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I’m running late so I’m only sticking to my favorite contribution to global warming by Jabbering Jabba (Steven Greenhut). Steven has been taking issue with former Supervisor Assemblyman Todd Spitzer over his vote in support of the increase in Deputy Sheriff pension rates. While he targets the retroactive portion, my guess is he would rather our deputies have no pensions at all. Anyway, in his post yesterday he blows…ÂÂ
But Todd Spitzer, the supervisor who voted for an even more troubling 2001 retroactive pension spike for deputies, is a very smart guy who prides himself on being a policy wonk, who understands the finer points of policymaking. But even he blames others for his pro-union, anti-taxpayer vote in 2001.
“Where were you when an unanimous Board of Supervisors voted for this benefit? It was a duly noticed agenda item. It was not done in the darkness of night. We passed it when almost the rest of the state had already done so, so it is is hard to argue we were cutting edge.
“Where was the Orange County Retirement Board? Anyone else? No one….no one…expressed any opposition, let alone a doom and gloom forecast.â€Â
Well, here is Assemblyman Spitzer’s response:
“Now someone has a legal theory and your the smartest guy in the room. The luxury.”
Steve,
You entirely miss the point. No one is “blaming†anyone. How could an unanimous five member board blame anyone? It’s our vote; in the light of day; during a noticed meeting with a legally and properly posted agenda item.
To refresh my memory, I checked with the County Clerk’s item on the 2001 vote. Not one speaker in opposition. That’s because no one came forward to object. And this was after Orange County was one of the last counties in the State to adopt the measure.
My point in these responses is that this action was no secret. And the Register? You? Your silence was deafening.
So my point is you are playing Monday morning quarterback and your criticism is unduly harsh and hypocritical since you didn’t think the issue was of any critical significance at the time. By your own admission you sat silent or didn’t pay attention.
Now someone has a legal theory and your the smartest guy in the room. The luxury.
I love the last paragraph of Spitzer’s response.
Yesterday was definitely a hot day in OC. But of course, there is no such thing as Global Warming.
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Will someone please send State Rep Spitzer a copy of Al Gore’s DVD. I wonder if he supports Chuck DeVore’s effort to build more nuke sites since Chuck uses Global Warming as a rationale for building new nuke sites.
Are we to believe that Spitzer would have changed his tune if one editorial writer had voiced a dissenting opinion?
Fat chance.
Spitzer can whine all he wants, but many of us appreciate people like Greenhut holding his and other politicians’ feet to the fire. Spitzer, after all, is supposed to be working for us.
By the way, using “your” in place of “you’re” when trying to be cocky is especially amusing. Perhaps a staffer could proofread Todd’s future rants?
Ray,
Greenhut has been here in OC since the late 90’s spouting doom and gloom rhetoric about how government is going to melt down for any number of reasons and that CA is headed for a depression because of its business unfriendly climate.
Could you point me to one example where he has been right?
RHackett,
Let’s assume that what you say about Greenhut is correct. So what? He’s one guy who writes for a local newspaper. If you don’t like what he writes, don’t buy the Register. And, furthermore, don’t buy into theliberaloc.com’s obsession with one guy, which has apparently morphed into some kind of sport on this site, complete with graphics and semi-clever wordplay.
Anyone paying attention to the big picture recognizes that it is far more deplorable to use doom and gloom rhetoric to get elected (Todd Spitzer) than it is to sell newspapers (Steven Greenhut), so perhaps you’d like to explain to us why YOU’RE not paying attention?
What would be truly refreshing is for all of you Greenhut Haters to identify yourselves up front.
Are you…
1. A member of the military who doesn’t like his opinions?
2. A member of a labor union who doesn’t like his opinions?
3. A member of the Republican Party who doesn’t like his opinions?
4. A member of a law enforcement organization who doesn’t like his opinions?
Any “liberal” worth his or her salt should be grateful to have someone like Greenhut here in OC. With the exception of labor unions (sorry, Chris), he’s clearly going after many of the member-based organizations that “liberals” often have a problem with.
Let’s assume that what you say about Greenhut is correct. So what? He’s one guy who writes for a local newspaper. If you don’t like what he writes, don’t buy the Register.
And I don’t.
Are you…
1. A member of the military who doesn’t like his opinions?
2. A member of a labor union who doesn’t like his opinions?
3. A member of the Republican Party who doesn’t like his opinions?
4. A member of a law enforcement organization who doesn’t like his opinions?
None of the above.
I don’t have a difficult time with member based organizations because I believe in the Constitution. You know. The First Ammendment and all that.
I can understand Chris’ animous for the simple reason that Greenhut only attacks one group with great regularity. I’ve asked him several times why he never seems to attack businesses that have defacto monopolies such as trash haulers or cable TV.
Lastly you flatter yourself if you believe I hate him. I don’t even know the man. I dislike his opinions for several reasons. One being is they have yet to be right about anything. Secondly, he projects knowledge about entire groups and their responsibilities having never known or experienced that occupation. Law enforcement and fire fighting to name two of them.
Lastly he never offers what he believes is a correct course one should take. i.e. He criticizes Spitzer for a vote that was bad public policy. What does he consider a correct vote or a proper amount of compensation? He never puts that out for anyone to gauge.
I hope this helps.
Lastly Ray.
If Greenhut is going to be critical of others and put forth his opinions as being informed the least he can expect is to be treatly similarly in return. In this era of the blogosphere this is easily done. It is the effect of being able to write instantaneous letters to the editor.
How come no one has bothered to check the recent Board item giving the county managers a HUGE raise in perks and salary, yet all this politicking on the deputies . . .
Smurf. It’s much more fun to go after the pay of deputies because they’re in a union. For the same reason the Moorlach’s and Greenhut’s of the world never go after business that have government monopolies.
I stopped the Register because of Greenhut.