Conference back40::soapbox

    Pate Wilson == Bill Weld on most political issues, although
    being the Gov of Kaliph, he's somewhat higher profile.

    -b

    
    This Pete Wilson, he a ball player or something?

	No, that's Mookie Wilson.... or was that Willie Wilson..... 

    
       He's George Nelson's brother.

Willie Nelson?

    
    Tony Nelson?

    Ozzie Nelson?

    I'm not a Wilson watcher of long standing, but since he is California
    based I do have some information about his track record.  I'm not all
    that fond of him, so this won't be very flattering.
    
    He was elected Senator in 1988, and promised at the time he would serve
    his term.  While a Senator, he voted against the tax increase of 1990
    (as did Gramm), the one Dole, Spector and Lugar voted for, and the one
    that was Bush's biggest Read My Lips liability.
    
    He didn't keep his promise to serve his term.  While Senator, he ran
    for Governor of California against Dianne Feinstein and won in 1990.
    This was why California had two Senate races in 1992; one normal one
    won by Boxer for a six-year term, and one special to fill the last two
    years of Wilson's term.  Feinstein got her revenge for losing the
    governorship by winning the race for his vacated Senate seat over an 
    Orange County caveman conservative.  And she retained the seat this
    year for a normal six-year term by beating Huffington in a very close
    race, the one Huffington spent $29M in losing.
    
    As governor, Wilson came into office in early 1991.  The state was
    in the throes of budget crisis; California legislature at the time was
    in Speaker of the Assembly Willie Brown's hip pocket, but they couldn't
    pass a responsible budget to save their lives.  Gridlock caused the
    state to live on IOUs ("vouchers") for a few weeks; a court recently
    ruled that Wilson had exceeded his authority to issue those IOUs in
    lieu of pay to state workers; he should have furloughed them and shut
    the government down, that was his only legal recourse to no budget. 
    Eventually a $7B tax increase was passed and that let the budget
    through (California budget must be balanced, per state constitution.)
    So Wilson's got a mixed record on taxes- voted against Bush increase,
    voted for California increase.
    
    Budget time is always a mess around here, because the legacy of Prop 13
    and the ensuing decade-plus of government-by-initiative has tied down
    between 75% and 85% of the state's revenue; this much *must* go to this
    pot, this much *must* go to that pot, etc; and many categories of tax,
    like property tax, are limited.  So the politicians really don't have
    much discretion to massively overhaul the state budget, and they're in
    the pockets of the tobacco and insurance lobbies anyway.  Presiding as
    governor over this mess, Wilson hasn't done much better or much worse
    than anybody else.  One thing he did really well was play populist
    demagogue politics.  After the tax increase and the voucher fiasco, he
    was perceived to be a has-been; his political capital was washed up. 
    But he read the polls right and jumped out in front of the
    three-strikes law to lock up three-times convicted people for long
    terms, and he also jumped on the anti-immigrant bandwagon so hard he
    now looks like he's the driver.  Big push in support of prop 187, which 
    would have required teachers and health-care workers to drop a dime on
    anybody they "suspected" of being an illegal immigrant, turning them
    into stoolies and giving closet bigots a government-fashioned tool to
    harass people whose appearance they didn't like.  Wilson should be
    ashamed of that, but it passed 60-40 in this state; basically, people
    are blaming illegals for the complete failures of government, which is
    scapegoating of the worst kind.  The budget problems are simply much
    bigger, due to the fed-gov military base closures and aerospace
    industry shutdowns that swelled our unemployment rolls and cut tax
    recipts.  Anyway- Wilson took his chance, played the race card, and is
    now riding the populist wave.  I don't approve.
    
    Wilson was also re-elected to governor this year.  While running, he
    promised again to serve out his term.  If he really puts his hat in the
    presidential ring, he'll be breaking that promise again- and it'll
    cause him problems with the state GOP, because the Lieutenant Governor
    who'll serve the rest of his term is a Democrat, Gray Davis.  Wilson
    was trying half-heartedly to get something through the legislature that
    would change the succession rules and make that less of a problem, late
    last year, but the media exposed it and he had to back off; it was too
    naked a power ploy to risk during the election season.  But it looks
    like he's going for the big brass ring anyway.  Be interesting to see
    what kind of support the state GOP gives him, twice an oath-breaker.
    
