A Disconnect in Logic

Listening this morning to Cspan callers commenting on Arnold Schwarzenegger’s declaration to run for governor of California. What struck me was the disconnect between why the people were being ask to oust Governor Davis and who they were supporting.

The Reason for the recall as I understand it is Davis’ inability to solve the state’s budget deficit. Yet, not one caller mentioned why they thought Arnold or any other declared candidate was going to do to solve that problem. There seems to be a total disconnect in the thinking of the people aided by the fact that television’s sporting contest approach to reporting on this political action.

The question that should be asked by the public is what will anyone else do or can do to solve the budget deficit. The equation is very simple; either raise taxes or cut services provided by the state. With Proposition 13 in place, the only viable option available to California is to cut and cut deeply services provided by the state. This is the outcome of a very shortsighted action by the public during the 80s. If you want services, such as schools, roads, medical services for the disadvantaged in a society and all the other services that makes a society livable then you must pay for them.

This disconnect in logically thinking in California does not bode well for the national election next year.

Doesn't he always solve the problem in his movies? Okay, maybe by killing everybody in sight, but he gets things done, doesn't he? Won't that also apply to saving the state of California from its budget mess? Uh, I am certain he has some magical, mystical solution up his sleeve, right?

Okay, turning off irony. Smoke and mirrors, the repukes trot out a celebrity and maybe no one will quite notice that there is no "there" there.

Arnold is running because he is electable, not because he has the skills necessary to even begin to comprehend the task. Let's face it, if you ask anyone in America in 1997 who is qualified to be President, about 14 people would say gwbush.

This is all about name recognition. Once again, the Repukes are making a mockery of our political system. Absolutely disgraceful.

Cheers
Drifter

pointed out WHY California is in such fiscal agony at the moment. Numero uno, the out and out rape of Californians by Enron (all enabled by Bush/Cheney), the stock market crash, and Chimpies tax cuts for the rich that leave states swinging in the wind with massive budget shortfalls. But have no fear, Ahhhhhhhhhnold will sley the budget woes with hand grenades and his massive steroid laden muscles. I've said it befoe, if the good people of California choose this mental midget as their next Governor, all hope is lost and the 2004 elections are in the bag for Bush. I will then move out of country and never look back at the nation I once respected and loved.

There were at least a half-dozen callers who mentioned Enron and at least 4 of them mentioned the connection to Bush and Cheney.

A republican from L.A., who liked Riordan, also called and thought the recall was wrong & mentioned Karl Rove by name and said he was an "outsider" who should mind his own business.

The Professor

why people like Sean Penn, The Dixie Chicks, Barbra Streisand, and Alec Baldwin should keep their mouths shut and not stick their noses into politics and Arnold Schwarzenegger is eminently qualified to run for governor?

:shrug:

nt

nice job....I really appreciate that and will use it frequently (and loudly)

:toast:

Yes there is a disconnect and I submit that the cause of this disconnect is the immaturity of the citizens and the absolute dumbing down of the political process.

The California problem is the same one facing all of us, whether we realize it or not. We (rhetorically) all want our cake and to be able to eat all of it (and more) too. We want our tax cuts and our services (usually more services, certainly not less). How to balance this? Easy, cut out the welfare cheats and fraud (the old strawman). The reality is never addressed.

When will we grow up? Maybe when there is a grownup who runs for office and explains that 2+2=4, not 400. Perot achieved some success at this before he flaked out.

Schwarzenegger?s entry into the race just adds to the absurdity. He has no better qualifications than you or I. But he's going to "clean up Sacramento". His Terminator image will make a great marketing campaign.

I would be surprised if California did the mature thing, reject the Davis recall and the contenders and figure out what taxes to raise and services to cut to balance their budget.

Will there be some magical consensus that descends on the divided legislative body just because there's a new governor with, as far as I can tell, no large degree of public support? Highly unlikely.

And oh, how I long for the day when Darrell Issa is forced to listen to his crappy car alarms going off at the same time while we all jeer at him. Now there's a reality program I could watch...

Our governer is not getting recalled, though. I wish he would because he's a repuke. But he was faced with a similar dilema. Cut services or raise taxes. I'm not sure how it worked out, but I think he used a combination of both. There were protests in Columbus about proposed spending cuts. Then all across Ohio there was talk on the radio shows about not raising taxes.

Like you said, on tax issues people just have to understand that we need these taxes to keep the state running and to provide public services. When we consistently vote down levies and are intolerant of taxes we end up with a run down state with a poor school system. People need to understand how taxes work for them.

Too few people ever study basic logic, and so they're easy prey. And they're too arrogant to even suspect it.