Bell Curve The Law Talking Guy Raised by Republicans U.S. West
Well, he's kind of had it in for me ever since I accidentally ran over his dog. Actually, replace "accidentally" with "repeatedly," and replace "dog" with "son."

Wednesday, August 30, 2006

The Greening of California

This afternoon, Gov. Schwarzenegger and the CA Democratic leadership of the legistlature agreed to a plan that would introduce caps of all greenhouse gas emissions by 2012, then institute a carbon-trading regime, and reduce all emissions by 25% by 2020. It's far-thinking and not immediate, but it's the greenest legislation in the USA. And a sharp break with the Bush administration. It's an exciting first step for the country, and should make such legislation more viable on Capitol Hill - or at least make Democrats embrace it nationally, possibly.

It also probably hands Arnold the election (less than 10 weeks away), muting criticism from environmentalists, one of the last angry groups. This follows a string of compromises with Democrats. They agreed to raise the minimum wage to $8 by 2008 (75 cents on 1/1/07, then another 50 cents on 1/1/08). They agreed to pass a prescription drug discount package similar to the ones defeated (and that Arnold campaigned against) on the November 2005 ballot. All that and no new taxes too? Going to be hard to convince independent voters (1/3 of the electorate out here) that they should vote for Angelides just 'cause he's a Democrat. Why? Gay marriage? Let's face it, if this were a Democratic governor, all liberals would be cheering and applauding, while the Republicans would be red-faced and calling us commies. How much can we downplay this without being hypocrites? I'm delighted that this has happened, and I suppose I have to give Arnie credit for it. I'm still unlikely to vote for him, but Angelides has got to start saying something, or I might just get so confused that RBR will have to drive out here and slap me around.

The election is on 11/7/06. Expect to see a proposed constitutional amendment permitting naturalized citizens to become President introduced in Congress the following week, to be quickly passed by the (outgoing) Republican majority and Dems who can't figure out which way it plays vis-a-vis the immigration debate.

34 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm thrilled with this development. But I don't trust Arnold as far as I could throw him.

I'm also more concerned about what he'll do in his next term than what he's done in the last few monthes in his hurried attempt to take the right-wing stink off his legacy. This isn't his sincere (or stable) position. As soon as he doesn't need Democratic votes anymore, he'll be slapping backs with vigilantes down on the border, cutting education, raising spending on prisons and campaigning against equal rights for homosexuals.  

// posted by Raised By Republicans

Anonymous said...

I'm with LTG. Yay Arnold, good job, I'm still going to vote against you and hope you lose.

Question: what are the term limits for governor here? Is it possible he will do whatever it takes to erase our deficit given that he will not have to campaign again? 

// posted by Bell Curve

Dr. Strangelove said...

I agree with LTG that the decision to sign these pieces of legislation is wonderful news. I am pleased that Gov. Arnold has proven he will compromise with the Democrats--that he is willing to anger segments of his own party for the good of all Californians. But I'm with Bell Curve; I'm not voting for Arnold in November for the simple reason that Phil Angelides is the better choice.

After six years of Republican corruption, our expectations have fallen dangerously low. What Arnold agreed to was not astoundingly progressive, but astoundingly moderate. That the new carbon emissions plan is the "greenest legislation" in the country--and yet still falls short of what 178 nations agreed to at Kyoto seven years ago--shows just how lousy our national efforts have been.

Phil Angelides would have worked for stronger environmental protection, passed an inflation-indexed minimum wage, and the Democrats' prescription drug package would already be law rather than waiting for the ballot. (And yes, we would also get gay marriage.) Phil Angelides would have given us a better package of infrastructure development. He would also be working to solve our health care problems, rather than merely agreeing to stop opposing reform.

Most important, I am voting against Gov. Arnold because he failed to tackle the two big problems that ushered him into office in the first place: the California power crisis and the California budget mess. Arnold has done nothing to fix the power crisis and as we saw this summer, the possibility of blackouts is raising its ugly head again. And Arnold has done nothing to fix the structural defecit in the California budget. Instead of raising taxes now, he borrowed his way out of the problem--meaning we'll have to raise taxes twice as much in the future. (Great job, Arnold!) Phil Angelides will fix the budget problems without stealing funds from education by restoring taxes cut during the late 90s--the cuts that got us into this mess in the first place. I am very pleased to see this is #1 on his list of things to do.

