Talking about the Governor signing vetos on hundreds of 2011 bills. Catch the podcast here http://www.citizenvoice.org/media_center/kgo_101011.mp3.
Posts Tagged ‘analysis’
On KGO-AM 810 this morning…
October 10, 2011A Mighty Rumble
January 21, 2010Cataclysmic. Game changing. Historic. Lots of descriptions being ascribed to the dramatic upset win by Republican Scott Brown in the race for Teddy Kennedy’s former U.S. Senate seat. Yes, it caught many by surprise (at least until the polls in the waning days of the race spelled doom for the Democratic candidate…and it became widely recognized inside political circles that a major upset was in the making.)
So what are we to make of it all? You’ve no doubt heard many “analyses” of the cause and effect of the outcome, though many of these could hardly be described as objective let alone nonpartisan. The blame being thrown around and the credit being grabbed likely obscures for some the underlying, broad picture of the outcome – this was a victory born out of tremendous, broadly felt public frustration and discontent. The targets are many – a Washington perceived as controlled by insiders, a Wall Street viewed as insulated from the everyday realities of the average person, and more. There is plenty of anger to go around, and voters seem anxious to unleash in not so subtle fashion.
To view what happened in Massachusetts as simply a partisan reprimand or specific policy slap down – and certainly these played into some votes cast – is to miss the deeper meaning. This political earthquake has at its core disenchantment and disillusionment with the political process and its participants in general. It was a statement of lack of trust, of deep skepticism, of hope gone bad…at least for now. Look behind the quips and claims of those spinning this story, and you’ll find a populace searching for that which they can believe in again. At the center, people are asking for honesty, genuine concern and sacrificial leadership. Viewed through this lens, the picture becomes clear – a vote for what they hope will match that which they most deeply value, not what others attempt to gain from their trust.
LA Mayor Drops a Major Political Bomb by Dropping Race for Gov
June 23, 2009And then there were two… That’s where CA Dems find themselves now in the race to succeed Arnold next year. What started as a political free-for-all amongst 5 or 6 Dems in a bid to take back the governorship of the largest state in the U.S. has turned currently into a two man slugfest…Atty General (and former Gov) Jerry Brown vs. SF mayor Gavin Newsom. LA mayor Antonio Villaragosa dropped the bomb yesterday on national TV…and said in so many words…”I’m out.” Polls, even in LA, didn’t show him in strong position versus Brown (he had, however, beaten Newsom in those polls) and LA’s fiscal troubles rival the state’s own mess in terms of difficulty. So he’s staying put…for now. A run for U.S. Senator Diane Feinstein’s seat in 2012? Maybe. But that’s a loooooooong way off in political light years. We’ll see… So what does his exit do to the race? It likely strengthens Brown’s hand, as a bigger field would make Newsom’s job easier in peeling off enough votes to squeak through a Dem primary. He’s got a base…but right now it’s much smaller than Jerry’s. So Gavin may actually welcome those who may take a second look at the contest…if…and that is a gargantuan IF…they think Brown can be made vulnerable. Right now Jerry is sitting tight and sitting pretty…officially undeclared (but sending plenty of signs that he’s in) and leading by a long rock throw in every poll so far. So does some potential candidate with lots of cash and/or name ID jump in? Plenty of time…but they’ve gotta get moving. As soon as the current state budget is done (and that could take who knows how long…) the race for the post-Arnold gov kicks into high gear. Stay tuned.
First Day of Increased Sales Tax in California
April 1, 2009Citizen Voice President Gary Dietrich discusses the increased sales tax and the budget in California, and what this means nationwide.
California’s Budget and Special Election
February 18, 2009Watch Gary Dietrich discuss California’s budget and a possible Special Election!
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Citizen Voice President Gary Dietrich
