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Michael Lewis: California and Bust
Photograph Courtesy of Art Streiber
Read all of Michael Lewis’ excellent piece on California government and former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.A ompelling book called California Crackup describes this problem more generally. It was written by a pair of journalists and nonpartisan think-tank scholars, Joe Mathews and Mark Paul, and they explain, among other things, why Arnold Schwarzenegger’s experience as governor was going to be unlike any other experience in his career: he was never going to win. California had organized itself, not accidentally, into highly partisan legislative districts. It elected highly partisan people to office and then required these people to reach a two-thirds majority to enact any new tax or meddle with big spending decisions. On the off chance that they found some common ground, it could be pulled out from under them by voters through the initiative process. Throw in term limits—no elected official now serves in California government long enough to fully understand it—and you have a recipe for generating maximum contempt for elected officials. Politicians are elected to get things done and are prevented by the system from doing it, leading the people to grow even more disgusted with them. “The vicious cycle of contempt,” as Mark Paul calls it. California state government was designed mainly to maximize the likelihood that voters will continue to despise the people they elect.
But when you look below the surface, he adds, the system is actually very good at giving Californians what they want. “What all the polls show,” says Paul, “is that people want services and not to pay for them. And that’s exactly what they have now got.” As much as they claimed to despise their government, the citizens of California shared its defining trait: a need for debt. The average Californian, in 2011, had debts of $78,000 against an income of $43,000. The behavior was unsustainable, but, in its way, for the people, it works brilliantly. For their leaders, even in the short term, it works less well. They ride into office on great false hopes and quickly discover they can do nothing to justify those hopes.
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President 2012 Poll Watch: Romney 44% Vs. Obama 42% and Obama 44% Vs. Christie 43%
According to the latest Rasmussen Poll.One’s in the race and one’s contemplating a run, but for now Mitt Romney and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie are both essentially even with President Obama in hypothetical Election 2012 matchups.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely U.S. Voters finds Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, with 44% of the vote to Obama’s 42%. Eight percent (8%) like another candidate, and seven percent (7%) are undecided.
Obama wins 44% support, while Christie picks up 43% in their matchup. Six percent (6%) prefer a third option, and eight percent (8%) are undecided. However, just 26% believe the first-term governor is likely to run for the White House, and only 20% think he should seek the White House.
Here is the breakdown for all of the other GOP candidates and President Obama.
Not a bad first poll for Governor Christie and note the fall of Rick Perry and Michele Bachmann. -
Day By Day September 30, 2011 – Brave Sir Robbin’
Day By Day by Chris MuirChris, you remember Senator Obama during the 2008 Presidential campaign telling Joe the Plumber about “spreadin’ the wealth around.”There you go……
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Flap’s Links and Comments for September 29th through September 30th
These are my links for September 29th through September 30th:
- Why I’m liking Perry better than Romney – With three months remaining in 2011, and the presidential race firming up, I've spent a lot of time recently thnking about the respective candidates, their pros and cons, and who I would feel most comfortable supporting. The reality is, I think we're going to be looking at a Perry-Romney showdown, when push comes to shove. And in that context, it's pretty clear at this point to me that I'm in the Perry camp.
I've had some people ask me why that is recently. I originally became known in the blogosphere for being a squishy moderate/squishy libertarian, and some people seem to see that as consistent with preferring Romney to Perry, if those are the choices. So on a relatively quiet Friday, I figured I'd take a minute and spell it out, especially since reasons #1 and #2 are topical and in the news today.
- @Flap Twitter Updates for 2011-09-30 | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – @Flap Twitter Updates for 2011-09-30 #tcot #catcot
- Flap’s Links and Comments for September 29th on 09:07 | Flap’s Blog – FullosseousFlap’s Dental Blog – Flap’s Links and Comments for September 29th on 09:07 #tcot #catcot
- Why I’m liking Perry better than Romney – With three months remaining in 2011, and the presidential race firming up, I've spent a lot of time recently thnking about the respective candidates, their pros and cons, and who I would feel most comfortable supporting. The reality is, I think we're going to be looking at a Perry-Romney showdown, when push comes to shove. And in that context, it's pretty clear at this point to me that I'm in the Perry camp.
