We've had some pretty dismal election seasons in California over the past decade, but I'm not sure we've ever had one quite as disillusioning as the one that is wrapping up today. Let's take a quick look: we had no Democratic Primary for Governor, because no one saw fit to challenge the man who was Governor more than 30 years ago. On the Republican side, we had one candidate who has voted in less than half of the elections during her lifetime, facing off against a candidate who strongly disavows nearly every position which first got him elected to public office. And we're not talking about a lifelong transformation here, a la Ronald Reagan - we're talking about a complete political transformation in the span of a mere six years. Well, excuse me if I don't believe a minute of it.
Oh yeah - did I mention that the two of them together have spent more than $100 million on the race? And that we've been treated to a series of escalating advertisements where each claims the other is a "liberal?" Fortunately, every Republican voter I know is more intelligent than their candidates are giving them credit for. And the word that should be associated with Meg Whitman and Steve Poizner is not "liberal." In fact, several words come to mind: "fraud," shameful," "disingenuous," "dishonest." I could probably think of a few more.
We've got an initiative on the ballot sponsored by a major utility that is nothing more than an attempt to keep communities from making rational choices, and is spending millions to call it "the Voters Right to Choose Initiative."
At the local level, we've got three candidates for Sheriff who are so dismal that the local newspaper endorsed one under the headline "Best of a Bad Bunch." One of them happens to be a City Council member in the small city where I live, and my choice amounted to "do I vote for someone who is not qualified for the job, or would I rather get rid of someone who is doing damage to my city?" Wonderful choice to have.
One could go on and on, but why bother. At this point, I'd just like a couple of months free of television ads before we get to the next round - which I'm sure will replace the season just completed as the most dismal election season in California history.
1 comment:
You and I are in the same state (literally and figuratively) on this election. My kids now are no longer surprised when dad changes the radio or TV channel to prevent Whitman, Poizner, or PG&E's fraudulent prop commercials from filling my ears. And yes, you're quite correct. Think this one was a bad election season? Wait until the one in the fall! Sheesh! Thanks, Jeff.
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