Nov 21 2008
A Political Round-Up: Nov. 21, 2008
So I decided that each Friday post would be a political round-up for the week. So here it goes:
Speak Karen Bass (D) of the California State Assembly declared that she was upset about the rage against African-Americans who voted for Prop. 8. She also said that the California budget should be fixed “50-50.” To her, this means 50% from the federal government, and 50% from increased revenues. To read more click here.
Emerging from a Big Five meeting, Senate President Pro Tem-elect Darrell Steinberg said, “Things have not broken down. I think that’s the news here.” So he thinks they are still on track to get a budget solution.
Too bad they all cancelled their floor session to vote on something. So there will be no floor session on Sunday. But they have decided to meet on Tuesday - which Sen. Perata says is the absolute latest day any action can be taken. Good thing they will be done for Thanksgiving - it is not like they term out at the end of November, they have decided to term-out before Thanksgiving. Glad you can all make it home for Thanksgiving. Not everyone effected by this budget gets to go home for Thanksgiving - or have a Thanksgiving.
Senate GOP leader Dave Cogdill, meanwhile, has reiterated his no new taxes stance in an op-ed.
President-elect Obama has decided to offer Sen. Clinton the post of Secretary of State (you can read the article here). It is a good thing that his campaign didn’t tout her as being unprepared in foriegn affairs. Or having no over-seas experience - except as First Lady. So now she’s going to be the nation’s top diplomat. I am all for mending fences broken in campaigns, but making your cheif opponent - who you said wasn’t experienced enough and was a liar about her foriegn policy experience - the nation’s top diplomat, might be going a bit far. Also - let’s be honest - she’s not the face I want representing America anywhere. She’s a power-hungry woman, who doesn’t have any training in foriegn policy that would make her effective. She should talk to my old International Relations professor - Susan Wiessman - to get some ideas about how to approach people who think differently than you.
The Federal Reserve is worried about deflation. They are worried that people are going to keep saving their money and not spend any, because there is a syndrome where people think the prices will always get lower tomorrow. And they say this is a hard cycle to break - even harder than an inflationary cycle. To read more click here.
And the country is still standing. Which is always a good thing!
If there is anything, or any story, that you think I should be tracking - let me know! I will track it for you for next week.
Haha. I find it funny that you are trying to get people to pay attention to these things. No one wants to pay attention. They are struggling to pay their bills and mortgage and keep their standard of living as it is now. No one wants to look at how they might be affected. Who wants to see, or hear, how all this mess is being solved. Or in this case - not being solved. I guess going out of town when you have a job to do is a new thing. I will have to ask my boss if I can leave and go on vacation the next time an important deadline is looming and I have responsibility to others. Maybe he will let me - or maybe he will fire me. Good luck on figuring out this mess.
Here’s the thing - they don’t want to do anything. Doing something will make them unpopular, and in CA politicians are professional politicians. They go to lobbying afterwards, and they want high paying jobs. So why would they do anyting now that might hurt their chances later?
Also - I heard her solution is 50-50: but I agree with you, that’s not 50-50. That’s like 33-33-and ignoring the other 33%, or at least the option for another thing. She’s ignoring that cuts are - and should be - an option. This is how we want our leaders to act? Ignorant? And unable to do the basic math we ask high schoolers to do?