The key thing to remember is that it was the Democrats in the legislature who pushed hard to give us the new environmental, labor, and health care legislation, not Arnold. Arnold forced the legislature to compromise and water down their proposals--although to his credit he did finally agree. Now just imagine where we could go if we had a governor who was not the bottleneck for progressive legislation, but a driver of reform. Imagine if we had a governor who was not an obstacle, but a leader!

Then stop imagining and vote for Phil Angelides.

Anonymous said...

What make you think Dems want an indexed minimum wage? If they had that, they couldn't use the issue to beat up on Republicans every few years.



 

// posted by LTG

The Law Talking Guy said...

Gray Davis wasn't a leader. He didn't try to do any of the things you mention. Davis was in bed with prison guards and the teacher's union. Davis never increased funds to the UCs, never lowered tuition, never agreed to gay marriage. In fact, he vetoed more bills than Wilson did, even though Davis shared the same party affiliation as the legislature.

Simply put, Davis got voted out because he didn't do shit. What makes you think Angelides will be any better? Has he said or done anything different? Has he said or done anything at all?

I do imagine what it would be like to have governor who would be a leader, not an obstacle. And I have the horrible feeling that Arnold's compromises are more progrssive than anything Angelides would do. I mean, what's his agenda, driver's licenses for undocumented workers? 20% pay raises for prison guards? Making teaching jobs hereditary? A tribal casino on every streetcorner?

Angelides will also water down Democratic/progressive proposals for the same reason Davis did - to appear centrist for a future presidential run. Do you really think he'll sign gay marriage? No, he won't have to - the legislature will spare him the ignominy by not passing it again. Trust me, Dr.S, he's not a leader. Don't expect anything from Angelides but the enactment of the desires of those who pay for his campaign. He's a land developer, not a progressive.

I will, in all likelihood, vote for Angelides, but only - ONLY - because I cannot bear to watch the Republicans claim a blue state victory this Fall. I would not bother if he were an independent. And I predict that there are not enough yellow-dog Democrats like me to put Angelides in office.

Dr. Strangelove said...

The Democrats in the legislature seem to have learned from Gray Davis--they are quite active. In addition to everything you mentioned here, they also pushed hard for an inflation-indexed minimum wage: it was only the Democrats' surrender on that issue that cleared the way for any agreement at all.

If you want to read Angelides' agenda, go to his website. I'll summarize some of what I felt were the highlights:

1. Fix structural budget defecit by undoing earlier tax cuts.

2. Inflation-indexed minimum wage.

3. Cut UC tuition by $5000 and Cal State tuition by $2000. Expand financial aid.

4. Provide affordable health insurance for ALL California children. Require corporations with more than 200 employees to offer health insurance coverage to their workers.

5. Micro-loans for small businesses in California. Reduce taxes for small businesses.

6. Additional $100 million for basic research at the UC system.

What more do you want from him? What does a Democrat have to do to get the support of fellow Democrats these days? Democrats fret when their candidates sound too liberal, whine when they don't sound liberal enough, and then scoff that it doesn't matter anyhow because they won't do anything they say. Don't vote against Angelides because you still hate Gray Davis.

Anonymous said...

What more do you want from him?  

Let's see.
1. Do something about mass transit. High speed rail etc.
2. Provide low-cost health insurance for all funded through income tax returns, with an EITC-like provision.
3. Guarantee that no more Emergency Rooms or trauma centers will close, and agree to open new ones.
4. Agree to break up large dysfunctional school districts (e.g., LAUSD).
5. Back Villaraigosa's local control of LAUSD, at least.
6. Reform of the prison and juvenile detention system.
7. Fix the levees in the Delta.

