Our Age of Miracles (Letter to Independent Coast Observer)

Since California Republicans haven’t had political power for a long time, Democrats naturally blame them for all of California’s problems. If Republicans would just allow the people to vote on extending taxes, all problems would be solved. California wouldn’t have a half-trillion dollar deficit for public employee pensions, highest taxes, business stifling regulations, low-achieving schools, and uncontrolled wasteful spending.

Actually, no matter what Republicans do, California’s problems won’t get solved. The only thing that will happen if some Republicans cave in and allow Governor Brown’s special election to extend taxes, and California voters reverse the 2009 election and pass it this time, is that the ruling Democrats won’t  feel compelled to make serious spending cuts. And the problems will just get worse.

Public employee unions own Governor Brown and the Democrats, and the unions hate spending cuts. Soon Californians will find all their taxes futilely wasted on unsustainable public employee pensions. California, with 12% of total population, won’t be able to sustain its one-third of our nation’s welfare workload. Our 48^th ranked public education system will only get worse.  Our second highest unemployment rate may soon be the highest.

The Democrat plan is simple. Scare voters with threats of spending cuts so they will extend taxes. Then don’t cut spending and pray an economic revival brings increased tax revenues. Unfortunately for California taxpayers, the revival is going to be slow, and when (or if) it arrives California will be in much worse shape. The Democrat’s plan is like a football “Hail Mary” pass; just heave it up and hope for a miracle.

Michael B. Combs

INEXPERIENCE (Letter to Independent Coast Observer)

President Obama often bemoans the fact that he has been burdened with unique and extraordinary challenges. But all presidents have faced great challenges and all have had to deal with multiple crises. Even so, Obama may find the job exceptionally difficult for two reasons:  (1) He did not bring to the presidency any meaningful work experiences that prepared him to handle the profound challenges inherent to the position, and (2) he and his advisors are mostly left-leaning ideologues who arrogantly believe they can reshape the country and the world by applying their “superior” intellect and ideas to difficult domestic and foreign policy issues. Instead the President and his minions have littered the political landscape with failed policies and broken promises (e.g., high unemployment, Obamacare, closing Gitmo).

But the President’s dithering throughout the Libyan crisis has awoken many to the fact that this seemingly decent, pleasant person may be in well over his head. No one can say with certainty whether bombing Libya was the right decision. However, there is substantial unease among even his most ardent supporters that the President has mishandled the entire affair. Richard Cohen, the liberal columnist, wrote that it was three strong women, Hillary Clinton, Susan Rice, and Samantha Powers, who pushed a reluctant Obama into the decision to attack Libya without Congressional approval. (Even Bush got Congressional approval!)

Cohen sums up the concerns many have about this presidency, “ . . .  the Obama administration has applied incoherence to confusion. It is an odd, dangerous, mix . . . . The change that Obama promised has settled on us all like an irritating drizzle. His ideas were untested by either age or experience . . . .” (Washington Post, 3/22/2011) 

These latest actions (and inactions) regarding Libya are part of a continuing pattern of incompetence in the oval office and in the administration in general.

Jim Littlejohn