    DougO

    So, Doug.  Are you fer 'im or agin 'im?

    I certainly haven't discussed all the things Pete Wilson has done.  One
    thing I should give him credit for is his attempts to work with the
    legislature to reduce the tax regime that was driving businesses out of
    California.  He hasn't won all the battles, and big employers like
    Intel and Motorola are still creating 90% of their new jobs in plants
    they build in other states- but he's put the issue on the table and if
    he sticks around he might even win it this round.  But then again, he
    may not be around to fight many battles the next year and a half, which
    is a strong negative.  I think he should keep his promise and stick to
    being governor this time around.  Let him run for Pres in 2000 after
    giving up the governorship in 1998.  He's got a job to do here.
    
    Am I for him or agin him?  On GOP campaign issues, the only one I see
    who I like is Dick Lugar.  Wilson's strengths are those of a demagogue.
    He won't solve any problems if he's elected to the presidency as the
    anti-immigrant poster boy.
    
    DougO

    Wow.  Great memos.  I too am rather unfond of PW.  I don't know what
    kind of chance he has if he runs for the big chair.  His reputation in
    CA is a sore thumb in his mighty hand.

| <<< Note 368.11 by SWAM2::SMITH_MA >>>

| Wow. Great memos. I too am rather unfond of PW. I don't know what kind of 
| chance he has if he runs for the big chair.  

	Oh.... is the death penalty back in California? 

| His reputation in CA is a sore thumb in his mighty hand.

	But it might help land him in the big chair...... voltage ON!!!!!

He'll never get on the 
GOP ticket...he's pro-choice.

    
    >>        speaking of Wilsons, Pete seems to be making noises
    >>        about running in '96.                        ^^^^^^
    	
    Is it the neoconservative mating call?  Soooooeeeeeey!   
    
    	

    The SF Chronicle offers a humorous take on Wilson's desire to run.
    
    DougO
    -----
    The Sacrifice of Governor Muffin 
    
    ARTHUR HOPPE 
    
    CALIFORNIANS were all a-twitter when they heard that Governor Muffin
    was going to run for president. 
    
    Just about everyone was jubilant down at the Golden State Shelter for
    the Residentially Challenged. ``Golly, I guess he's just about the best
    governor we Californians ever had,'' said old Miz Spindler, who was
    cutting a hole in one of her black tennis shoes in order to accommodate
    an arthritic toe. 
    
    ``Sounds like another untrustworthy politician on the make to me,''
    growled Abner Custer, tapping his cane impatiently on the linoleum
    floor. ``Didn't he promise us half a dozen times when he was
    campaigning for our votes that he wouldn't run for president?'' 
    
    Skinny young Spencer Booker, who was kind of a know-it-all, put down
    the day-old newspaper he'd been reading. ``Governor Muffin has
    explained all that very clearly,'' he said. ``He told the reporters
    that he would never in a million years break his sacred contract to
    serve out his term as governor. He wants us voters to break it
    instead.'' 
    
    ``Beg pardon?'' said Abner Custer, cupping a hand to his ear. 
    
    Booker nodded. ``He said, and I quote, `I will not break my contract.
    It will be a decision of the people of California whether they choose
    to release me from it in order to assume the responsibility where they
    think I can serve them better. They decide whether I am more valuable
    to them for two more years as governor, or for four years as
    president.' '' 
    
    ``Wow!'' said Miz Spindler, shaking her head. ``I just knew he wouldn't
    break his promise, but it sure is one tough decision for us to make.'' 
    
    ``It sure is,'' agreed Booker, ``but Governor Muffin has done his best
    to help us out. He says he thinks Californians would, and I quote
    again, `rather have a president who is sympathetic to their goals and
    who is fighting for them than to simply have a governor continue trying
    to wrench relief from a hostile administration.' '' 
    
    ``And he's right,'' agreed Miz Spindler. ``If he can't do anything as
    governor, he should get the shot he wants at being president.'' 
    