oh yeah, and also:
8. Remove prop 13 protection for nonresidential properties.
9. Change the 2/3 rule for budgets in CA.
10. Increase the # of state legislators in the lower house to make it more representative.
11. Do something to fix redistricting gerrymandering mess.
12. Change the 55% rule for local tax hikes.
13. Did I mention gutting the LAUSD bureaucracy and breaking it up?
14. Outlaw paid signature gathering for petitions, initiatives, and referenda.
15. Fix the freeways that are crumbling
16. Restore pensions
17. Reduce state bureaucracy
18. Stop reappointing judges who lose local elections (we defeated one here, the gov reappointed her immediately thereafter).
19. Double the judiciary budget from one zillionth of the state budget to two zillionths.
20. Flush away "three strikes."
21. Legalize non-dealer level possession, use and growing of marijuana.
22. Get statewide prescription drug discounts using our negotiating leverage.
23. Restore the arts curriculum to public schools.
24. Restore grammar education to public schools.
25. Provide widespread public wi-fi in public places, at least.
26. Make all court systems go online and provide all docs in electronic form to the public with one damned system.
27. Reform civil discovery practice
28. Pay inner city youth to clean up streets and erase graffiti, with summertime street crews.
29. Increase $$ for police so that they can police rather than just run an occupation zone.
30. Implement serious water conservation efforts in cities by taxing large lawns and giving tax breaks to watersaving vegatation.
31. Make water rights fully tradable.
32. Condemn all water rights for rice growers in the Delta and all water rights with a "negative price" for water (no joke).
33. Require solar power on all new construction projects.
34. Invest in other green energy.
35. Create new public parks.
36. Create new state parks and preserves.
37. Protect fisheries.
38. Restore Hetch Hetchy
39. Get a plan for dealing with the Salton Sea.
40. Move UC Merced to someplace decent in the
Sierras that's pretty and cool.
41. Make Cesar Chavez Day a 3-day weekend.
42. Designate Dec. 25-31 to be all public holidays.
43. Increase required vacation time to 3 weeks per year, and extend it to salaried employees as well.
44. Require holiday pay all workers, including those with salaries during any public holiday.
45. Restrict state contracts to companies that observe all public holidays.
46. Raise speed limits to 80 on the rural freeways.
47. Tax credits for hybrid vehicles.
48. Raise cigarette taxes
49. Raise liquor taxes
50. Tax gambling joints, including the Indians.
51. Tax pornography (yes, dammit - it's got an inefuckinglastic demand curve and, apparently, no marginal utility problems).
52. Make the Sec of Education appointed office, not elected.
53. Expand powers of Insurance commissioner
54. If enough money comes from sin taxes, reduce income taxes by raising the personal exemption.
55. Actually eliminate the marriage penalty
56. Abolish the death penalty
57. Give us the right to die with dignity
58. Protect reproductive rights
59. Ban teaching of religious-based myths as fact in schools (e.g., intelligent design, or creationism)
60. Make Yom Kippur a state holiday. I'm not Jewish, but - as a lawyer - it's just practical.
61. More after my cup of coffee...


You know, leadership. Instead, all I know we'll get is more taxes and no benefits. 

// posted by LTG

Dr. Strangelove said...

That is an excellent list! I do not agree with all of your points... but many of them. I expect Angelides would react the same as I did, although favoring different points than I did.

Could you tell me why are you so convinced Angelides will not or cannot lead? You seem to have some inside information regarding his character. Whatever you know, I would like to hear it.

Anonymous said...

LTG for governor.

But, sorry. Can't move UC Merced. Stanislaus and Merced counties are some of the poorest in the state with some of the lowest university attendance rates. That area needs the boost that a UC would offer and it has the land! I graduated from CSU Stanislaus and that school was a godsend to the Turlock/Modesto area, which is one of the fastest growing, most polluted parts of the state. That area needs the economic bump.

To that list, along with the water issues, I would add forcing farmers to cap manure piles to trap the methane and increase incentives for organic farming. If the pollution problem in the Central Valley isn't solved, we won't any progress on the environment.
 

// posted by USWest

Anonymous said...

I agree with Dr. S. Angelides isn't running against the ideal candidate, he's running against Schwarzenegger. And Schwarzenegger isn't running against Davis this time.

I'd like to hear the inside dope on Angelides' character. His posted issue positions seem perfectly mainstream/progressive to me. I like the tax issue and the education restoration. The micro financing for small businesses and the education issue, and budget issue are worth the tax hikes. 

// posted by Raised By Republicans

Anonymous said...

Worth the tax hikes... said like an Iowan. =) 

// posted by LTG

Anonymous said...

Inside dope? Other than meeting him once and being totally underwhelmed, none. But that's not the point. He's a politician with minimal ideas on his website. The burden is on you guys to show that he's going to be a leader. Otherwise I can assume he's just an ordinary politician - weak-willed, easily bought, and not going to keep his promises, even as minimal as they are. 

// posted by LTG

The Law Talking Guy said...

FYI, there has always been microfinancing for small business. We call them loan sharks. Today also credit cards. The issue is apparently creating microfinancing at very low rates, the same sorts of rates banks give larger businesses.

The Law Talking Guy said...

