Via Sebastian Holsclaw, I came across the Governator's (Cal. Gov. Arnold Schwarzeneggar) state of the State speech. Agree or disagree with him (though I have to say, I largely agree), he is not afraid to stake out clear political positions and defend them:
1) On the state budget:
Last year, we had $78 billion in revenues coming in. The great news is that this year, we have $83 billion coming in, over $5 billion more than last year. Now that is terrific.
However, various budget formulas require us to spend over $10 billion more.
Do the math. Our revenue increases by more than 5 billion but our spending increases by over 10 billion. We don't have a revenue problem. We have a spending problem.
In fact, the way the formulas now work, we will never catch up. No matter how well we do, the current system is programmed to spend even more.
It is on automatic pilot. It is accountable to no one. Where will it all stop? How will it stop unless we stop it?
The truth is that we cannot fix the budget deficit without first fixing the budget system. The Constitution requires that I submit a budget to you, which I will do in a few days.
Yes, it sounds good, and it would get us through the current year, but I do not like this budget at all. It does not solve our ongoing structural problem, because our deficit the following year will be even worse.
2) On the schools:
Let me say this to every California teacher who is opening the minds of our children and nurturing their lives: I want to reward you for your hard work. I want to reward you for the sacrifices you make. I want to reward you for the learning that you instill.
But I cannot do so under the current system. Help me change it.
We must financially reward good teachers and expel those who are not. The more we reward excellent teachers, the more our teachers will be excellent. The more we tolerate ineffective teachers, the more our teachers will be ineffective.
So, in the special session, I propose that teacher pay be tied to merit, not tenure. And I propose that teacher employment be tied to performance, not to just showing up.
3) On gerrymandering:
When I was studying to take my citizenship test, I learned about gerrymandering and how politicians changed the boundaries of a voting area to protect themselves. For a long time I thought that was something that happened way back in the 1800's, but the practice is still alive and well today.
Here is a telling statistic: 153 of California's congressional and legislative seats were up in the last election and not one changed parties.
What kind of democracy is that?
I will propose that an independent panel of retired judges--not politicians--determine California's legislative and congressional districts.
They can draw fair, honest district lines that make politicians of both parties accountable to the people.
The current system is rigged to benefit the interests of those in office . . . not the interests of those who put them there. And we must reform it.
4) On political courage:
What I propose will demand political sacrifice from all of us, but it is nothing compared to the sacrifice of thousands of Californians in uniform. Many have left their blood and their buddies in the sands of a foreign land.
When we ask them to risk their lives for democracy over there, how dare we not take the risk to reform our democracy here!
Our troops should come home to a government as noble as their sacrifice.
Ask yourselves, what do they want from us beside our political courage?
They want jobs so that they can support their families and afford health care and a home of their own. They want good schools where their children are safe. They want an environment that is clean. They want a society that cares for the sick and needy. They want honest and responsive government.
These things are not too much for the people to ask. These things are not too much for government to provide.
But these things will not happen without reform.
It's too bad that there aren't more politicians who are willing to risk their political careers by being so direct and candid with the voters. Of course, one can quibble with the Governator's plans -- for example, how will we know who the good teachers are and who the bad ones are -- but I applaud him for speaking in specifics rather than generalities, for identifying specific problems rather than spouting platitudes.
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