h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I'd love to Blathers.

"That's what you get for generalizing, you f**king racist.

Blatherskite the Mugwump, drinking a beer, belching loudly, and inviting anyone to prove he's ever exhibited the slightest bit of politically correct behavior."

Well, fair enough. But I think I am right in stating that PC is largely associated with California.

"Oh dear, do you realise that this generalisation just is not true, Zagreb? What have you been watching on TV?"

All right! All right!

I worded it wrongly. I was pointing out what I associate with California and, due to some crappy wording by me, managed to tar all Californians with the same brush. I apologise. Cherish it, because I don't do it often .

Zag

Zag, because if California can be generalised in any one way (which it can't) it has to be hedonism and not any puritanical health-nazism.



I just saw a TV ad fro Arnie, he fails to mention anywhere that he is a Republican (wonder why?) and that he stands for 'fiscally responsible government'. Never said how he aims to acheive these things though.

If the recall is going to end up kicking out Davis, I personally think it would be great to see a Latino governor.

Davis' worst crime (along with other Democrats) seems to be being to eager too spend the proceeds of the huge increase in capital gains tax that the state recieved in the dotcom boom era. We all know what happened to that when that bubble burst. Wrong place at the wrong time.

The recall is a waste of money and just opens Pandora's Box to all sorts of recalls by all political sides. It's now just another tool for politicians to use. Governments that are in power are traditionally unpopular, and this recall could throw the whole democratic process upside-down. Doesn't the Mayor of Pittsburg face a recall vote now too?

Ste

Have we just made history, or does anyone know of another gubernatorial candidate who was under investigation for a capital crime during the election?

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/kr/20030821/lo_krsanjose/slayingsuspectstillonballot

It was in the LA Times today that Arnie isn't intending to raise any taxes. Given how awful our economy now is, this means he is going to watch the State crash and burn.

Bustamonte is tempting, but so is Arianna. Just got done reading Naomi Klien's "No Logo" and am good and pissed. I don't see what is particularly wrong with Davis, though, so I will vote no on the recall.



Most native Californians like Blatherskite and me, are rather non-PC. It's the imports who are used to the absolute structure from everwhere else they've lived and learned and can't give the idea up, that are the most PC; they just HAVE to believe in something to justify attacking and hating others for no good reason.

The debate was on last night. Good times. Here's how I scored the event:

Winners:

Peter Camejo - Green: I think he just stole my vote. He distanced himself from personal attacks and addressed each issue head-on, and I liked his position on many of those issues. The Greens still weird me out on certain positions, and he's with the party on those, but overall I think he's the man for the job.

Tom McClintock - Republican: Tom also took on each issue head-on, refusing to duck from any... and that included the often touchy issue of illegal immigration, which he communicated a firm stance against without appearing racist (difficult to do, which is a leading reason why I think so many politicians shy away from it). He did prove himself a dyed-in-the-wool, business-first republican, though, and his crossed eyes remind me too much of Shrub. Still, I came to respect him quite a bit.

Neutral:

Arnold Swartzenegger - Republican: Arnie had been painted with the brush of a stark-raving conservative, and he confirmed it last night. Give him props for the clever quips, though... especially when Huffington got way too huffy.

Losers:

Arianna Huffington - Independent: She won several key points with some well-reasoned arguments, and I was inclined to vote for her prior to the debate. But she couldn't keep on topic too often, and she couldn't stop with the personal attacks, often unwarranted and totally lacking in class. She also referred to herself as the only candidate independent of PAC money... as if Peter Camejo wasn't sitting in the same room.

Cruz Bustamente - Democrat: He ducked almost every question that came his way. For instance, when asked about solving the state budget deficit, he said what he would not cut... not what he would cut. Nor did he suggest any new revenue streams of significance. His manner was condescending and he used a soothing tone that appeared artificial. He's everything that's wrong with politics.

Camejo is very impressive, he makes one proud to be Green.

Huffington's feistiness is a positive feature in California politics, I think. I think it's just as important to be mad-as-heck even if it is coming from a different direction than the uber conservatives that started the recall.

Schwartzenegger has been advertising againt Indian gaming lately. I guess he needs some kind of scapegoat, because that money he wants a piece of is clearly keeping aboriginal Californians off the public health system and welfare rolls. He already lost with proposition 192, and this is more of the same. Given the absurdity of a thorough conservative Simon falling in with him, I think his principles are few and not useful for Calfornia. I'd vote for Camejo or Huffington, but I absolutely want to be sure he doesn't win, ever.



Meanwhile, as a Green, I am highly amused at the scrambling left that the state legislature, Bustamante, and Davis have been doing to keep themselves in office. Some pretty tasty humanist and environmental laws got signed that never would have without the recall. I hope we have another one!

California debates round two ended last night, so here I am with a brand-new scorecard.

Arianna Huffington did not participate, as she has withdrawn from the election, but she did open with a speech against the recall... proving that her personal vendetta against Arnold has robbed her of all good sense, and I cannot possibly support her in any political cause again, ever. She has committed the political equivalent of falling on her own sword, in my opinion.

Arnold also declined to appear, because he wasn't supplied the questions in advance. Are the reporters to be expected to provide him questions in advance for any press conferences if he should win?

Winner:

Tom McClintock. The man scored what should have brought a standing ovation when he discussed the energy contracts and what he personally is doing to resolve the issue. Apparently it has been proven that the negotiator had a conflict of interest, and in the real world, that would be enough to declare the contracts null and void. He currently has filed suit with the state supreme court to do just that.

Neutral:

Peter Camejo. Nothing new here, just more of the same from before. His Green Party weirdness on things like the abolishing the death penalty and adotping universal health care were reiterated, making me a bit less comfortable with him. Just because Europe has done these things, doesn't mean they're right. I really don't like what he has to say about illegal immigrants, either.

Loser:

Cruz Bustamente. No surprise. He once again dodged all questions, especially about the budget. He embarassed himself when the question of MECHA was asked. This is a club on high schools and college campuses that Cruz belonged to and supports today. But its core values are inherently racist... they support the creation of a separate nation called Aztlan which encompasses all the land ceded to the US following the Mexican-American War, and their motto is "Por La Raza todo. Fuera de La Raza nada" (For The Race, everything. Outside The Race, nothing). Cruz disavowed any racist leanings but refused to confront the motto when the question was specifically asked.

B*gg*r...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/3173276.stm

At least it'll give comedians something to do.

Can I just pop in to this thread and giggle at Californians in general...








Sorry, couldn't help myself there...

Please continue with your debate... and good luck with your new governor

Yup. First thing I did this morning was go into the BBC and check this



Californians..

Underneath the tinsel of Hollywood, there is *more* tinsel. Go ahead and giggle. We will smile just as brightly.

I didn't see the MEChA comment before, must have missed it. My surname is Irish, and I have blue eyes and blond hair, and *I* was a member. How racist could it be?