62. Require budgetary spending to be confined to a range related to a % increase over a three-year running average of prior spending.
63. Put enough money into schools to stop the "year round" schooling in big cities.
64. Roll back UC tuition and increase funding to 1990 levels (Kyoto for education?).
65. Ditto other colleges.
66. Reduce sales tax; replace with income tax revenues. Will stimulate spending.
67. Require all prices marked to include sales tax, or at least show price with sales tax in type equal or greater size to pretax price. Like we do with gasoline.
68. Eliminate fast food, sodas, and ads from schools.
69. Create public housing shelters and curfew laws permitting police to take homeless and put in shelters at night.
70. Work to make hospitalization of mentally ill homeless easier.
71. Expand low-income housing options with mixed developments in various communities.
72. Eliminate most spending restrictions in CA constitution. About 80% of the budget is now constitutionally directed to various programs.
73. Begin marking highways in kilometers also.
74. Teach the metric system to kids.
75. Teach the US customary measuring system to kids.
76. Make it legal for checkout clerks to refuse to serve customers talking on cell phones; or make it illegal for them to do so.
77. Tax breaks for local winemaking and moviemaking.
78. Press for port safety.
79. Fix earthquake insurance nightmare.
80. Free innoculations for all.
81. Eliminate spy cameras at stoplights.
82. Increase salaries of teachers and police.
83. more coffee needed.

Dr. Strangelove said...

Come on, Martin Luther, just 10 more!

But seriously, this is an awesome list. If it were pruned and perhaps prioritized a bit (incidentally, the pair of #74, #75 was hilarious!)... would LTG be willing to make this into a main post?

Regardless of Angelides, this is wonderful list for a platform for the CA Democratic party. Maybe we can take on the task of consolidating it into a robust list?

Dr. Strangelove said...

Your cynicsm regarding Angelides is perhaps more an expression of frustration than a solid argument. I think the burdern of proof is on you that he will do nothing. The evidence from the Democratic party in the legislature is that they are an increasingly progressive bunch that is willing to lead. We should be proud of them! The are doing what LTG has asked and begun tackling the big issues. I have no evidence that Angelides is a strong leader, but that is not required. For him to be a leader, I need only assume Angelides will stand with his own party... and to vote for him I need only assume he will not stand in their way.

Anonymous said...

That's one hell of a slogan, "Vote for me - I won't get in the legislature's way." Because, of course, the only group of people less popular than the governor is... the legislature.

Angelides has got to say more than "vote for me, I'm a Democrat" or "vote for me, I'm not Arnold." And I keep waiting to hear something.

Now he's talking about a middle class tax cut. Sounds good. But doesn't jibe with new spending priorities. Worse, it consists of a state EITC (below the middle class) and increasing the child tax credit to $200. So, once again, childless couples and single people are devalued. How about just increasing the standard deduction or personal exemptions?

Or reducing sales tax? 

// posted by LTG

Dr. Strangelove said...

No, LTG: Angelides has already said a lot more than, "Vote for me, I'm a Democrat" and "Vote for me, I'm not Arnold." That's why I referred you to his website; that's the whole point of what we've been discussing! You're going in circles now. We've already dispensed with the platitude that Angelides has made no proposals.

The issue is that you do not believe him. You've already made that plain as day. (The only proposals of his you will believe are the proposed tax increases. A Republican couldn't have said it better.) You won't trust Angelides when he says he'll work for the progressive but modest proposals on his website--so why in hell would you believe him now if he made grander or unrealistic promises, like universal health are for all?

It's easy to accuse someone of not having spoken if you will not listen. Once again, I ask you: what do you know about Angelides that makes you so sure he won't do anything? I mentioned the Legislature and their efforts to give you a reason to believe in California Democrats--a reason to drop your default assumption that he will be, "just an ordinary politician - weak-willed, easily bought, and not going to keep his promises, even as minimal as they are."

The Democrats have passed a lot of good measures this year. Surely, as a lifelong Democrat, you owe your party a further chance to reedem themselves? Surely they've earned a little respect over the past year? Why is it so hard to give Angelides the benefit of the doubt, when his fellow Democrats have displayed a strong track record? Sometimes I think liberals are the most unforgiving, bitter, and cynical of voters. For how long are you going to punish the Democrats for Gray Davis?

Anonymous said...

I hesitate (just a little) to get in the middle of an argument which doesn't (for once) involve me, but...

The biggest problem for California politics aside from Prop 13 isn't who the governor is or isn't. It's the 2/3 vote requirement for any spending or tax bill in the Assembly. That has given the Republican state legislators a solid veto on just about everything of importance despite the fact that the Democrats have an overwhelming majority in both houses.

