Posted on 05/01/2002 12:17:44 PM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach
Friday, April 26, 2002
ELECTION 2002
by Geoff S. Fein
California is out of cash and Gov. Gray Davis is to blame.
"Is that inconceivable?" Simon asked the crowd. "If Davis were a CEO what would you do?"
The predominantly white elderly audience shouted back, "Fire him!"
Simon, who was 90 minutes late for the reception at Rickeys Hotel, told the gathering that his vision of California is to leave a state that supporters would want to leave to their own children; so that "they can enjoy the same prosperity we have."
"That won't happen under Davis," Simon said.
About 200 Republicans, many who belong to the South Peninsula Area Republican Coalition, paid $30 a ticket to hear Simon. It was his first visit to Palo Alto since winning the Republican primary in March.
During his 30-minute speech, Simon touched upon Davis' failure to raise education standards, his failure to deal with $175 billion in needed infrastructure work to roads and the state's water and power system.
Simon said the state needs to get out of the power business. He advocates privatizing both the state's water and power systems.
"We ought to get private enterprise to build power plants," he said.
He blamed Democrats in Sacramento for not taking a tough political message to the people,
"As the world's fifth largest economy, we should have leaders willing to make tough decisions," he said.
Simon also brought a message with him that played well with the audience -- increase local control of schools. He said there needs to be an increase in charter and magnet schools as well as accountability and individualized attention to students. Simon denounced Davis for giving in to the teachers' union because it opposes accountability and for California ranking last in the nation in science.
Simon also chastised Davis for the growing state deficit. As he took the podium, Simon told the audience that the state's deficit has grown by $10 billion in 90 days, from $12 billion to $22 billion. He added it's a piece of information that won't be found in newspapers.
What Davis has done is a prescription for disaster, Simon said. He also questioned how State Controller Kathleen Connell could allow California's expenses to outgrow revenues by almost 3 to 1.
"We can't have a leader that is so disconnected from reality," Simon said of Davis. "What planet is he coming from?"
Simon, who is a lawyer and businessman from Southern California, said this summer will be painful because Davis waited too long before dealing with the deficit.
The crowd cheered when Simon stated he has maintained an eight-point lead in the polls over Davis, since the March Republican primary.
Simon surprised many voters when he beat former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan in the March Republican primary. Riordan was expected to win because he was considered a moderate compared to Simon, who favors privatization of California's water and power systems and is an opponent of gun control and abortion.
But Simon easily defeated Riordan by a margin of 18.1 percent statewide and in Santa Clara County by a margin of 23.7 percent.
Political analysts have said for Davis to win, he'll have to draw attention to Simon's stand on abortion; school vouchers; and the fact that Simon has no prior experience and has not voted in 13 of the last 20 state elections.
Simon said he hopes Davis focuses attention on social issues.
"(It) will give me time to talk about his track record," Simon said. "I wouldn't want to defend Davis' track record."
Simon made several promises to the 200 Republicans in attendance: if elected governor in November, he will not raise taxes and he "won't do anything to disturb a woman's right to choose."
"I respect that other people don't agree with me," Simon said when asked about his stand on abortion.
He added that his wife is pro-choice, as are his sisters.
"I'm in front of Davis with women," Simon said. "There is a reason for that."
Simon closed his speech by answering written questions from the audience.
One question asked if anything can be done about the burdensome regulations imposed on small businesses that restrict the business' growth.
Simon said he is proposing a stimulus plan that includes reducing the capital-gains tax by more than 50 percent as well as reducing regulations on businesses. He is also calling for streamlining the state's worker's compensation system.
"It's out of control," Simon said. "Small businesses are the engine that drive (economic) recovery. We've got to reduce regulations."
Former Congressman and Stanford Law School Professor Tom Campbell, who was in the audience, said he liked Simon. Campbell, who is considered a moderate Republican, said he agrees with Simon on both fiscal and economic issues.
Asked whether Simon's conservative stand on social issues conflicted with his own beliefs, Campbell said he hasn't met a candidate he fully agrees with yet.
"With the exception of that fellow that ran for Senate in 2000," he said, referring to himself. He lost to Sen. Dianne Feinstein in 2000.
Barbara Roark, of Los Altos, is a charter member of SPARC. She said she was extremely impressed with Simon.
"He's coming along great," she said.
Bonnie Cohen, of San Jose, who describes herself as a socially moderate but fiscally conservative Republican, said California needs Simon to put common sense back into the government.
"Davis is vulnerable," she said. "He is mortgaging the state."
If Davis is re-elected and the state continues to slide more precipitiously toward "Atlas Shrugged" as it is destined to do, hopefully people will remember that Simon, a Republican, told them the truth.
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