Early head’s up on my Sunday column:
No wonder we can’t solve California’s problems. We’re in perpetual political spin because of elections every year. All these elections mean that there’s no time — and no appetite — for substantive public policy discussions.
Consider that since 2002, California has held statewide elections every year thanks to the “off years” being filled with the Gray Davis recall election in 2003 and Arnold Schwarzenegger’s special election in 2005. That’s five straight years with elections, and six out of the last seven.
That’s why the much-needed infrastructure bond fell apart in Sacramento, even though the Democratic leadership in the Legislature and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger agree it’s needed. It’s hard work drafting the details of a massive state bond and then reaching bipartisan agreement. Our politicians would rather make election promises than produce something of substance.
I’ll expand on this subject in my column that runs Sunday in The Bee’s Vision section. Here's the link to my column archive.
How long has it been since we have had a "real bi-partisan" bill pass through Californian's Democratic controlled Assembly?
We have suffered, lo these past five-plus years with these GOP leaders and GOP congress!
We in California are caught from both bad sides of both parties. In plain English" Hell of a mess!
Your point is well taken. I think it's no accident. The request for money for canidates and campaigns never seems to stop, all the while the same problems that the San Joaquin Valley suffers from continue.
Here here! It's time to stop the spin and start the work of governing! Does anyone have ideas about how to support our electeds who want to do the job we've elected them to do?
My sense says we need a fundamental shift in thinking. We need a majority to re-engage as citizens and stop being consumers of political campaigns. Consumerism may be the backbone of our economy (for good or ill) but it is bad politics and governance. How can we make this happen?