THE FISCAL FUTURE OF CALIFORNIA
This week, the FlashReport has been featuring some great original columns from folks we think are experts on California’s finances, and have very real concerns about where we should go from here. On Monday we featured a great piece from Jon Coupal, President of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, on why the idea of massive infrastructure bonds right now are a poor public policy choice for California. Today, we have a piece from State Senator (and soon to be Congressman) John Campbell, that look as where we should be going, in terms of fiscal policy, after the defeat at the polls of Proposition 76. Campbell, too, opposes a massive bond-obligation scheme without meaningful (and unlikely) fiscal reforms. Tomorrow we will be featured yet another piece from a prominent authority on why the borrowing scheme is a bad one, with some constructive input on handling California’s infrastructure needs.
DIFI GETS A PASS?
The only name that had been floating around California as an opponent to Dianne Feinstein in her re-election bid was relatively unknown businessman Bill Mundell. Mundell, who has been successful in business, spent the last year of his life immersed in trying to quality and pass the fair redistricting measure, Proposition 77. With that effort being defeated (thanks in large part to a group of misguided GOP Congressmen who selfishly opposed the plan), Mundell has obviously rethought his idea of running. There is a story in the LA Times today (featured on the main page) about his decision NOT to run. Which begs the question — is someone out there willing to step up to the plate?
DUKE CUNNINGHAM
There are no words to describe how disappointed and angry I am with the "Dukester" (now this will always remind me of the name of his ill-gotten boat). But I tried here. There are a bunch of articles today doing the post-mortem on this disaster – ranging from the outrageous fact that, after pleading guilty to taking over $2 million in bribes, Cunningham will retire with a full taxpayer-funded pension. Perhaps we can sue him and he can pay damaged. Articles also look at the what-now relative to his seat, and his staff. There is a story about President Bush rebuking Cunningham, which is appropriate.
DEMOCRAT IN THE TOP SPOT
Having had an evening to sleep on the news that Susan Kennedy is going to be named as Governor Schwarzenegger’s Chief of Staff, I have been struggling with what to say about this decision. Don’t get me wrong, I have a lot to say about it – but I guess I mean that I am trying to put words to what I am thinking, and do so in a positive and constructive manner.
During the Recall Election, I made what was a very tough decision for me in backing Arnold Schwarzenegger over my very good friend and respected fellow conservative leader Tom McClintock. You can read my reasoning at the time here. That said, I took a lot of guff from it, but played a role in bringing conservatives around to the idea that in the context of a special election, there were two contrasting visions – Arnold Schwarzenegger and Gray Davis. Black and White. In Schwarzenegger, a maverick reformer whose drive was to apply basic economic business principles to government – cut regulation and bureaucracy, and be a friend to taxpayers. On the other side, with Gray Davis, you had a pay to play politician whose policies had brought California to the bring of financial disaster. A clear choice, and Californian’s made the right choice. I still think so. Gray Davis had to go, as did the team of close advisors that brought us his fat, bloated budgets, his social engineering, his pay-for-play, the Oracle scandal, yadda yadda. You don’t need me to relive this for you.
Fast forward to — yesterday. I have to tell you that when I first heard the rumor that Kennedy, one of
Gray Davis’ closest aides (who has been described to me by people who worked closely with her as "Gray Davis’ point person on everything.) was going to be tapped by the Governor to be his CHIEF OF STAFF, I went into denial. I mean, the whole point of the recall was to dethrone Gray Davis, and push away from the Executive Offices of the Governor the team of people that worked with him to preside over the malaise created by his failed Governorship…right? Bring in an era of reform. Bring in new ideas! As the day went on I kept getting more confirmations of this news.
Around dinner last night, after having the rumor confirmed "off the record" by a half dozen senior officials in the administration – I broke the story [Whoops – turns out I didn’t break the story]. You can read that here. That said, I have now received dozens of calls and hundreds of emails from donors, activists, lobbyists, attorneys, legislators, and staffers — and except for one former legislator who had positive things to say about Kennedy’s abilities, before telling me that this was the ‘worst decision this Governor has ever made’ — I have gotten not one supportive note.
Which begs this question — why? I can think of a hundred different people who care enough about the Governor’s issues to register to vote in the same party as he has chosen – the Republican Party.
I keep going back to Kennedy’s biography. I think that Art Torres has less Democrat credentials than Kennedy. Former Gray Davis Deputy Chief of Staff, former senior staffer and Communications Director for DiFi, former Executive Director of both the State Democrat Party AND the California Abortion Rights Action League. I couldn’t make this up.
I don’t know how the Governor expects conservatives and GOP party folks to react to this news. I can tell you now that if I, as a former Executive Director of the California Republican Party, were to have been tapped by Gray Davis (I cringe at the thought) to be his Chief of Staff, the anger and frustration from grassroots Democrats would be loud – and it should be. I have spent my entire adult life pretty much opposed to the big-government, centralized control, social-engineering agenda of the liberals in control of the Democrat Party (read: Howard Dean). Similarly, Kennedy has spent much of her adult life trying (and pretty successfully) to put conservatives into a box and close the lid (and lock it and throw away the key).
Now, to be fair, I have heard (second hand) that Kennedy has a great personality, and really knows how to work the political system. You also have to figure that Kennedy is taking considerable flack from HER party folks for willingly associating herself with a Republican Governor – even a moderate one. I am not saying that I don’t respect Kennedy – of course I do. But your Chief of Staff is the top position in the administration. Chief of Staff is involved with and guides every meaningful action/decision/directive that comes from the Governor. It is not merely and administrative function, it is a substantive role. I am sure even Kennedy would say that, given her resume, any Republican activist should be raising their eyebrows.
So I guess I will end this commentary asking for explanation and maybe some ‘speak’ on why someone like me, or the millions of Republicans in this state shouldn’t be dismayed with this pick, and concerned. I will anxiously await some sort of explanation, which I hope is forthcoming, to all of us.
Look, I understand that the Governor is not as conservative as me, or as most mainstream Republicans. You know what? I resigned myself to that a long time ago, and have been there to cheer on the Governor as he moves forward, for the most part, on policy goals with which we agree. But to pull Gray Davis’ lead operative back into the administration in the top spot? Wow.
Is this another Harriet Miers? (although she was in the President’s own party)
Well, enjoy the day, and we’ll see how all of this develops.
As always, share your thoughts, observations, tips and ideas with me (anonymously or not) right here.
Jon
Oh yeah, this photo of Kennedy and her old boss speaks volumes.