I've said it before, California is screwed up because it's constitution is fatally flawed. From well intentioned but easily manipulated ballot proposition rules to the super-majoritarian voting requirements in the legislature - California's system is designed to produce exactly what we see: an unpopular and "do nothing" elite in Sacremento combined with hair-brained ballot initiatives that sound good in a 30 second ad but just make things worse. 

// posted by Raised By Republicans

Dr. Strangelove said...

"I hesitate (just a little) to get in the middle of an argument which doesn't (for once) involve me, but..."

It's OK, RbR--in that comment you didn't actually address the argument about whether Angelides would make a good governor at all. You sidestepped the issue completely... instead, you argued that eliminating supermajority requirements in the CA legislature is more important han who we elect as governor.

So would you really vote for Arnold then if he promised to get rid of the 2/3 requirements... or were you just making a segue into a new topic? :-)

Anonymous said...

Arnold doesn't have the authority to make good on that promise so I'd dismiss it as more grand standing by a political oportunist. 

// posted by RBR

Anonymous said...

RBR, that's a bit fallacious. No governor has the authority to enact laws or amend the state constitution. So, by that logic, no promises have value. But a promise to seek to amend the CA constitution to eliminate the 2/3 requirement would be a sufficient statement of policy, would it not?

Of course, he won't do it. Only a Democrat would dare do it, for the obvious reason that Republicans now depend on a blocking minority. Angelides doesn't, in my view, have the imagination to dream of changing the basic rules in Sacramento.

Dr.S seems to be arguing that I should vote for Angelides because his web platitudes are nice sounding, or that, as a Democrat, I should assume he will support Democratic priorities. I don't see it. Whether I vote for Angelides or choose to "throw away my vote" by endorsing a third party candidate is still up in the air for me. Greens aren't promising my sort of reforms either, by the way, so I may choose Angelides as the lesser of many evils.  

// posted by LTG

Dr. Strangelove said...

1. OK, let's try this one more time. Angelides has policies and goals on his website, not merely "platitudes." For example, I listed six specific ones in my earlier comments. Despite this, LTG keeps trying to slip back in the claim that Angelides has said nothing, even though LTG himself has discussed one of Angelides' proposals for a tax cut (which LTG decried for consisting of merely a state EITC and an increase in the child tax credit to $200.) Hey, LTG--tell me again, what was that "platitude" about the EITC?

2. LTG now says he does not think it reasonable to assume that a Democrat will support Democratic policies. I leave that desperate little gem without further comment.

3. Once more, LTG renders a scathingly negative opinion of Angelides' character, saying now that he lacks the imagination to dream of changing even "basic" rules. This adds to his earlier characterizations of Angelides as "easily-bought" and a liar. I have asked several times for LTG to explain what information he has on Angelides' character, and regarding this particular point even RbR has said he would like to hear what "inside dope" LTG has on the matter. But LTG has admitted he has none. So for like the third time now, I ask: where does all this hostility come from? Why should I be more cynical of Angelides than I am of other Democrats? What's wrong with the guy?

Continual restatement of one's original premises is not a debate. I can understand rhetorical expressions of frustration (witness this comment) but I am starting to wonder if LTG just thinks I am just so naive and uniformed about politics that my comments are not even worth engaging.

Anonymous said...

"LTG now says he does not think it reasonable to assume that a Democrat will support Democratic policies. I leave that desperate little gem without further comment."

Well, that's where we disagree, I guess. I assume that Democratic politicians are using the party label for their own convenience, and - Like Liebermanm, Jane Harman, Breaux or Ben Nelson - are unlikely to stick to party goals unless they explicitly pledge to...and even then it ain't obvious. So I start out being very cynical.

Other Democrats can win me over by staking out positions or a vision that makes me think that at least their handlers know what vision is. Westly, for example, had some ideas. I listened to the Angelides - Westly debate, and I heard a man (Angelides) who was 100% negative and had nothing to say. At one point, Westly actually got flustered because he couldn't believe, so it seemed, that this little machine was going to keep spouting negative half-truths and slogans at him. I then went and had more beer. He has staked out almost no positions in this campaign, and it's no surprise the last poll put him 13 percentage points behind Arnie.

I sometimes refer to Angelides as "Gray Davis without the personality" as a joke, but I sort of mean it. Even Davis had a personality, of sorts. As I said, I met him once, when he came to thank us for doing all our work in San Diego (he was San Diego DCCC at that time). Zero charisma.

I'm angry and hostile, you bet. California is in so much trouble, and I can't believe that all we can do is find someone who pleases the prison guards, SEIU, indian tribes, and teachers' union, in no particular order.

