Tag: Jerry Brown

Another Beautiful California Day – Democrats Roll to Victory In the Golden State

Jon Ponder

scran-postcard-sunny-california

The weather is generally so nice in California that one local wag made a habit of abbreviating his sentiments every morning as he took in the pleasant coolness at daybreak. “A.B.C.D.,” Glen Wilcox, my mother’s husband, would say — shorthand for, “Another Beautiful California Day.”

While the rest of the country reels from the results of an election bought and paid for by right-wing billionaires who spent hundreds of millions of dollars running ads in red states that shifted attention away from the Republicans’ dismal approval ratings and record of obstruction and ran instead against Pres. Obama — here in California, waking on Nov. 5 is just another beautiful day for Democrats.

Upon winning an unprecedented fourth term, Gov. Jerry Brown told reporters, “The world looks pretty troubled out there. The country is facing a lot of uncertainty. But here in California, where they called us a failed state, we’re now showing the way.”

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Why Gov. Moonbeam Opposes Pot Legalization

Buck Banks

And all of a sudden, if there’s advertising and legitimacy, how many people can get stoned and still have a great state or a great nation? The world’s pretty dangerous, very competitive. I think we need to stay alert, if not 24 hours a day, more than some of the potheads might be able to put together.

— California Gov. Jerry Brown (D), quoted by Huffington Post, on why he opposes legalizing marijuana.

California Gov. Jerry Brown, 74, Challenges New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, 49, to an Athletic Contest

Jon Ponder

What came through from the Republican Convention was its angry tone, and no one does angry tone better than New Jersey’s Republican Gov. Chris Christie, age 49, who made sneering remarks from the convention podium about the age of California’s Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown, who is 74.

But now Gov. Brown, who is tall, lean and fit, has returned fire against Gov. Christie — who is, um, not — by challenging him to a triathalon of sorts:

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Tax Hikes Add to $6.6 Bil Windfall for Debt-Strapped California – But GOP Fights to Kill Them

Jon Ponder

Facing a $30 billion budget shortfall in 2009, the state of California raised taxes — a quarter-percent on personal income tax, 1 percent on sales and a half-percent on vehicle license fees.

“I’m not going to give the Republicans a roadmap to ruin. I’m giving them a roadmap to success.”
– California Gov. Jerry Brown’s moment of zen

According to Republican dogma, those tax hikes should have killed the state’s economic recovery. This week, however, Gov. Jerry Brown reported good news. The state is projecting $6.6 billion more in revenue than expected — some of which is unarguably a result of these modest tax increases.

In the five months since he’s been office, Brown and the Democrats who control the legislature have reduced the budget deficit from $26.6 billion to $15 billion, mostly through harsh cuts to education, health care and other safety-net programs.

The tax hikes would bring in an additional $11 billion next year, but, as of now, they are set to expire on July 1. Without them, severe cuts will be required to programs that serve children, the poor and elderly.

In the governor’s race last year, Brown campaigned on putting a measure on the ballot that would allow voters — also known as “taxpayers” — to decide whether to extend the additional taxes. He won the election by double digits, a clear mandate.

And yet, despite polling showing that the public favored the vote — and perhaps because polls also found that the measure would pass — the Republican minority “Party of No” in Sacramento killed the governor’s ballot initiative. It will not appear on the ballot next month as planned.

That’s right. Republicans blocked a measure that would allow California taxpayers to vote on tax policy.

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Gov. Brown Offers To Send His Dog to Debate Grover Norquist on Proposed Statewide Vote on Tax Hike Extension

Jon Ponder

Sutter, with Jerry and Anne Brown
Sutter, with Gov. Brown and his wife Anne
Should a set of tax hikes in California be allowed to expire, or should they be extended in order to help pay down state’s Texas-size deficit?

In his campaign for governor last year, Gov. Jerry Brown promised to put that question on a ballot measure so that California voters could make the decision. Brown won in November with a 13 point margin.

Voters like the idea. A Field Poll released last week found that 61 percent of registered voters favor putting the measure on the ballot.

And, really, who would oppose such a small-d democratic move?

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Verbatim

Jon Ponder

If she had spent her millions trying to help the poor, we’d be a lot better off today.

– Loretta Benavides, an independent voter from Martinez, Calif., saying she was so offended by Republican Meg Whitman’s spending $141 million of her own money to run for governor of California that she had decided to vote for the Democrat, Jerry Brown, instead.

Two New Polls Show Dems Pulling Away in California

Jon Ponder

Taegan Goddard’s Political Wire:

A new Suffolk University poll in California shows Jerry Brown (D) with an eight point lead over Meg Whitman (R) in the race for governor, 50 percent to 42 percent.

In the U.S. Senate race, Sen. Barbara Boxer (D) leads by nine points over Carly Fiorina (R), 52 percent to 43 percent…

A new Public Policy Polling survey also finds Boxer leading by a 52 percent to 43 percent margin and finds Brown leading 53 percent to 42 percent.