Monday, October 04, 2010
My choice for candidates and why
In a previous post I presented my choices among the various propositions on the California ballot next month. Among the candidates, I know little about them except incumbents Brown and Boxer. I'm not wildly enthusiastic about either one, but I will vote for both of them. I think it's important to explain my reasons.
With respect to Brown, there is a good chance that as Governor he will sign an act passed by the Legislature to create a single-payer universal health care plan for California. The Legislature has passed such an act twice and our present Republican Governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, has vetoed it both times. If Republican Meg Whitman is elected Governor, she will also veto such a bill. I have hope that Jerry Brown would sign it if he is elected. Therefore, since I believe strongly in such a plan I will vote for Brown. It may be that Whitman would be a better Governor (I doubt it); even so, I believe Brown would sign the bill and I am certain that Whitman would veto it.
With respect to Boxer, she comes a lot closer than Ms Fiorina to expressing and representing my concerns regarding national policy. Carly Fiorina suffers from being a Republican and having to cater to the ultra-conservative wing of her party in order to win the primary election. In addition, she has to keep the conservative wing in line in order to have a chance of winning the general election in November. Finally, she has no experience in politics and would be easily influenced by her staff and the staff of leading Republicans in the Senate. Boxer, after all, came to the Senate after serving for years in the House. Most importantly, in the present political scene there are no prominent Republican office holders or candidates that I have the least enthusiasm for. This has not always been the case, as I have voted for a few Republicans in past years.
I expect to vote strictly for Democratic candidates this fall.
With respect to Brown, there is a good chance that as Governor he will sign an act passed by the Legislature to create a single-payer universal health care plan for California. The Legislature has passed such an act twice and our present Republican Governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, has vetoed it both times. If Republican Meg Whitman is elected Governor, she will also veto such a bill. I have hope that Jerry Brown would sign it if he is elected. Therefore, since I believe strongly in such a plan I will vote for Brown. It may be that Whitman would be a better Governor (I doubt it); even so, I believe Brown would sign the bill and I am certain that Whitman would veto it.
With respect to Boxer, she comes a lot closer than Ms Fiorina to expressing and representing my concerns regarding national policy. Carly Fiorina suffers from being a Republican and having to cater to the ultra-conservative wing of her party in order to win the primary election. In addition, she has to keep the conservative wing in line in order to have a chance of winning the general election in November. Finally, she has no experience in politics and would be easily influenced by her staff and the staff of leading Republicans in the Senate. Boxer, after all, came to the Senate after serving for years in the House. Most importantly, in the present political scene there are no prominent Republican office holders or candidates that I have the least enthusiasm for. This has not always been the case, as I have voted for a few Republicans in past years.
I expect to vote strictly for Democratic candidates this fall.
