DiFi was at Livermore for the opening of the Livermore Ignition Facility, which itself is an interesting story that could revolutionize our energy future. In short, it would create a fusion reaction from the firing of a bunch of lasers on a spherical hydrogen clump. In theory, it could also solve our nuclear waste problem. It’s all quite fascinating.
But that’s not the only thing that grabbed my attention. Carla Marinucci, the Chronicle’s politics writer, caught this audio clip on the Governor’s site. Check the audio, but Carla helfpully transcribed it:
“I have been around in 15 elections. I have never seen a time when the voters did what they did, in view of what they were told about cuts, in the enormous defeat of these propositions,” she said. “I can’t give you the reason for it, but I can tell you, to me it was astonishing.”
“And what they said is, in so many words, take the cuts, because that’s the alternative. And nobody wants them, but people have to understand.”
Frankly, this is simply wrong. What they told the Legislature to do was to do their job. The voters weren’t simply saying cut, they were saying we don’t want this ridiculous spending cap. But, DiFi just goes ahead and takes the Jarvis bait, hook, line and sinker.
The people did not say anything about cuts. In fact, they spoke out strongly against cuts by rejecting Props 1D and 1E that cut social services for children and the mentally ill, respectively. The people are saying they want a functional government that is responsive, not demanding, of the people.
But apparently, Sen. Feinstein is ok with the cuts to teach the people of California a lesson or something like that. Look, she wouldn’t be the only person to say this, I’ve heard it said by many progressives. The trouble is that it’s really tough to teach a lesson to the people who are most impacted by the cuts, children, the disabled, and other disadvantaged Californians. We need revenue. Now. Whether that’s a majority vote measure or some other form, these cuts-only budgets simply cannot be all that is left on the table. It simply isn’t right to let people die for the sake of a lesson.
UPDATE: Arnold has more cuts planned. This batch includes suspending the number of days that animal shelters have to keep strays, school bus service, and more in-home supportive service cuts. Hope you don’t let your dog walk away or have a relative who needs some care…
UPDATE: From the comments, americarocks suggest you Contact DiFi to tell her why you voted NO. Not a bad idea.
I normally don’t expect much from her, but this is just terrible. It’s really upsetting to see our Democratic leaders use Republican talking points.
It’s amazing to me that DiFi can ignore the evidence that shows Californians DID NOT vote the way they did on May 19 out a desire to cut, and use it as justification to deny health care to 1 million kids or close the state parks system.
Dianne Feinstein has failed to provide leadership on our economic problems for decades. She failed to protect the state stabilization funds in the stimulus, and now she is pushing a shock doctrine on California.
and told her why I voted against the propositions. Write her and let her know how you feel.
The feedback I received was that people accepted tax increases for specific purposes (mental health and early childhood care) but didn’t want to reassign that money to the general fund. It was about the Legislature keeping their word.
If they tell the voters they want to raise taxes for services for children or for the mentally disabled, then they shouldn’t turn around 2 years later and try to change the purpose of the tax to “fix a budget gap”.
that the next budget will be an attempt to punish the voters for not giving the legislators what they wanted in the past several elections.
if the democrats side explicitly with the republicans against their own voters out of spite, lord have mercy on the party. this sort of thing could be the impetus to split the party, if they think voters will take this sort of thing lying down.
And my e-mail was returned because my address is out-of-state.
My address is out-of-state because I got laid off from my job as an attorney and I’m living with my parents in Arizona; I’m still actively searching for work in California and I care a whole hell of a lot more about California issues than Arizona issues. I guess I get why she has to filter her e-mails, but talk about tone-deaf.
…ain’t never gonna happen though. And we don’t need it as long as we got Mr. Sun.
Fusion folks want a centrally located power supply so they can control same.
SunPower can be owned by anyone thus is not favored by the oligarchy.
As for DiFi?
I’ve shit her!
as to why we keep reelecting this lady. She has proved herself time and again to be no more than another rich, elitist politician with delusions of royalty or at least nobility feathering her own nest at the expense of the rest of us mere serfs.
There’s something wrong with a system in which 5% of the population can get their candidates elected in spite of the damage those candidates keep right on doing to the other 95%.
Are the working class people in California so gullible that they can’t figure out who the woman actually works for? It’s been years since she represented the majority of her constituents if indeed, she ever did. How long is it going to take for people to realize that and find a good, strong… and most important… REAL Democrat to run against her and her machine?
She’s not around for a 17th election, eh?