Just Run for Governor Already

When I lived in Boston in the heyday of the Massachusetts Miracle, WRKO Radio featured an afternoon talk show featuring Jerry Williams, a radio personality who led a fight to repeal the Bay State’s seatbelt law; Howie Carr, a columnist for the Murdoch-owned Boston Herald; and Barbara Anderson from the group Citizens for Limited Taxation.  The show was dubbed “The Governor’s” because the three would regularly question how the state was run and how they could run it much better.  Any opposing caller was immediately accused of being a state employee or a private business with a state contract.  It got to the point where there were no opposing calls because these three became so….arrogant… about state government.

And while Republican William Weld replaced Dukakis in the State House, it was really more a function of a moderate Weld going up againt an authoritarian conservative Democratic candidate in Dr. John Silber, Boston University’s chancellor.  I voted for Weld; and so did a lot of Democrats.

Which brings me to yesterday’s memo from FlashReport publisher Jon Fleishcman to Governor Schwarzenegger in yesterday’s Flash Report.  Read it here.

The memo is written as though Jon is the Governor’s chief of staff.

Jon writes:  That said, I wanted to drop you this memo because I keep getting feedback from FlashReport readers from up and down California who are a bit confused.  Overall, your messaging on the budget is right on target.  But of course the liberal media likes to pick up on anything that you might say that hints about a willingness to solve this problem by sticking it to California taxpayers.
 
My readers have expressed clearly to me that they appreciate your firm commitment to not increasing the tax burden on them in order to deal with the state’s massive deficit, and many have said that they would prefer an endless budget stalemate all the way to the November election if that is what it takes.
 
But there is concern because the folks in the media are trying to portray that you are willing to raise taxes.  But they are using your own words.  Governor, we know you don’t like to get caught up in semantics — but “closing tax loopholes” is liberal-speak for raising taxes. 
 
At a recent townhall meeting, you apparently breached the subject of “broadening” state sales taxes to make them apply to more areas.  This is another tax increase proposal, Governor! 

I get the strong impression, and Liberal OC Readers tell me this all the time, that Jon thinks he knows how to run the state better than anyone.  So let’s drop the pretense of the memo and encourage Mr. Fleischman to run for something besides a partisan party post and become the Republican candidate for Governor in 2010.  Jon has lots of Republican friends and clearly has a strong agenda.  The Republican assembly and senate members seem almost afraid to oppose the Flash Report on almost any issue, so might I be the first to say, “Run Jon Run.” 

To paraphrase the old Hillary Clinton joke, we’ll make bumper stickers so Republicans can put them on the back bumper and Democrats can put them on the front bumper.

And for the record, I do not mind having my state taxes raised in concert with certain cuts to the state budget.  I believe a compromise is the best way to dig out of this hole.  In short, I’m paying more for gas, food and other life necessities.  Inflation and stagflation have hit and everything costs more. 

While Jon defends the tax loophole for luxury boat owners, my kid’s schools are cutting art, music, sports, and science instruction.  Our state legislators won’t meet with our school superintendent and if they do, its to say they only support towing the Republican Party line.