Meg, are we in the bag?

George Rebane

Last Wednesday (18aug10) I stood next to my pal Russ Steele when he lit into Meg’s second string field representatives for her refusal to support Proposition 23.  I thought that Russ was appropriately steamed by the ‘pre-natal RINO’ behavior Whitman was communicating across California.  I had taken her to task on this in my 14aug10 Union column (here).

But then, like a dummy, I put my hand up to ask the team what information about California jobs and AB32’s effect on same did Whitman still need in order to throw her weight behind Prop23 to suspend AB32.  I didn’t have a chance, Russ’s incisive indictment had loosened whatever inhibitions might have been in place at that celebratory opening of the Republican campaign headquarters.

The follow-on questions and criticisms from the audience came unprompted, hot, and heavy.  After about a minute I quietly lowered my hand, hoping nobody had noticed such a silly attempt at wanting to be heard in that crowd.  More on the occasion was reported here and here.

The takeaway from the gathering left me pondering about Meg Whitman, the launch of her new career in politics, and what should be my response as a conservative voter with libertarian leanings.  The message to all of her conservative voters is clear – we are in the bag, and now it’s time to go scoop as many people as possible from the ‘decline to state’ and the left.  After all, what rightwinger in their right mind would abstain or vote for Governor Moonbeam?  Get serious.

Well, I am serious.  To me and many others, she has chosen to walk the well-worn path of political expediency – ‘just get me elected, and then trust me to do the right thing for you.’  The problem with that is that that’s the problem.  The halls of the electeds are full of yokels who were put there by us through exactly that kind of argument.  And now we are where we are.

Like so many across the land, I joined the Tea Party Patriots because I believe in a different approach to politics that starts and ends with principle.  And like so many, I admit to having trampled my beliefs by voting for candidates I knew to belong only to the ‘me first’ party.  How long must we; no, how long must I continue doing this?  Is this behavior not a form of insanity, doing the same thing and expecting different results?

Perhaps California needs to crash, and crash hard before we and the rest of the country wake up to the siren song of socialism.  And Governor Moonbeam is just the man at the helm to drive us into the mud about as quickly as anyone.  It may now be the time.

Having said all this, I invite Meg Whitman to bring her considerable talents back into the same circle of principle from which she launched her campaign.  I want her to show the world that she understands the condition of polity in today’s America, and will again stand loud and strong for the prescriptions that we believe will make the country better, the prescriptions that we all thought she believed in.

To put a bow on it, I don’t like being in the bag any more.

Comments

[Mikey McD]

George, the sooner CA is dropped to it's proverbial knees the sooner it can be reborn as a liberty rich, fiscally responsible state. What better way to expedite the fall of CA than a vote for Moonbeam and against prop 23? I will be writing in John Galt (same as last time).

[Russ Steele]

George,

Your unasked question is still valid, and should be answered. What information does Meg need to understand AB32s impact on California jobs and the ability of Prop 23 to mitigate those impacts.

I do not want to be considered in the bag, I want a better reason to vote for Meg, than my vote is a vote against Moonbeam.

I want to vote for a leader with convictions about what needs to be done. It is hard to hold elected officials accountable, when they have not articulated specific actions they will take to protect jobs, reduce debt, shrink the size of government and follow the Constitution. Meg needs to step up!

[RL Crabb]

Topping the news today is the announcement that George Rebane plans to vote for Democrat Jerry (Moonbeam) Brown for governor. In related news, Hell freezes over, Russ Steele points to event as proof there is no global warming.

[George Rebane]

Well said Bob, you are a jewel.

[Mikey McD]

I just need to look at what Meg is doing to her own pocket book to see what she plans on doing to mine.

[Todd Juvinall]

We must be pragmatic no matter how painful it might be to support Whitman and oppose Brown. We have to chance to change a Whitman mind on issues where we will not have that chance with Brown. I have never subscribed to the tactic of voting for the opposition to teach our side a lesson. It never works but sometimes it is used to clean the plumbing out. Remember, the Governor is the executive branch. That is the enforcement branch of government. All the powers rest in the hands of the executive and his/her appointments to those positions are very important. Jerry Brown sued the counties over not including a Global Warming chapter. I don't think Meg would do that.

[Paul Emery]

Pragmatic......

That's right Todd. That's why we have a two party system bought and controlled by the same special interest groups. Voting for the lesser of two evils is still voting for evil. That's a solid vote for the system as it is.

[Steve Frisch]

I'm with you! Please start the Drive California Into the Ground movement!

[Michael Anderson]

Wow George, I feel like I've stumbled into a room full of superior beings. We're actually talking about political reform in Nevada County, across both sides of the aisle!

