The overwhelming defeat of the five tax-hiking proposals, including one which would extend tax hikes for two years, shows that even citizens in “blue” California are willing to tolerate reduction in services in order to hold the line on state spending one of the core ideas of the GOP resonates with voters. The referendum results show that budgetary restraint is a winning issue.
But, it wasn’t just the defeat of the budget measures which provide signs of hope for the GOP. While perennial politician and ardent left-winger Paul Koretz clings to a 335-vote lead over David Vahedi for the District 5 seat in City Council, the fact that the margin is so close in a very, very liberal district. To be sure, Vahedi is not a Republican, but he had built of coalition of neighborhood activists and other concerned citizens upset at the status quo in the City. He ran at the outsider fighting a liberal City Hall.
The real sign of hope for the GOP though came in the race for City Attorney, when San Pedro lawyer Carmen “Nuch” Trutanich shellacked City Councilman Jack Weiss, the more liberal candidate who was backed not just by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, but also by the Democratic Party and labor unions. Those unions ran harsh ads attacking Trutanich alleging he represented polluters. But, thse ads didn’t seem to resonate.
Despite the assistance he received from the Mayor and the labor unions, Weiss lost by over ten points. It wasn’t even close.
What these elections indicate is that certain ideas which have long defined the GOP resonate with voters, even in “blue” states like California, even in liberal cities like Los Angeles. Yesterday’s results suggest that should the GOP returns to its principles and run against machine politics with reform agenda, they could see themselves returning to the majority, even if jurisdictions where they have long been written off.
I’m familiar with the city of Detroit, the state of Michigan. California’s transformation may be similar. I’ve said for a few years now that the only people, parents left in the city of Detroit are the ones who can’t escape. Why would you stay and put your kids in those schools (only 50% of entering freshmen, graduate.) if you didn’t have to. The last 8 years especially, with total Democrat control of the state, it is a liberal wonderland. As unemployment approaches 20%, the most conservative, prosperous, and productive people are fleeing Michigan as well. So what is left in Detroit and Michigan are the true believers. The extreme blue liberal socialist Democrats. There is no way any Republican can dent that castle. Isn’t California in the same mold? Haven’t the producers been leaving the state to the losers and wagon riders, years ago?
When I read that California is a net energy iIMPORTER with all that oil and gas off it’s coast I really don’t pitty the residents.
five tax-hiking proposals
So now all five of the props raised taxes? Really? Last week this site claimed the props would make it easier to raise taxes; now the party line is that they definitely would have? All five of them? Including the one which only borrowed money against future revenue?
torrent, thanks for catching the error; I’ll fix it.
As to your last point, well, i would argue that borrowing money against future revenue means future tax hikes–how else does the government get its revenue?
even citizens in “blue” California are willing to tolerate reduction in services
The politicians will now tell us that the only services they can cut are core services like law enforcement and prisons. Too bad we can’t start recalling every legislator in the state who suggests cuts to core services until they’ve made meaningful cuts in other programs.
A lot of people who are on the receiving end of other “vital services” and the state employees that provide them will raise hell if they’re touched.
Mark Steyn wrote that a lot of what government is doing would still be a bad idea even if Bill Gates was spending his own money to cover the cost.
Gene – California will last a little longer than Michigan if only because the weather is nicer.
I wonder how many people MI & CA can sucker in with all their ads on TV.
Having lived in Jack Weiss’ district it is not hard to see why people voted against him. He was all about enriching city coffers at the expense of the actual residents.
We didn’t need that in our city Atty. Also, this is a slap to our mayor. He wanted cronies all around, people of LA wanted some checks and balances even in our local government.
While it is pleasant to speculate about a rebirth of the GOP in California, reality mitigates against it. L.A County and the Bay Area are bastons of radical leftist. Orange County isn´t what it used be after the defeat of B-1 Bob Dornan. California has more illegal immigrants than any other state. The Democrats are pushing amnesty expecting the illegals to vote Democrat (whether they´re citizens or not). In 1986, President Reagan signed an amnesty bill that was supposed to end the tide of illegal immigrants. It didn´t. Those who applied for amnesty and became citizens didn´t register Republican in appreciation, they registered Democrat, the majority being mexicans were used to the nanny state run by the socialist PRI (Partido Revolucionario Institucional). The few we (GOP) gained were anti-communists from Nicaragua and El Salvador.