Posted on 05/09/2018 1:12:45 PM PDT by MarvinStinson
George Deukmejian, a perennially popular two-term Republican governor of California who built his career on fighting crime, hardening the state's criminal-justice stance and shoring up its leaky finances, died Tuesday. He was 89.
Deukmejian, who was elected governor in 1982 and 1986, died at his home in Long Beach, according to a statement from his family.
During his many years of public service, including 16 years as a state legislator and four as state attorney general, Deukmejian sponsored the successful "use a gun, go to prison" bill, oversaw development of a workfare program for welfare recipients and negotiated with the Democratic-controlled Legislature to create an $18.5-billion, 10-year transportation plan.
The son of Armenian immigrants, Deukmejian had years of public office on his resumé before winning election as governor and emerging as the most prominent Armenian American politician in the United States.
His identification with Armenians, who were victims of genocide during the early 20th century at the hands of the Ottoman Turks, would infuse his life with a determination to ensure the rule of law.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
I remember when he beat the heavily favored LA Mayor Tom Bradley. That election shock introduced the term “Bradley Effect”.
For a time it was thought that Deukmejian might be a presidential candidate.
How much California has changed since then.
RIP.
I don't know. He was quite the RINO, actually.
He was the one who signed the nations first assault weapon ban which demanded citizens surrender their lawfully acquired firearms or face jail time. (Roberti-Roos)
This was from before California turned into a sh!thole.
his wife went on the air a day or two before election day with what many thought a patently racist appeal to keep the black man out of office
many observers believe she won the election for her husband
From back when I was proud to be from California and sanity was pretty much the rule.
Deukmejian was the first and so far the only governor of a U.S. state of Armenian descent.
Why are you showing a photo of Deukmejian with that actor from Little Shop of Horrors, Honey I Shrunk the Kids, etc?
also, imho he appeared to be quite corrupt...selling out governmental policies, favors to at least a few of the largest corporations (and giving taxpayer funds to at least one of them at least, in the most covert, very well hidden means I ever saw)...and then went on the corporate payroll the very morning after leaving public office
nice fellow. had some good features, yes. but liked $ a lot, too, imho too much
R.I.P. Duke.
In the 1980s, CA was a reliable GOP state. The Democrats who dominated the electorate at the time - where conservative.
For most of the 20th Century, the GOP controlled nearly every statewide office.
That changed when CA went for Clinton in 1992 and its voted Democrat ever since.
Wow! Wonder what Rahm Emanuel thinks of that plan for a law for Shitcago?
A name from back in the days when Republicans still had some standing in California.
i am happy to see many here know of him.
I lived in California when Deukmejian was governor. I voted for him in 1982 and 1986.
I became disenchanted with him when he signed an “assault weapons” ban in 1989 with Los Angeles Police Chief Daryl Gates at his side and Los Angeles County Sheriff Sherman Block as well.
He was governor of our state during my formative years (age 12-20). California was a decent place to live them and “The Iron Duke” was a great, conservative governor. He actually succeeded in getting Californians to vote Rose Bird off of the state Supreme Court.
...I know, I had a front row seat in the 90's when(post Clinton)aerospace dried up and witnessed first-hand the (planned)deterioration/destruction...particularly in OC and San Berdoo counties, by the deliberate dem-olition that took place.
Must admit though, in retrospect, it did start under Daddy Bush ...however, once Clinton got in...the foreign invasion/enviro-nazism storm troopers hit warp speed to pretty much guarantee 'rats those 55 electoral votes till hell freezes over...only thing to change that equation... perhaps a San Andreas redistricting split???
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