Are you sure the Singularity hasn't occurred, and these attestations aren't really coming from AI bots who've taken over your regulars' residential computers?

All kidding aside, I am heartened to read about your frustration. Imagine a libertarian-progressive like myself, being faced with one William J. Clinton in 1992. I held my nose and jumped in the sewer on that one, but did not repeat the exercise four years later since I was still taking showers trying to remove the smell in 1996.

Mikey D., I too have voted my passion through literature, though probably choosing Mr. Zero from The Adding Machine instead of Mr. Galt.

Paul is correct, the two party system does all of us a disservice, and is largely responsible for the false dichotomy of our shared ideals. I hold great hope that this here newfangled internet thingy might help us step together over the chasm, and wave goodbye to the 19th century once and for all.

[George Rebane]

Michael, the champagne bottle is on ice, but we need a bit more progress before popping the cork for the celebration. You have been a mighty help.

[Todd Juvinall]

I get a kick out of people who complain about the two party system. If you study and watch the British Parliment you can get a real feel for the multi-party system and what a real mess it is. The system in Britain has led it to the point of irrelevancy and they don't know it yet. In America if the people don't like how things are going then it is their duty to change it. Paul you are taking the easy way put. Get out there and work for your favorite candidate. Stop complaining and do something. America has the best system but it is the people that have screwed it up. The Tea Party is the latest attempt of the common people to fix things and the left trashes them at every opportunity. So that just shows me there really is no big push by the disgruntled otherwise they would be on board.

[D. King]

Yes Michael, I'm ready...let's go forward together.
We’ll cast off the weight that is our republic and
usher in a new era of enlightenment and harmony.

http://tinyurl.com/22jvsmu

"I feel like I've stumbled into a room full of superior beings."

I don't speak for George, but I think he'd say,
you're welcome here anytime.

[George Rebane]

MichaelA and DKing - I'm not exactly sure I can trace the outlines of your differences in what forms you both would like our republican democracy to take. But I bet the comparison would be a conversation starter.

[Michael Anderson]

D. King, that was hilarious! Well done with the trip down memory lane re. Paul and Stevie. But if it's all the same to you, I'd prefer to keep the republic and just cast off the weight of the two party system.

Todd, you've presented another false dichotomy, that we have to choose between our system and Britain's. You say that "America has the best system." Which one would that be: the America before Senate Rule 22 was invented in 1917, or the America after 1975 when cloture was reduced to 60 votes? Our politics have evolved mightily since the nation was founded, we are always changing.

These 50 states, brought into a union, are extraordinarily complex. Our ability to adapt and evolve has become ossified because of the huge rift and change in society that happened in the 1960s. We're stuck Todd, and both sides know it.

Only the folks at the top--in both parties--are too afraid or too comfortable in their ways, to let the juices start flowing again.

[Todd Juvinall]

Well, if the two party system doesn't work in your opinion, what is the replacement you prefer? Britain is the example I use because many parts of our system were formulated there and have been massaged to their present form over the years. You also seemed confused regarding the the system. You say the system doesn't work and needs to change then you state the system has been evolving and in constant state of change. Which is it? What has it evolved into? Regarding cloture, I favor a 2/3rds vote to raise taxes, fees and other forms of exactions by the government. We have seen the hothouse here in California of just how bad politicians of a certain persuasion can indebt the people. Cloture is of course used to stop or delay any bill not just money. 60 votes is OK with me. I think we should always make it harder for politicians to pass things which the peons must live under. So, give us your system of governance and let us debate the merits.

[Paul Emery]

Todd

It seems that the two party system is in good shape nowadays despite flirtations of independence from the Tea Party movement. When the chest beating is over they will come home and vote Republican, like they always have, for the "lesser of two evils." Children know when it's time to come home for dinner and don't want to be left out in the cold.

We may disagree on what is the lesser evil but the continued monopoly of the Republicrats is obvious.

[Todd Juvinall]

So give us your fix. I have watched the dance for a long time and like all good Americans, we all share ur discouragement with the people we elect. I can tell you that watching really good people get defeated is not a happy time. Bottom line is this, the American people could boot every incumbent in every election because they have the power to do so. They don't exercise that power and then whine latr.

[Paul Emery]

Well Todd, We're speaking the same language here although we may disagree on who are the "good people' I'll respond to this question in detail when I have more time,

[RL Crabb]

The Republican Party itself was an insurgent in the 1850s, when the Whigs failed to stand for anything but politics. It could happen again.

[Todd Juvinall]

Meg proves the party has a big tent. A woman, mother, wife, wow! Business owner, employer and activst. How come you haven't called for her to move to Idaho?