Now that Jerry Brown is a real candidate, perhaps it is time to look back at his first two terms. While Whitman paints Brown as a wild-eyed hippy wanting to spend like crazy, let’s take a look back into time. 1974 to be exact. Check out the footage, the relevant clip begins at 1:03.
People always say money. Give us more resources, give us more planning, more experts. Well, I would only say, the Viet Nam War. The other side had less resources, less planning, less experts, less PhDs, and they won.
Now, I think most historians would point out that the North Vietnamese had more local experts, more knowledge of the situation on the ground, but well, they did have less PhDs.
But the point remains. In 1974, Governor Jerry Brown argued for exactly what candidate Meg Whitman is arguing for today. If all she has to offer are statements that Jerry Brown has been making for 35 years, then why exactly should we go with the unknown.
The fact is that Whitman is entirely unprepared for the job. When she gets a tough question from a reporter, she runs away. She says she wants to “run the state like a corporation.” But what does that mean? That Meg Whitman wants to eliminate labor laws? Or maybe that we all should be putting millions of $$ into our avocations.
Perhaps Meg should get some ideas of her own some time, and this time perhaps she could actually have a clue as to what the ideas mean.
You say it yourselves. The two candidates make the same arguments. Why? Because they are both conservatives. What was that Robert Anton Wilson quote? Ah yes: “It only takes 20 years for a liberal to become a conservative without changing a single idea.” Maybe when he originally governed, the term “Democrat” was fitting. But we have to admit now that Corprocrat is the closest we can get now, subtle possibilities in mistranslation aside.
Jerry Brown wasn’t chosen in a primary. He was chosen by the ultra-large Democratic donors who control the Democratic party in this state. Well, they got their candidate, the corporate-friendly DINO who won’t make any waves. I personally won’t vote for him but I’m sure he’ll win. It’s just putting off the inevitable, though– the Brazilification of California, favelas ringing our cities, the totally disconnection of the haves and have-nots… and to be ushered in by a Democrat only to later be presided over by a smiling Republican. How vile.
I’d rather vote for the Devil I know of, Than for the Devil I don’t know of. So I’ll vote for Jerry Brown, He was a visionary, A Satellite in orbit for California’s Emergency Communications, Fantastic idea, It’s a shame that some people heaped scorn on Him, He didn’t deserve It, Arnold does and Meg Whitless won’t be any better than Arnold, Just what We need, Another Arnold…
The other side had fewer resources, less planning, fewer experts, fewer PhDs, and they won.
Although, I must say, as a progressive, I am kind of amazed and surprised and maybe a little happy at just how perfectly Jerry Brown has picked up the Martha Coakley Handbook of campaigning. You know, sleep your way into a Democratic state, assuming people will elect you because, well, why not?