Tea Party, Part II?
After reviewing Tuesday night’s defeat of Gov. Shwarzenegger’s initiatives, it’s apparent that California’s Tea Party attitude hasn’t disappeared. This article provides a nice summarization of Tuesday’s vote:
Measure 1A, designed to create a “rainy day” fund in the state’s budget, failed with 65.9 percent of the state’s voters against it. In Lake County, 66.3 percent of the voters opposed the measure.
Measure 1B would have required the state to make payments to schools and community colleges beginning in the 2011-12 fiscal year. The measure failed with 62.6 voting against it statewide. Lake County’s vote was 62.8 percent opposed.
Measure 1C would have allowed the state to borrow $5 billion in future lottery profits to balance the 2009-10 budget. The measure failed with 64.6 percent voting against it statewide. Voters in Lake County rejected it as well, with 65 percent of the voters opposed.
Measure 1D would have allowed the state to borrow more than $1.4 billion from voter-approved funds for the California Children and Families Program. The measure failed with 65.8 percent of the state’s voters against it. In Lake County, 67.6 percent of the voters opposed it.
Measure 1E would have allowed the state to redirect approximately $640 million from voter-approved money for expansion of mental health programs. The measure failed with 66.4 percent of the state’s voters against it. In Lake County, 68.9 percent of the voters opposed the measure.
In short, voters rejected the smoke and mirrors offered by California’s political class. With it looking likely that President Obama will add the title of de facto governor of California, the only questions left will be answered by voters in 2010 and 2012. In short, it’s a matter of whether the people will vote out the politicians that spent money on themselves and their allies or whether the voters will pretend that everything’s ok and return the elitists to their positions of power.
If voters don’t wipe out the spineless legislators and their political allies, then they’ll get what they deserve. What they’ll get is more policies that will lead to the total destruction of what little is left of California’s economy.
The cure for California is the same as the cure for the United States: fiscal restraint, low marginal tax rates and setting intelligent priorities. The United States and California wouldn’t know the definition of fiscal restraint or setting intelligent priorities if their lives depended on it.
I’m basing my opinion on several things, though Phil Ting’s op-ed definitely is Exhibit A:
In my role as assessor-recorder of San Francisco, it’s my job to assess the fairest property taxes possible for the residents and businesses of San Francisco. Nobody knows better than a tax assessor that a key part of why California continues to fall behind is Proposition 13.
I have a proposal to reform Prop. 13, the 1978 ballot initiative that capped the state’s property tax rate. My proposal for a split roll system would eliminate corporate tax loopholes and continue to protect California homeowners. California cannot continue to mortgage its future to protect a law that has resulted in near-constant budget shortfalls, deep cuts to vital services and corporate tax loopholes.
Unless I miss my guess, repeal of propositions requires a defeat of that proposition at the ballots. A simple act of the legislature won’t suffice. Betting that Californians will vote to repeal Prop 13 isn’t a wise bet. They’d be voting for a major tax increase.
Mr. Ting’s op-ed is proof that the political and the bureaucratic classes have an agenda totally apart from Californians.
Which brings us back to this question: Was Tuesday’s votes a continuation of April’s tea parties? The most important question, though, isn’t whether it’s a continuation of the tea party movement. The most important question is whether Californians are angered into activity in the political process. That means becoming conservative activists.
California’s liberal policies, started under Gray Davis and continued by Ahnold, have brought California to its knees. Capital leaving the state’s confiscatory tax rates behind has caused California’s economic collapse. Nevada has been the biggest beneficiary of that capital flight. Instead of reversing course, the politicians kept spending.
California’s politicians won’t go down without a fight. They’ll have every union in the state working hard to continue with California’s failed policies. They’ll attempt to maintain control through fearmongering. The last refuge of mental midgets is the tactic of fearmongering. Their attempts should be seen as acts of desperation. They should be rejected and annihilated.
It can’t come too soon.
Technorati Tags: Deficits, Budgets, California, Property Taxes, Income Taxes, Unions, Gray Davis, Schwarzenegger, Liberals, Capital Flight, Nevada, Fiscal Restraint, Conservatism, Spending Cuts, Tea Parties, Election 2010
Cross-posted at LetFreedomRingBlog
May 21st, 2009 at 6:29 am
I cannot in good faith give California voters credit for anything at this point.
They are still one rung lower than the politicians they elect. Too many union workers, government union workers, government workers and those voting for perpetual handouts. Hopefully the southeast USA will secede and have strict control of citizenship.
May 21st, 2009 at 6:46 am
Californians are confused and weary of special one issue elections. We simply want our wise and all knowing leaders to think for us, and make the right choices in these troubling times.
Right.