    Booker was incredulous. ``You think Governor Muffin wants to be
    president?'' he asked. ``Why, being president is just about the worst
    job in the whole world. He's made it pretty darned clear that he's
    making this big sacrifice just for us. Of course, as he says, the rest
    of the country will be much better off when he makes all the other
    states as great in the next four years as he's made California.'' 
    
    Abner Custer harrumphed loudly. ``I don't see as to how every state can
    have the highest unemployment rate, the eleventh worst schools, the
    angriest minorities, the . . .'' 
    
    ``You're forgetting that he's building more new prisons than anywhere
    in the world,'' said Booker firmly. ``And if you don't think he's doing
    a great job for us homeless, ask any panhandler on a downtown block.
    Heck, ask all 50 of them.'' 
    
    So after giving three cheers for Governor Muffin, the residents of the
    Golden State Shelter for the Residentially Challenged voted almost
    unanimously to break their contract with Governor Muffin and let him
    sacrifice himself on the altar of presidential service. 
    
    The only dissenter was 8-year-old Billy Freckles. ``I'm just worried
    Governor Muffin hasn't promised that if he's elected president,'' said
    Billy, ``he won't quit to run for something else.'' 
    
    SF Chronicle, 29 Mar 95

    Personally, I don't think Pete has any real chance of winning, or even
    getting the nomination.  And you can presume that none of the 5 voting 
    Californians (3 Dems, 2 Repubs) in my family will be casting for Pete 
    in 1996.  Blatant bandwagon politics are too much for me.  Besides, I 
    consider his biggest "achievement, the passage of Prop 187, to be unfair 
    to the medical and education professionals of our state, as well as of 
    dubious fiscal benefit.  I do believe that just supporting this Prop. 
    in the courts may cost California more than it could save us, not to 
    mention the expenses involved in enforcing the provisions of 187.
    
    M.

    Pete Wilson is, quite simply, a bare-faced, cynical liar. He swore up
    and down that he would serve out his term, and on the basis of that
    (plus other issues) he won CA Governership. And now he turns around and
    demonstrates that he was prepared to blatently lie about anything just
    to win. "Read my lips....."
    
    From previous example, of course, it appears that is bound to win a
    presidential nomination, because if you can lie hard enough and look as
    if you'll mean it, there's always a majority who'll believe you!

    re -.1
    	Any elected official that thinks he/she has a chance at a better
    	elected position will skip out. This should come as no surprise
    	to anyone.
    
    re: rest
    	What really scares me is Willie Brown directing the Lt. Governor
    	to execute wholesale changes while Brown is out of town campaining.
    	 See we in Ca. have a law that lets the Lt. Governor do whatever he
    	wants when the REAL governor is out of town. Since the Dem's can't
    	get anything done legitimately (sp?) they will take this
    	opportunity very seriously.

	Cuz the Right is making the choice, and seeing Wilson is choice, they
chose the utta people

 It drives me nuts when people refer to California as "Cali".

> It drives me nuts when people refer to California as "Cali".

Isn't Pete Wilson a Colombian drug kingpin?

    Dear Mr. Ru:
    
    How does Pete Wilson feel about using federal tax dollars to fund
    private choices like abortion?
    
    -Jack (Fellow MDPer)!!!!!

	Pete Wilson disclosed that he did have an illegal maid. Should get by
without a problem though. Clinton had a mistress ones,+ and became President! I
wonder why it didn't work for Gary Hart?

Pete blames his ex, who supposedly handled all dealings with the maid.
She has to pay a pile of back taxes.

	Is he paying the taxes from the line of bullsheite he's been building
up over the maid incident?

ZZZ    bullsheite 
    
    You spelt it incorrectly!
    
    Hope this helps.
    
