The Real Tough Choice

I am in California today and have been blanketed with Meg and Jerry ads.  Which one should deserve a Californians’ vote?

Meg claims to be the business person who is untied to any private interest group.  She’s for reducing taxes, creating new jobs, and bringing back the good old days. Jerry counters with his decades of experience in politics (including having been California’s Governor once).  He says he will create new jobs and make California great again. How can a voter logically decide which one is best?

Well frankly speaking, there is no way.  Neither candidate has spoken of what issues California really faces and what specifically would they do to fix what ever ails California.  Picking the best choice is the same as putting your hand into a deep dark bag you have just received, and hoping to pull out a rabbit (and one with four legs besides).

This race is not unlike almost all others being run this year.  Republicans are going to cut taxes (amazing with the magnitude of the existing budget deficits).  They are simultaneously going to create new jobs (as if that can be done simply by wishing).  And best of all, they are going to get “Government off your back” (while they maintain social security, Medicare, homeland security etc.).  At the State level, “State” is just substituted for “Federal”.

But if it were so easy to just discount the Republicans as disingenuous, the choice of a Democrat would be easy.  But the fact remains there is no more of a clue as to how to provide current Government services and balance the budget.  There is, of course, a clear path to balancing the budget but it entails going to the source of the health care spending and attacking the costs sources.  There is also straight forward means to reduce the nearly $900 billion homeland security entitlement but no one wants to look soft on defense.

So how does one make a choice?

This year the vote for Governor, in any State, is about redistricting.  The party that controls the governorship, has a leg up on how the State is redistricted.  For Senator, the vote is all about ensuring the next Supreme Court appointee does not resemble Roberts, Alito, Thomas, or Scalia.

I wish there could be a better measuring stick but the current “system” is so out of whack that trying to determine who will be the most effective executive or representative (House or Senate) is simply not possible.  Without third parties and/or complete redefinitions of the existing parties, voters are not going to know what any specific candidate is likely to try to implement.

This year it is a real tough choice.

 

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Tags: california, jerry brown, meg whitman, mid-term elections, Senate, third parties

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