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Oct. 9th, 2003 02:49 pmRan across an interesting post in my most recent jaunt of bouncing from link[1] to link[1] the other day and I thought I would share it: "An open letter to the people of California, except the ones on my friends list" by ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
zerbie. Inasmuch as it is within my power to do so, I am of course willing to offer amnesty to the Californians on my friends list as well. =:)
I don't feel entitled to much of an opinion on the post's subject without having done more research myself which, unfortunately, means I'll probably never have much of an option on it. FWIW, though, I do think that there must be many, many more factors in California's economic woes (ie the alleged billions of dollars worth of fraud and manipulaiton on the part of big energy companies), than just what the post discusses, but it does cover a factor that I hadn't really considered previously.
On a related note, allow me to share with you good people what is quite possibly the worst lead-in to a news story I have ever read:
"Arnold Schwartznegger once starred in a movie called Kindergarten Cop. In his new role as governor of economically troubled California, he'll have to find the money for both kindergartens and cops."
...
I mean, really. Ok, admittedly this is from USA Today, so what was I expecting anyway, but for the love of all that is holy, could we please just accept the fact the some day we will have to refer to this man without also mentioning his movies? When you realize that "The Governator" and "Total Recall vote" have been done, the correct course of action is to stop, not to go dredging up Kindergarten Cop. Yeesh.
"Ronald Reagan once starred in a movie called Bedtime for Bonzo. But as President of the United States, it's Manuel Noriega he's putting to bed this time."
[EDIT]
Q. What's more embarrassing than confusing something Reagan did with something Bush Sr. did?
A. Doing it and then taking two days to notice. *sigh*. Well, at least I caught it. Apologies to the history buffs out there. I suck.
[/EDIT]
Have I made my point yet?
Anyway...
Ironically, my biggest concerns about Governor Schwartzenegger (see! I did it! no movie reference! easy!!) were very well voiced by State Senator John Burton in that same article:
I remember one of the few bits of election coverage that I did catch was a speech by Cruz Bustamante outlining his "tough love" economic plan. Here was someone who was at least saying "Yeah, it's going to suck, but recovering from multi-billion-dollar deficits is like that".
The more I think about it, the more disturbing the parrallels between Schwarzenegger's campaign for governor and Homer Simpson's campaign for Trash Commissioner become. "The garbage man can!".
And, yes, I do feel a bit guilty ranting about an election that, not even being in the state, I didn't pay that much attention to. If I've missed something about Schwarzenegger, then please fill me in. I mean, I know he hired a gazillionaire financial advisor, but knowing how to make money or recover from deficit in a business isn't the same as knowing how to do it for a state. The state can't lay off the people that are on wellfare. Well, it can try, but that would be heartless and not what a state should be-- thus the difference.
Since I'm on the subject, I guess I also ought to link to this article thatabazureonna got from andmydog's journal (/me gains namedropping+1). It's written in one of those styles that, in immediately throwing off all pretense of objectivity, has always bothered me. I realize that objectivity is usually, well, a pretense in the first place and so maybe should be thrown away, but it makes what the person is saying harder for me to accept at their word. Anyway, it's an interesting article, especially if the author publishes the memos in question. I guess we'll see. It's stuff like this and books like Al Franken's that have me seriously considering getting a LexisNexus account. But then, I know I don't have time to be a real muckraker so maybe it's better to leave such things to the pros than do a half-assed job.
End of Line.
[1] I flatley refuse to use the word 'meme'. And by flatley I don't mean "I don't know how to spell 'flatly', I mean 'I hire troupes of Irish people to stomp on it.' -rimshot-
zerbie. Inasmuch as it is within my power to do so, I am of course willing to offer amnesty to the Californians on my friends list as well. =:)I don't feel entitled to much of an opinion on the post's subject without having done more research myself which, unfortunately, means I'll probably never have much of an option on it. FWIW, though, I do think that there must be many, many more factors in California's economic woes (ie the alleged billions of dollars worth of fraud and manipulaiton on the part of big energy companies), than just what the post discusses, but it does cover a factor that I hadn't really considered previously.
On a related note, allow me to share with you good people what is quite possibly the worst lead-in to a news story I have ever read:
"Arnold Schwartznegger once starred in a movie called Kindergarten Cop. In his new role as governor of economically troubled California, he'll have to find the money for both kindergartens and cops."
...
I mean, really. Ok, admittedly this is from USA Today, so what was I expecting anyway, but for the love of all that is holy, could we please just accept the fact the some day we will have to refer to this man without also mentioning his movies? When you realize that "The Governator" and "Total Recall vote" have been done, the correct course of action is to stop, not to go dredging up Kindergarten Cop. Yeesh.
"Ronald Reagan once starred in a movie called Bedtime for Bonzo. But as President of the United States, it's Manuel Noriega he's putting to bed this time."
[EDIT]
Q. What's more embarrassing than confusing something Reagan did with something Bush Sr. did?
A. Doing it and then taking two days to notice. *sigh*. Well, at least I caught it. Apologies to the history buffs out there. I suck.
[/EDIT]
Have I made my point yet?
Anyway...
Ironically, my biggest concerns about Governor Schwartzenegger (see! I did it! no movie reference! easy!!) were very well voiced by State Senator John Burton in that same article:
"His campain was 'repeal the car tax, don't raise taxes, protect education'. We could throw in apple pie and motherhood, and that's about it".
I remember one of the few bits of election coverage that I did catch was a speech by Cruz Bustamante outlining his "tough love" economic plan. Here was someone who was at least saying "Yeah, it's going to suck, but recovering from multi-billion-dollar deficits is like that".
The more I think about it, the more disturbing the parrallels between Schwarzenegger's campaign for governor and Homer Simpson's campaign for Trash Commissioner become. "The garbage man can!".
And, yes, I do feel a bit guilty ranting about an election that, not even being in the state, I didn't pay that much attention to. If I've missed something about Schwarzenegger, then please fill me in. I mean, I know he hired a gazillionaire financial advisor, but knowing how to make money or recover from deficit in a business isn't the same as knowing how to do it for a state. The state can't lay off the people that are on wellfare. Well, it can try, but that would be heartless and not what a state should be-- thus the difference.
Since I'm on the subject, I guess I also ought to link to this article that
abazureonna got from andmydog's journal (/me gains namedropping+1). It's written in one of those styles that, in immediately throwing off all pretense of objectivity, has always bothered me. I realize that objectivity is usually, well, a pretense in the first place and so maybe should be thrown away, but it makes what the person is saying harder for me to accept at their word. Anyway, it's an interesting article, especially if the author publishes the memos in question. I guess we'll see. It's stuff like this and books like Al Franken's that have me seriously considering getting a LexisNexus account. But then, I know I don't have time to be a real muckraker so maybe it's better to leave such things to the pros than do a half-assed job.End of Line.
[1] I flatley refuse to use the word 'meme'. And by flatley I don't mean "I don't know how to spell 'flatly', I mean 'I hire troupes of Irish people to stomp on it.' -rimshot-
