly-coddling, pro-illegal immigrant, bleeding heart Leftie as top cop of a state increasingly being taken over by the criminal element.
They're also extorting people and firms who do business with them. If you need things like, say, land use entitlements, building permits, tract maps etc., the word went out a while ago to contribute to the no on 90 efforts, or face the consequences.
I realized that after I posted. I found that the League of California Cities has their very own PAC where they can collect the extortion money.
http://www.citipac.org/
It probably can be, Wasp, but what will happen once it gets to the Ninth Circus Court of Corruption?
And so it goes, as our government elites at all levels--federal, state and local--continue to grow bolder and bolder. Ignoring laws they don't want to enforce; feathering their own nests at an alarming pace; further insulating themselves from the reach of the voters whenever possible; increasingly avoiding responsibility and accountability; and engaging in actions that are directly in opposition to the best interests of the voters. This has now gotten so bad that it is unlikely that government can be returned to the voters without drastic action.
" I hate to see it sink off the sidebar so I bumped it for further play. I hope others will do it too."
Consider it bumped.
That's the way I see it.
Just what we need. Isn't this the jackass that gave us Rose Bird?
Would be a perfect fit with the Austrian, though. Two peas in a pod. At least Moonbeam doesn't pretend to be anything other than the Rat he is, while the Great Equivocator keeps trying to persuade Republicans that he really is one of us. Hell, it's gotten so bad he can no longer qualify as a RINO--he's far worse; in spirit, a true big government borrow & spend Rat.
Ya mean like in France, with their (bleepin) guillotine?
Ya mean like our own Declaration of Independence where we pointed up George's Bureaucrats and their "insolence of office?"
Ya mean like Mousolini and his woman? Or even Cherchestque(never could spell his name) over in Romania?
What's it gonna be, there, Mr. Czar? Oh wait! Ya mean like the Czar and Czarina???
Talk about yer "sudden death" play-offs!!!
Thanks for da "BUMPS!"
D1, does this refer to land in the Santa Monica Mountains and San Gabriel Mountains? I am curious, as I recall the Conservancy acquiring Solstice Canyon back in the mid-'90s but haven't kept track of their acquisitions since then.
I thought the Santa Monica Mountains were either federal or state lands...
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