Every week, some unknown and wildly uncourageous penman over at the Capitol Weekly writes the "Ask Big Daddy" column — throwing around advice like it is going out of sale. His column this week was proof of one thing: Big Daddy Loves Big Government. The column is just one more nasty column aimed at those darned conservatives, by those who don’t understand that state government has grown too much, and is too large. The anonymous penman suggests a number of punative measures that should be taken against Republican legislators who don’t swallow the grow-government kool-aid.
So, I would offer this:
It is really not hard to figure out why virtually every Republican legislator is opposed to the type of ‘bipartisan progress’ being offered up by liberal Democrats Fabian Nunez and Don Perata — because they do not represent any kind of compromise on the part of liberal Democrats, they represent capitulation at best or a liberal streak in one Republican — Arnold Schwarzenegger. There has been no movement on the part of Democrats to embrace any of the Republican agenda.
Daddy, I know that some concepts are hard for you to understand. So let me just spell it out in very simple terms. Democrats want more spending, more taxes, more fees and more regulation. Democrats want to take from one Californian to give to another. Democrats believe in strong centralized government, and a limiting of freedom and liberty of individual Californians. Republicans believe that we need to reign in spending. Republicans not only oppose new taxes, but believe that the taxes that we have now are too high. Republicans believe that by reducing regulation, fees, taxes, and spending, that we will spur on the economy, create jobs, and allow more Californians to enjoy better lives with a better standard of living.
So go look up all of these purported ‘bi-partisan’ ideas — and measure how many of them come down on the Republican side of reducing the size and scope of California government, versus how many of them increase California spending, regulation, taxes, fees and regulations.
Big Daddy, in your latest column you offer a whole list of suggested punitive actions to take against Republicans who actual vote in accordance with the very beliefs that elected them to office. Where is your list of similar ideas to go after Democrats who refuse to support any shrinking of the bureaucracy?
Of course ideas on how to get Democrats to go on a government-diet are not in your column. Why? Because you, Big Daddy, love big government!
Publisher, The FlashReport
December 18th, 2006 at 12:00 am
“Republicans believe we should reign in spending”. J. FLEISHMAN.
Now, there he goes again. Does Fleishman really believe that? How long has George W been President?
How much spending has he “reigned” in?
What the Republicans really stand for is INCREASED spending – but without a means to pay for it.
That means DEFICIT spending – as Fleishman knows. Since Arnold became Governor we’ve followed the same Republican policy here in California. Cut taxes and increase spending -regardless of the Constitution.
As for Republicans being against Big Government…you can pack that canard with Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny and Tinkerbell.
And, in case anyone missed it,
the November results show the people are on to the Great Republican Scam Show
December 18th, 2006 at 12:00 am
Bill, I actually do believe it. As a matter of fact, when you read those polls that show how low the President’s popularity ratings are, it is reflective that almost every Republican I talk to is upset at the spending increases. You’re right – the GOP has a challenge ahead of it, returning to their core principles of limited government and freedom. But jumping onto some sort of grow-government bandwagon in Sacramento is exactly the opposite of what Republicans should be doing.
December 18th, 2006 at 12:00 am
In case you missed it, there were NO new taxes in the bipartisan budget last year, Republicans “won” the main sticking point of the budget by denying children health care, and the GOP got what it wanted out of the infrastructure bonds (for example, targeted $ for Central Valley projects) with the exception of half-baked proposals for dams.
Last year’s progress was bipartisan, and Republicans did well considering their limited numbers in Sacramento. You can’t re-write history.
December 18th, 2006 at 12:00 am
Actually, taxes are UP, Steve. The goal should be to reduce the tax RATES so that when the economy is doing better, it is the taxpayers who benefit, not government. What happens when the economy is doing poorly, and state revenues decline? And as for no new taxes — I am sure will understand that we here at the FlashReport define taxation pretty broadly. For example, the wage increase mandated on California employers — is a tax. The new regulations on California businesses under AB 32 – a tax. The goal is to REDUCE THE PERCENTAGE of the GDP that is going into government and to move tax-freedom tax earlier in the year.
December 18th, 2006 at 12:00 am
Congressional Republicans forgot what got them elected, they bellied up the trough and made pigs of themselves. The Republican Party had to pay for that last election cycle. The general public had no compelling reason to vote for the Republicans. You can’t go to the people and say we are against govt spending when you are in charge and spending goes up year after year. Of course with W in charge what can you expect. Just another Bush who let the fiscal conservatives down. Read my lips….