    

    	
    	Heard on NPR today that Jessie Jackson is going to organize
    	a "Gov Pete Wilson Recall" because Wilson has not perform his 
    	functions as a governor ever since he's stumping for the
    	GOP Pres slot.
    
    	Usually I could care less what Jackson says/does because I believe
    	that he is simply another self-promoter who really can use a 
    	REAL job himself, but in this case he has a point.
    
    	Wilson who was just re-elected last Nov(?) almost immediately
    	announced that he could topple Clinton. Since then he had gone
    	stumping in New Hampshire and other places while the Calif state
    	budget went awry (and that's just ONE example). In fact that 
    	was just settled yesterday after a long delay (weeks and weeks).
    
    	One of his favourite soapbox of course is the rollback of
    	affirmative action. You all have heard plenty about that, right?
    	The last stunt was his "coercion" of his appointed UC Regents to
    	ban affirmative actions in Calif. university hiring and student
    	enrollment. 
    
    	SO the question is... shouldn't there be a law or something to
    	prevent a newly elected official from campaigning or running for
    	another office before serving a minimum time in that office s/he
    	was elected for??
    
    	I have never seen such a blatant power hungry and greediness like
    	Wilson's before. I mean the man is WITHOUT scruples! Calif. is
        STILL in a recession and he's not doing his job.

I didn't know Jesse was a California resident.

As Jack pointed out, it's Jesse.  Jessie is usually a diminutive of Jessica.

    
    Methinks it's sour grapes on Jesse Jackson's part because UC, at the
    recommendation of Gov.Wilson and against his, Jesse's, specific 
    instructions*, bagged AA.
    
    
    
    
    * Even tho he has eff-all to do with it

    
    > I didn't know Jesse was a California resident.
    
    Jack, how crass of you to point that out !  Didn't you realize, Jesse
    is a citizen of the WORLD !
    
    :-)
    Dan

> people just don't like Republican's social welware, and medicare cut. 

Which people would those be?

ugh.

    >The fact that the budget cut will great a big recession
    
    I assume you forgot the smiley ?!
    
    ...Tom

    
    	Nah, he's serious....
    
    

    Sad  :)

    or is it sad :(

    
    
    	both if you're two if Mr. Richardson's personalities....
    
    

    
    Jackson's efforts, if they materialize, might prove a real boon 
    for Pete Wilson.

>    Elder, poor, legal emigrant, middle class.

Oh, come off it, Jason.

I have parents in their late seventies (does that qualify as elderly?)
who've finally come to grips with the fact that they don't need to
suck the government teat in order to subsist.

Which legal emigrants who earn an honest living are concerned with
Republican social spending cuts, and why?

I'm middle class, as are most (all?) of the people I know. I haven't
any problem with the cuts, nor do any of my acquaintances. On the
contrary, what's been done so far, and what promises to continue
to be done by the Republicans in terms of social budget cuts is
probably about the most exciting and envigorating thing that I've seen
in my entire adult voting life (25+ years).

For once since the Depression we're seeing a government that's making
some noise about stopping the theft from the working man's paycheck to
fund giveaway programs to those who should be either making it on their
own or packing it in.

    
    Jason,

    Since when is spending MORE MONEY a CUT?

    The only thing that has been decreased is THE RATE OF GROWTH !

    Please for your own benefit read up on the subject.

    Dan

    Jason's quite right that defense cutbacks have caused a big recession,
    when you remember he's writing from LA, and California is suffering
    mightily from numerous facilty closures and contract cancellations as
    the Defense budget has been drawn way down over the past five years.
    California's unemployment rate is still more than a point higher than
    the national average; technically the national economy has been in
    recovery from the Bush recession four years now, but the state economy
    here certainly hasn't.  And we're not done yet- McClellan and other
    facilities in the state will be closing over the next few years, with
    inevitable job losses no matter what.  Wilson hasn't been paying much
    attention to issues in this state except for the immigrant-bashing of
    187 that plays so well on the GOP national campaign trail.
    
    DougO

    
    <------
    
    Geee, It sounds like the "Big Dig" here in Massachusetts !
    
    :-(
    Dan