We have the dumbest governor in the Lower 48, and the best we can do is, um, Kathleen Brown in 1994, Gray Davis in 1998, Cruz Bustamante in 2003, and Phil Angelides in 2006? God Almighty, the last decent candidate the Dems put up for Governor was Dianne Feinstein in 1990.

Can't we nominate Sheila Kuehl at some point?



 

// posted by LTG

The Law Talking Guy said...

Dr.S, take a close look at Angelides' website. Really, there's very little policy information there.

Here, verbatim, is the very first "Issue" he puts down -

"In his first hundred days as Governor, Phil Angelides will put this agenda before the people of California, so we can restore our rightful place as America's home of hope and opportunity:

Clean up the state's budget mess
Phil Angelides' plan will clean up the state's budget mess - restoring fiscal responsibility and balancing the budget – so we can invest in new opportunities and prosperity - including a tax cut for middle class families.
Middle Class Tax Cuts - Helping the middle class succeed
As Governor, Phil will support the middle class, cutting their tax burden, rewarding work, expanding access to cost-effective health care, and empowering more families to climb the ladder of success.
Invest in the education of our children

Unlike Arnold Schwarzenegger, Phil has a plan to provide funding our schools can count on, so that every child, every year, receives a well-rounded education.
Small Business Tax Cuts - Building economic opportunity for the 21st century

Phil Angelides has a plan to strengthen the small businesses that create most of our new jobs; to make smart investments that preserve California's leadership in innovation and environmental quality; and to expand opportunity."

I'm left cold and unanimated, like vichysoisse.

Dr. Strangelove said...

Sorry, but that's a bit of a cheap shot, LTG. Your "verbatim" quote is just the front page summary of the first four issues of the plan.

If you follow the link to the plan itself, you will find more detail. Here is the full text of his first issue only:

1. Clean up the State's budget mess. Arnold Schwarzenegger promised to balance California's budget, but he has proposed and signed three budgets in a row that spend billions more than the state takes in. He promised to “tear up the credit cards,” but like George Bush he has borrowed massively to cover up his deficits, running up the state's deficit borrowing from $18 billion when he took office to $24 billion. He has admitted that he has no plan to close the $4.5 billion hole that his budget leaves for next year, which means that, if reelected, he will once more slash education and health care, raise college tuition and fees, and pile even more debt on our children.

I have a plan to clean up the state's budget mess--restoring fiscal responsibility, balancing the budget, and putting California back in the black so we can focus on the future:

* Common Sense Efficiencies and Reforms. I will cut wasteful spending and make government run more efficiently by, among other things, increasing the productivity of state operations at the same rate as the private sector, eliminating low-priority programs, cracking down on tax cheats, and managing the state's real estate like a business.

* Restore Tax Fairness. To avoid cuts to education and health care, I will temporarily restore, for three years, the top income tax rates on the wealthiest Californians, those couples making more than $500,000 a year, which were proposed and enacted by Governors Reagan and Wilson. This temporary measure will require the wealthiest 1 percent of Californians to pay an amount equal to only about one-fourth what they are receiving annually in Bush tax cuts. It will cost a couple earning $1 million a year about the price of two caffe lattes a day.

* All New Priorities Within a Balanced Budget. I will pay for new investments in California's future--including help for the middle class, small businesses, and seniors--line by line, dime by dime, within a balanced budget by closing wasteful loopholes for big corporations, which help a favored few at the expense of the overall economy. I will a create a commission, like the federal base closing commission, to review California's tax code and recommend a package of corporate loopholes for elimination in a single up or down vote.

Dr. Strangelove said...

Now I begin to understand why LTG dislikes Angelides: apparently, Angelides' debate performance (which I did not watch) was terrible and he basically just attacked Westly. I can certainly see how that would leave a bad taste in one's mouth.

To my astonishment, however, LTG continues to chant the mantra that Angelides has, "staked out almost no positions in this campaign." Apparently, support for gay marriage, universal health care for children, reducing college tuition, and making specific changes to the tax code are trivialities to LTG.

I, too, would love to see Sheila Kuehl run! I, too, would love to see an even more progressive platform! But we should not let the perfect become the enemy of the good (or more accurately in this case, we shouldn't let the preferred be the enemy of the acceptable.)

I love LTG's analogy to vichysoise, and he is quite right: Angelides doesn't fire me up as a voter. He ain't no Hollywood star. I hope, however, that we can all decide to cast our votes based on policy rather than charisma...?

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