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@Flap Twitter Updates for 2011-09-30
- Carly Fiorina to Give Keynote Address at Americans United for Life http://t.co/AFDHEEg6 #
- @Hardline_Stance They didn't look that sophisticated…. LOL…. in reply to Hardline_Stance #
- Three Arrested in Florida for Stealing High-End Toothrushes and Teeth Whitening Strips http://t.co/8rfPtChR #
- The House needs to have some hearings and subpoena some Obama Administration folks: http://t.co/EJIhvPhU #
- The Gibson Guitar Regulation FLAP http://t.co/Yj5nZ3Tt #tcot #catcot #
- Tobacco Companies Knew Cigarettes Contained Radioactive Cancer Causing Particles http://t.co/H7jv2GsH #
- Tobacco companies knew radioactive particles in cigarettes were killing their customers: http://t.co/LsYWAdLX #
- Dilbert September 28, 2011 – Powerpoint Is Like… http://t.co/14pTS9Id #
- Powerpoints are like diamonds?
: http://t.co/HmbCC2Qx # - Romney and Paul now the best against Obama in Florida Polling: http://t.co/u8EzDFyU #
- President 2012 Florida Poll Watch: Obama 46% Vs. Romney 45%, Obama 45% Vs. Paul 44%, Obama 50% Vs…. http://t.co/RrfuXMqd #tcot #catcot #
- Some of the Worst U.S. Unemployment Rates Are in California Cities http://t.co/89m1gCcv #
- @SoquelCreek I have NO faith …… in reply to SoquelCreek #
- The California Unemployment rates are staggering. Why a blue state?: http://t.co/kGIf9gcZ #
- Why Romney Hasn't Caught On http://t.co/7nVGPxfM #
- President 2012 GOP Florida Poll Watch: Romney 27% Vs. Cain 25% Vs. Perry 13% http://t.co/OReb5xfW #tcot #catcot #
- With the demise of Bachmann and Perry in the polls, will Rudy Giuliani step up to challenge Romney?: http://t.co/MVmi2zbs #
- President 2012: Is There Room in the Race for Rudy Giuliani? http://t.co/zHIDACNT #tcot #catcot #
- Good news and bad news about Methamphetamine Labs and use….: http://t.co/xI3b6SVM #
- While Washington Methamphetamine Labs Have Dwindled Challenges Remain http://t.co/4fuPrOcy #tcot #catcot #
- Liberal group sues FCC, claiming net-neutrality rules unfair to wireless http://t.co/0dm7xBUV #
- Flap’s Links and Comments for September 28th through September 29th http://t.co/Xs9Ej5vP #tcot #catcot #
- Social media jobs getting more plentiful http://t.co/gzleebar #
- Flap’s California Morning Collection: September 29, 2011 http://t.co/Dm7x8alv #
- Today's California Headlines……: http://t.co/GKY2Evzy #
- @Okie_Campaigns Thanks and Boomer Sooner! in reply to Okie_Campaigns #
- A collection of dentistry and health related links/comments for your day: http://t.co/MdLqiOlB #
- The Morning Drill: September 29, 2011 http://t.co/QtfgTM34 #
- A definite disconnect between Mullen and his own Pentagon advisors. What is Pakistan's role?: http://t.co/AQBLIiKM #
- Pakistanis Burn Obama Effigy as America Increases Pressure on Pakistan http://t.co/b1bGB8Ml #tcot #catcot #
- Chris Muir this morning compares Obama to the old church practice of indulgences.: http://t.co/uehwUUvS #
- Day By Day September 29, 2011 – Indulgences http://t.co/6L7Lk0W7 #tcot #catcot #
- Lindsey Buckingham on Morning Joe/MSNBC – one of my favorite artists of all time…: http://t.co/vNWhtAQq #
- @Flap Twitter Updates for 2011-09-29 | Flap's Blog – FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog http://t.co/nXg2Lkt9 #
- @Flap Twitter Updates for 2011-09-29 http://t.co/lktBYTFm #tcot #catcot #
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