Jerry Brown: Leading Hospice Party Democrats to Extinction

[Better Believe It]

Jerry Brown: Leading Hospice Party Democrats to Extinction
By: Scarecrow
August 7, 2011

Brown said he was alarmed at what’s happening in Washington. He told Candy Crowley he thinks the country is in danger from political rigidity, but blamed both the uncompromising Republicans refusing to consider new taxes and the unwillingness of Democrats to explain that all our entitlements have to be cut back. You would never know that America is an immensely rich country, but the richest 1 percent were capturing 25 percent of the income and 40 percent of its wealth and they’re still looting the country, hollowing out the middle class. You’d think a Democrat would want to point that out and organize the posse.

The intellectually bankrupt leaders of the Democratic Party are telling us that with 25 million people under- or unemployed, with borrowing rates at historically low levels, with trillions in needed infrastructure crying out for investments, what states need to do is slash public services. And like Brown, they don’t like borrowing even though the money’s almost free and the rates tell us the markets are begging to lend it.

Jerry Brown represents a dying Democratic Party. Judging from its corrupt behavior and mind-numbing statements, the Party apparently sees its responsibility as something between a slightly more benevolent caretaker for America’s decline and a respectful mortician. They’ve become the hospice party.

Brown and his Party seem unable to explain to the public that the death of government functioning in the broad public interest is not inevitable. It is rather a choice that should be resisted with every breath and every weapon we have. It has become the calculated strategy of a determined, anti-democratic and deeply corrupt oligarchy and their crazed and manipulated followers. We’re in a war, and no one is fighting back for our side.

Read the full article at:

http://my.firedoglake.com/scarecrow/2011/08/07/jerry-brown-leading-democrats-to-extinction/

[snagglepuss]

1. "We’re in a war, and no one is fighting back for our side." K and R. nt

[girl gone mad]

2. k & r

[TheWraith]

3. So now the firebaggers are bashing Jerry Brown. Jerry fucking Brown.

"Governor Moonbeam." So much for the idea that it's about Democrats not being liberal enough--it's just about bashing Democrats.

[amborin]

5. B.S. FDL rightfully criticizes Dems when they enact right-wing policies, such as cuts that hurt the

most vulnerable:

Jerry Brown’s budget cuts deep, looks to extend tax hikes, reshapes government

January 10, 2011 | 10:06 am 59Gov. Jerry Brown will unveil a stark budget plan for California on Monday, proposing to slash welfare spending in half, cut nearly 20% from the state's university system and reduce healthcare coverage for the poor -- while aksing that voters approve an array of tax increases.

Brown, a Democrat, said in a statement he is proposing a budget composed roughly of half cuts and half taxes to confront a budget shortfall that his office has estimated at $25.4 billion.

Brown said his $84.6-billion general fund spending plan "will be painful, requiring sacrifice from every sector of the state, but we have no choice,"
........

latimes.com

[TheWraith]

6. So you would rather he do what, exactly?

Raise taxes even more? Cut something else, like jobs programs, safety inspectors, etcetera?

[Creideiki]

7. Tell me what you would do.

I'm sure the right thing to do is the exact opposite.

[TheWraith]

8. Irrelevant. I'm not the Governor of California.

But thanks for the ad hominem. It's a nice and neat way to show you have no more substantive arguments.

[amborin]

11. you provide no substantive arguments, & imply support for Brown's cuts, which harm the neediest:

Brown's budget still calls for slashing spending by $12.5 billion.

The cuts would fall heavily on the low-income and the needy. The budget strips $1.7 billion from Medi-Cal, the state's Medicaid program, and $1.5 billion from its welfare-to-work initiative.

Also, the state's college systems -- the University of California and California State University -- would each lose $500 million.

Specifically, the budget plan would cut:

• $1.5 billion from welfare

• $1.7 billion from Medi-Cal

• $500 million each from the UC and CSU systems

• $750 million from services for the developmentally disabled

[senseandsensibility]

4. I have no illusions about Jerry

I'm a native Californian, and knew when he won the Governorship (I voted for him) , that people on the left would soon be disappointed. What I don't understand is his motivation. He is slmost monklike and not the type to be influenced by money. At leat that's my sense of him, and it may be wrong. But jeez, he once walked with Ceasar Chavez. This rightwing drift has been going on for at least a decade. I'm confused, and even my cynicism doesn't explain his actions.

[PufPuf23]

13. Brown got a budget passed that reflected reality of the box he is in a Governor.

Brown said this AM on CNN that the net election cycle was crucial and called out to POTUS Obama to appeal to his soul and risk losing.

I am on the left, Californian, and think Brown is the most competent pol in my lifetime. Brown did us a favor in CA to run for Governor.

All Brown is saying is that here is what is possible and time to raise taxes and passed a draconian budget to high light the reality without revenue.

Brown is not a neoliberal, globalist, corporatist, nor war hawk but is an experienced, inventive, and competent manager.

Brown called out POTUS Obama and the electrate by showing this is reality if the electorate does not wake up.

Nuance.

[Starry Messenger]

9. k&r

[blkmusclmachine]

10. Yep. Moribund. And all by choice.

The tent's TOO DAMN BIG. Boot out the DINOs. Give them back to the GOP. Take back our Party!

[shanti]

12. no, jerry, not you!

what a huge disappointment! :( at least i feel pretty confident hat he will not sell off our state to the highest bidder like whitman surely would have.

[tblue]

14. He's a notorious tightwad, but he's not a corporate tool.

He's an honest broker and I respect him for that at least. He was dealt a bad hand, but he knew that coming in and he's owning his actions and not whining. I hate the austerity, I think we should raise taxes, but I give him one point for being a real straight shooter who is honest as the day is long. He's cheap but he's not a coward and he's not a sellout. Reminds me of my dad.