Well, I hope you're right too! maggie
Nathan Newman wrote:
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Margaret Coleman" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>
> -The only problem with using a reasonable (?) solution to California's
> problems
> -as a way to tout democrats over republicans is that it was the democrats
> who can
> -be blamed for creating the problem in the first place.
>
> No, California's deregulation strategy was bipartisan and created under a
> GOP governor who would have vetoed any progressive approach. My point is
> that divided government makes real responsibility unclear, since all results
> are based on what is possible given the check and veto of the opposing
> party.
>
> California right now has a small amount of check in the form of
> initiative-based rules forcing two-thirds votes for many revenue decisions,
> thereby giving the GOP in the legislature some leverage, but in general the
> Dems now have a pretty free hand and therefore responsibility for what
> happens. This is a rather remarkable reality that has not really existed in
> any large state for quite a number of years, since all the large states have
> had some branch of government controlled by the GOP. Now, we have
> California controlled fully by the Dems and we can see the results.
>
> In the past two years, the Dems have actually passed some remarkably
> progressive legislation: free university tuition for almost all students,
> banning almost all strike injunctions, expanded health care rights, agency
> fees for all public employees in unionized sectors, the recognition of
> graduate student employees, restored benefits for immigrants and a number of
> even more progressive bills passed but vetoed by Davis.
>
> But utility reform is the first real crisis with real capital conflict
> dimensions, so the results will be instructive. I've never claimed that
> the Dems are socialist or an unconflicted good, but I hope the results are
> strong enough to justify my lesser-evilism faith. We shall see.
>
> == Nathan Newman
