Posted on 04/11/2011 4:02:15 PM PDT by dragnet2
LOS ANGELES (CBS) — While Washington averted a government shutdown this week, California Governor Jerry Brown continues with his budget battles.
The governor may feel like he’s in a recurring nightmare these days. Everywhere he turns with a proposed budget fix it gets shot down.
“If we don’t get taxes, if we don’t get cuts, we’re gonna have a hard time balancing the budget,” Brown said. “Many of the Republicans told me, ‘We’re not taxing and we’re not cutting. It’s your job — you’re the governor.’”
But Republicans who show up to protest at many of the governor’s events these days say it’s Brown who’s not living up to his words.
“Fix it, Governor Brown, and I’ll be the first person that would be more than happy to give you money,” said Robert Ledbetter, who was protesting outside one of Brown’s events.
California Republican Party Vice Chair Steven Baric says Brown is not showing he’s much of a leader.
“He promised he would show true leadership and he’s failing to do that. And if he wants to show true leadership let’s have true pension reform,” Baric said.
this weekend, CBS 2/KCAL 9 political reporter Dave Bryan asked Governor Brown about the criticisms:
DB: Many of the Republicans I talk to say that they’re not convinced that you’re serious about pension reform and about cutting the slack in government, cutting the bureaucracy down. They feel that you haven’t put forward, for example, a meaningful pension reform plan because of your connection to the unions.
JB: They have to say that to give cover to their position, which is ‘No’. Their position is ‘No, we’re not going to help you. We’re not going to do anything. Well, that’s unacceptable. I did propose 12 points of pension reform.
The governor tells Dave he believes the country hasn’t been this divided since the Civil War.
This week Brown has been using Civil War metaphors at his public events to describe the deep divisions in California, and the entire country for that matter, preaching with the passion of a born-again that the country is dangerously polarized.
“We are at a point of civil discord, and I would not minimize the risk to our country and to our state. It is not trivial. I’ve been around a long time, I’m a student of history, I’m a student of contemporary politics. We are facing what I would call a ‘regime crisis.’ The legitimacy of our very democratic institutions are in question,” he said.
This week Brown has been using Civil War metaphors at his public events to describe the deep divisions in California, and the entire country for that matter, preaching with the passion of a born-again that the country is dangerously polarized.
On this, I completely agree with Brown.
And it hasn't peaked yet....
The “divide” is between those who are paying in to the government and those who are being paid by the government.
Reap the whirlwind!
Where is Captain Obvious when you need him?
“The legitimacy of our very democratic institutions are in question,”
Blame Algore — it started when Gore retracted his concession.
Actually, it’s barley just started my friend and will continue to slowly escalate as those in government continue to brutally assault the American private sector.
Civil War metaphors?
CWII maybe, if things don’t turning around quickly.
What are the Vegas odds that Moonbeam goes to New Hampshire to take on Obama? He sounds like the old Jerry - running for POTUS.
“start turning” that is.
Actually, it’s *barely* just started my friend and will continue to slowly escalate as those in government continue to brutally assault the American private sector.
Yes, just like 150 years ago, America is half slave (to socialism) and half free. And the slave half wants to run roughshod over the Constitution and the rule of law in order to further its goal of enslaving everyone.
We need more of the likes of Governor Walker.
He must feel like he is standing alone in a field politically.
2) Make a flatline subsidy for health insurance for all state employees of $400 a month. Allow employees to choose whatever plan they like.
3) Cap all retirement at $50,000 per year 2011 dollars. Cap any buyouts for retirement, etc at $12,000. Cap all payouts for unused leave or vacation at $12,000.
4) Cut vacations for all state employees to 2 weeks per year.
5) Evict the millions of illegal aliens and their anchor babies from California.
There you go, we can now have the lowest state taxes in the nation.
In 1966 Brown’s father tried to link Ronald Reagan to slavery in a campaign commercial. The logic was: Lincoln freed the slaves. Lincoln was killed by an actor. Reagan is an actor. Camera pans to the face of a little black child with tears in his eyes. This BS did not work in 1966 and it won’t work in 2011. The democrats made this bed, now they can sleep in it.
I wonder how much of a drain the freaking illegal vermin are on the kalifornistan/national budget? Get rid of them and you might free up a couple billion dollars.
He’s setting the stage for government to put it’s boot on our necks like was done to the confederates. Liberals want to tie this into a union (and the unions) vs the rest of us confrontation. He wants to shut us up for good.
More than likely his ‘fix’ is big taxes and small cuts.
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