The random political thoughts thread (Part Deux)

[innerSpaceman]

With the exception of the marijuana initiative (which was an intensely bad version of legalization), California seems to have voted pretty wisely on the remaining ballot initiatives as well.

Prop 20 passed - so the redistricting commission voted in by the public not long ago to take that vital function away from the gerrymandering legislature will now have its work apply to U.S. Congressional districts in California, in addition to state legislature districts. There's some weirdities in this law as well that are not so hot, but overall an improvement over the guaranteed incumbency of many Congressional seats.

The related proposition, Prop 27, was defeated. Good. This would have put that redistricting commission entirely out of business, before its even begun to work on state districts - much less the Congressional districts that it will now also have purview over.

Prop 21 was defeated - apparently California voters don't want to save state parks if it means paying $18 more per year on their car registration, or perhaps they reasonably don't believe that their $18 will go towards any such thing when it comes down to it. Either way, not our best moment this election - but not a biggie.

Prop 22 passed - prohibiting the legislature from taking funds which voters have earmarked for transportation, redistricting and certain local government projects and using those to plug the swiss cheese holes in the general budget by spending those monies on other things entirely.

Prop 23 was defeated - this was the other biggie on the ballot, the oil company measure to roll-back the recently-enacted clean air and energy regulations that California has become duly famous and beaconish for. I'm not sure it's sad when only 26% of the people vote when it's entirely possible that only 26% of the people are smart enough to. It's a really good thing this measure failed, despite vast monies spent by oil companies.

Also a biggie, Prop 25 passed - now at least the state budget can be passed with a simple majority vote. It's a step towards inching away from the total gridlock which has paralyzed our state government for decades. But of course, the real power - the power to tax - remains mired in a two-thirds majority requirement. And speaking of which ...

The other low point in the ballot measure results - Prop 26 passed - which will transform most fees and charges to oil and energy companies into taxes that must be approved by a two-thirds majority (and thus will never be levied). This is a big win for oil companies, which I think sneaked-in under the wire while the public was focused on Prop 23. Let's see how much the voters enjoy this when the next big oil spill happens off the Long Beach coast and the offending oil company is not required to pay for clean-up.

[Alex]

Gridlock, to a certain extent, is the Teabagger agenda.

[Alex]

While I favor some form of independent district drawing the entire structure of the commission is pretty stupid. It is pretty much based on the idea that a critical task should be performed by people who have absolutely no experience or expertise in that critical task. Kind of like the stereotype of juries that anybody informed enough to do the job well can't be trusted to do the job well. So better to get people who will do it poorly.

Prop 25 is the only prop I voted yes on as it is the only one that addresses a structural flaw in California government. The passage of the philosophically conflicting 25 and 26 just emphasizes why government through proposition is a bad idea.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Laughed out loud at Boehner's pronouncement that he's going to start by repealing the health care bill. Way to start off on a futile foot there, Boehner. I'm sure you're going to win a ton of support and respect by failing to repeal something that half the country doesn't want repealed, making it your to priority, while 10% of Americans still don't have jobs. Love your priorities!

And yes, I am, and will continue to be, pronouncing it as 'Boner'.

[Alex]

I'm sure he knows that a repeal won't actually go into affect but he would win just as many brownie points among the base if he actually gets the House to pass a full (or significant repeal).

And for that base it would be a significant clarion call for 2012. "See, we did everything we could. Give us the senate and the presidency and it'll be gone the day after inauguration."

That really is the one horrible flaw I see in the healthcare bill that passed (public option would have been great but it wasn't going to happen regardless of when Obama took it off the table). We'll have too much time to hate it before people decide it's the new third rail.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Originally Posted by scaeagles

And I completely disagree - I think democrats are way better at the game than republicans.

Okay, I've stepped into the way back machine for this one. I let this gem slide at the time it was posted, but it's been rattling around in the back of my mind since and yesterday's voting and the surrounding discussions agitated back to the forefront.

I seriously can't say this without sounding insulting and if this crosses the line of ad hominem I suppose it will need to be moved, but really...if you truly believe that democrats are better at playing politics than republicans than I honestly think you're delusional.

We're talking about the party that made "death panel" and "birther" household words with nary a whimper of protest from the other side vs. the party that barely managed a single piece of major legislation while in control of both houses and the Presidency (and a knackered version that left them bruised and battered at that). The party that continues to campaign, effectively, as the "small government party" while being no such thing vs. the party that is too afraid of its own shadow to use the fact that their tax plan cuts taxes for most Americans as a campaign talking point. The party that regularly claims as their platform to be the nation's moral compass despite regular transgressions by key members against that very morality vs. the party that didn't want to bad mouth the medical insurance industry to bolster the health care bill lest they seem "anti-business".

I don't think I'm saying anything radical by saying that, over the past 3 decades or so, the Republicans are better at, as a party, delivering a unified and effective political strategy than the Democrats.

[BarTopDancer]

Originally Posted by Alex

Gridlock, to a certain extent, is the Teabagger agenda.

I hope they bring shovels to DC because they are digging their own graves when nothing gets done.

For all their bitching about the "left" not being willing to give them what they want their mantra of no compromise is going to have the opposite effect on them in the end.

Maybe then the fractures in the Republican party will heal, the religious zelots and far right loons will get the fvck out and join the Tea Party and we can get back to big government vs small government, more tax vs less tax, lets try and meet in the middle politics.

[innerSpaceman]

To piggy-back on GD's observations - Conservatives also have a well-oiled communications network of think tanks, training sessions, action teams, and media mouthpieces that the Democrats just sit back and drool over because, for the life of them, they cannot seem to get such a thing going - though they don't lack either the money or the know-how.

[JWBear]

I am completely agast!

A financial manager for wealthy clients will not face a felony charge in Colorado for an alleged hit-and-run because it could jeopardize his job, the Summit Daily News reports, quoting the district attorney.

What the fvck country do we live in now?!?!? That DA needs to lose his job! Not only that, he needs to be investigated for corruption and malfeasance! NO ONE should be above the law, I don't care what profession he is!

I am so angry and fed up I want to throw something!

[Kevy Baby]

Just to be a muckraker, I am going to toss this blurb out from an industry newsletter:

Some interesting facts from the IRS—in 2008 (the most recent complete year), the top 1% of filers paid 38% of all federal income taxes. To make the top 1%, you needed Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) of at least $380,354. The top 5% paid 58.7% of all of the federal and had AGI of at least $159,610. The top 10% paid 69.9% of all of the federal income taxes and had AGI of at least $113,799. On the other hand, the lowest 50% of the filers paid 2.7% of all the federal income taxes (this does not count those who did not have to file at all because of their income level). The next time that you hear that the “rich” are not paying their share, you should think about these numbers. They also illustrate the serious policy issue lurking in such a large percentage of the population receiving the benefits of government, but not paying taxes, but who also vote.