CA: Boiling Point

Mercury News ^ | 6/22/03 | Mark Baldassare

[NormsRevenge]

Californians have a message for Gov. Gray Davis and the Sacramento political establishment: Get our financial house in order or face the wrath of angry voters. As in the tax revolt of 25 years ago that led to the passage of Proposition 13, voters are so frustrated and disenchanted with the state's political leadership today that they are ready to make drastic changes.

[NormsRevenge]

Ping

[Savage Beast]

"voters are so frustrated and disenchanted with the state's political leadership today that they are ready to make drastic changes."

Yeah yeah yeah. Blah blah blah blah. Like swapping one tax-and-spend Democrat for another one. The only thing that'll save California is a cure for "Liberalism", which is a disease more devastating and potentially dangerous than AIDS.

[Swordmaker]

As I recall, Proposition 13 did NOT require the state's control of property tax spending... that was a court order later codified by the state legislature as an ANTI-Prop13 measure to equalize school spending among rich and poor districts.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Thanks.

Just checking in infrequently!

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[telebob]

Here is a real opportunity for the CA republican party to get its s**t together and offer a real choice to the liberal agenda.

NAH!! It will never happen. They're too busy giving litmus tests to each other to actually sieze the riens of political control.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Yeah, we should allow leftist RINO trash to take the "riens" (sic) of power and continue electing Senators like John Seymour, Matt Fong, and Tom Campbell. Great idea.

[Brilliant]

In order to clean their house, they are going to have to turn all the Democrats out to pasture--not just Gray Davis.

[Maria S]

Dumb question, I know, but...

If Governor Davis should resign, would he be the one to appoint someone else to an interim term until another election was held? Or would a Lt. Governor take over?

[fieldmarshaldj]

The Lieutenant-Governor succeeds him.

[fieldmarshaldj]

...But Davis hates his Lieutenant-Governor (elected on his own ticket), and Cruz Bustamante has a nasty habit of uttering the word "nig*er" in public venues.

[navyblue]

"Most of the state's spending is dedicated to four program areas -- public schools, higher education, health and human services, and prisons and public safety -- "

And all four of these are impacted by ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION!

[telebob]

Spelling correction: 'Reins'. not 'riens'. Bummer, must be the dixlesyia....

Anywho, check your options. Another round of republican fist fights producing another Bill Simon? What's wrong with McClintock? Solid conservative (your opinion may differ), good personality and competent.

Like I say, here's a good opportunity. Don't let it slip away just for some notion of ideological purity that will result in another 'no-win'.

How about getting your foot in the door, show what you can do, beat down a few tomato cans and then go for the championship?

[fieldmarshaldj]

Hey, y'know, the '90s were littered with the carcasses of RINO losers in CA. Now when the RINO moneymen don't get another RINO nominee, they bitch and bellyache, while all the while, they let the grassroots wither and die. It's difficult to fight on two fronts when you have the authentic 'Rats and media attacking you and RINOs knifing you from the rear with the bull$hit complaint that "Conservatives are unelectable." RINOs lose the GOP base, they do NOT inspire them to turn out, and often only produce a modest interest from other non-Republicans. This isn't decades past when both parties could actively compete for voters across the spectrum. When the GOP decided to go more after liberal voters, most liberal voters decided to stick with the real-deal 'Rats, while all the while Conservatives opted not to vote at all. The 'Rats can still play the angle, but we can't. It's called being unprincipled. We'd be halfway there to winning if the RINOs just shut the hell up and pretended they were real Republicans by getting behind the nominee. Hell, Giuliani was a RINO in many policy issues and behaved entirely like one towards mainstream Republican candidates for many years in the '90s before finally deciding to stop acting like one with regards to candidates and get behind them and campaign. Perhaps if RINOs started behaving like that, we might actually get something accomplished in getting Republicans elected. Smart move on Rudy's part.

As for ideological purity, it would be nice to have an "R" who agrees with at least 75% of the GOP platform. One that agrees with it 50% or 25% of the time I have another name for, namely being my 'Rat Congressman. There is a line to be drawn, y'know.

[telebob]

Here's my angle: I'm sitting here a died in the wool independent voter, always have been, always will be. I would have loved to haved voted against Davis in the last go 'round. What did I get for an alternative? Simon and a bunch of commies.

I'm the guy you want. It's your job to figure out how to get me. There's lots of voters like me out there. Even the supposed super-left Bay Area recently polled 65% in favor of the Iraq war. ????? Somethings cooking, somethings up. Bush, who lost big in CA in 2000 looks to do very well in '04.

IMHO, the 'R's need to get a strategy to exploit the current situation. If they decline to compete in the recall I think that will be a mistake. How the money shakes out is not my, the voter's, concern. How unity is achieved is not my concern either.

My point is, given a decent candidate, a long term strategy and some competent leadership, the political climate of CA could begin to turn around. People are sick of near bankruptcy and PC social engineering. That's why confidence in CA politicians is at a record low.

Seize the day....

[q_an_a]

Want to send a real message recall the Secty of State and a couple of other hig profile party leaders along with Davis. That would stop some folks and really change Calif for a generation.

[NormsRevenge]

Quite frankly, If we can reach out and educate a large enough percentage of the masses as to the powers they actually hold under their state constitution, that's just the beginning.

We could do some serious housecleaning and should.

Influence peddling and gross mismanagement are just a couple of items a lot of politicos and bureaucrats could be convicted of.

Whatever happened to ethics and civics? Is that taught anywhere today?

We need to look at changing some very fundamental functions of govt. It's too involved and much too powerful in individual's lives these days.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

We need to look at changing some very fundamental functions of govt. It's too involved and much too powerful in individual's lives these days.

Absolutely right!

A recall will send shock waves Coast to Coast, that would be good!

[patriot5186]

He'll show us recallers by tripling our car registration.

[goldstategop]

Dumb move.