CA: Davis ponders next agenda -Wants a big issue for his legacy -- anything but energy

The San Francisco Chronicle ^ | Sunday, November 10, 2002 | Greg Lucas, Lynda Gledhill, Chronicle Sacramento Bureau

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Sacramento -- After what he described as a humbling re-election, Gov. Gray Davis has started huddling with his advisers to find ways to rehabilitate his image and end his next term with a positive legacy.

The Democratic governor has already said he wants to give every child access to health care, possibly take a bigger role in coping with California's growth and continue improvements for public schools.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

"Clearly the election gave no mandate to this governor,"

Well I certainly agree with that!

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

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[Bogey78O]

Neither Davis nor Clinton could buy a legacy. And as time rolls on the dirt only gets dug up.

[cgbg]

people don't really appreciate the job he has done,

How true. He has done an awful awful job, and everyone who voted for him didn't "get it".

[lelio]

Whenever a politicians says that they want to build on their legacy I instinctively grab my wallet.

[Brad’s Gramma]

Note to Governor Davis:

OK, you won. I don't know if it was a fair election, but let's just assume it was.

You want a legacy? I propose that you go the way that most of the country did on election day. To the right. I propose that you ease up on our taxes. I propose that you STOP all of the feel-good legislature that's already passing your desk, and use common sense.

You see, there's LOTS of people who flat out won't be able to continue to live here. Lots of companies who will be moving out of the state. Whether that's fair to you or not, you WILL be held accountable for that.

If you want to be remembered as Bill Clinton is, fine, stay on the course you're on. If you want to rise above, though, and be remembered as someone truly great, please, for the sake of this state....move to the right.

It won't hurt. In fact, it'll gain you far more respect than you can even imagine.

A Californian Voter

[Paleo Conservative]

everyone who voted for him didn't "get it".

Apparently he got 1.7 million fewer votes this time. He doesn't sound like a potential candidate for president the way he was hyped right after the 2000 election.

[Cicero]

What California needs most of all is lower taxes, fewer regulations, and a balanced budget. Plus school vouchers and an end to to the persecution of pro-lifers. None of that is likely under Gray Davis.

[phothus]

The California GOP will have their opportunity to reshape the politics of that state in 2 years and in 4 years. They'd better be ready to take advantage and to LEAD.

there are budget problems and corruption problems that Davis will no longer be able to control, and I predict he'll regret his victory sometime before he's gone...

[JohnnyRidden]

Amen! That one piece of emission standard legislation (The one where you have to pay 50 cents a mile if you go over the milage limit the state sets and higher vehicle taxes) needs to go as well.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Nicely said!

[NEWwoman]

One more thing. No more gun laws!

[HassanBenSobar]

Davis must fill a budget cash hole of at least $15 billion either by raising taxes or cutting spending.

Duh, gee, which approach do you suppose he'll choose?

Unlike his first term -- in which he said education was his first, second and third priority -- Davis has yet to say much about what his goals are for the next four years.

Ahh, and what a job he has done on education. Now that we're #48 in education spending out of 50 states, he can rest on his laurels...

Davis told The Chronicle's editorial board in October he'd "like to see if we can provide health insurance to every child." He prefaced the statement by cautioning that the idea might be "too ambitious."

God help us if he does. Greycare?

Davis also told The Chronicle that he wants to make high school less impersonal by assigning blocks of students to smaller educational units, such as little high schools within one large high school.

But only after he's finished rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic.

And he said he wants to create the equivalent of three more Silicon Valleys in other parts of the state.

Right, and the first Silicon Valley was created by the government too, wasn't it?

Much of whatever Davis tries to achieve over the next two to three years could be drowned by a sea of red ink. Loans, transfers, rake-offs and other one-time bandages were a hefty part of this year's budget solution. Those options are gone, which means Davis probably will have to increase taxes.

COULD BE? Probably??

That means the $15 billion cannot be erased by spending cuts alone, unless prisons are shuttered and all University of California and California State University campuses are closed.

Greyout will close the prisons. It'll get more Dems elected AND save money.

There are a host of people Davis must say no to...

Well, except....

Davis' labor-union allies don't want other state spending cut because many programs benefit or employ their members.

And as if there weren't enough unappetizing fare on Davis' plate, he'll probably not get much support from his fellow Democratic statewide officeholders, particularly those with aspirations for his job.

There will be no one to blame but the RATS for the decline of California.

[Robert357]

Legacy.....hmmm, Bill Clinton has Monaca's blue dress, Hillary, seems to have her bitchiness and her health care plan, Terry M & Senator Patty Murray have the loss of the US Senate to Republicans, Gary Condit has the missing Shandra Levy, so what will Greyout Davis legacy be. Yep, it will be the power crisis and the crippling of the state's economy.

[Calpublican]

Suggestion to Davis:

Forget legacy. Just have a goal for the second term. That goal? Not to be as much of a screwup as you were the first go round.

[wizr]

Gray Davis legacy can be the way that he CLEANED UP California.

The perfect photo op is him with his doo doo bin and shovel, cleaning up after the mess he made.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Maybe he would like to join the Manure Movers of America.

Since he is responsible for so much of it in Sacramento!

[CoolPapaBoze]

Does anyone here think for a second that any great, notable person in history sat around thinking about their legacy like so many people in positions of authority do today? Don't these fools (Clinton(s), Davis, et al) get that? The only people I can think of throughout history that thought this way were evil, delusional people, like Hitler, that were eventually vanquished by good, normal everyday people doing their moral duty. Hello???????.

[Brad’s Gramma]

Maybe he would like to join the Manure Movers of America.

Side-splittin, rollin on the floor, bustin' a gut statement.

[Brad’s Gramma]

YIKES! I just read your bio...now, I'm NOT going to lump everyone together...but you definitely have my sympathies. All of CA is NOT like where you're at.