http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2239949also, the whining letters in the Orange County Register - Orange County being the only county that votes YES on all of Arnold's
http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/opinion/commentary/letters/article_760209.phpThursday, November 10, 2005
'We have met the enemy ... '
Letters to the editor on the election results.
What my neighbors have done
This is truly a scary thought. Over half of my neighbors think it's OK for my minor daughter to abort her baby without my knowledge. Over half don't care that our legislators create laws favoring gay marriage, driver's licenses for illegal immigrants and banning sodas from schools rather than addressing the budget crisis, antiquated infrastructure and closed emergency rooms. Over half my neighbors really don't care that our unionized public "servants" will retire like kings as we dig deeper into our savings to finance their lifestyles. Over half don't care that their children will be undereducated by incompetent teachers.
Perhaps it's not that they don't care. People who don't care don't vote. Maybe a better description would be that they are easily manipulated or just plain ignorant. Let's just all crank up the latest episode of "Desperate Housewives" to drown out the sound of California slipping into a giant black hole.
Bari Krisinger
Placentia
The election has again proved the strength of advertising against the actual issues. The media blitz put on by the Democrats and the labor unions did its job in distorting and outright falsifying the intent of the propositions. It also made apparent the worthlessness of the voter information guides sent to every registered voter. Actually it was the laziness or ignorance of the voter who did not read the actual propositions but left it up to the ads as to how to vote. I'm beginning to understand the old saying, "We have met the enemy, and he is us."
John P. Lotz
Yorba Linda
Two years ago a movie actor took over the governorship of California from his inept predecessor, who had led the state to the brink of bankruptcy. No one knew what to expect. What they got was a man who did a jaw-dropping job of refinancing a staggering debt, restructuring a business-killing workers' comp system and accomplishing a string of other successes - even attempting a run at the crippling pension system of public employees.
He sponsored four initiatives that could have strengthened both California's fragile financial base and its lagging educational system. And now, after spending an incredible $135 million on their distorted ad campaigns, the public-employees' unions celebrate a great victory over the defeat of his propositions. But all that was proved was that, if enough money is spent, a gullible public can be convinced to vote even against its own salvation.
Ted Robinson
Newport Beach
Unbelievable! That's the only word to describe the outcome on Propositions 73-77. The schools of this state have been dumbing down the students for 30 years now, and it shows. Whatever happened to critical thinking skills? In the words of Judge Learned Hand, "Liberty lies in the hearts of men and women. When it dies there, no constitution, no law, no court can save it." It's a sad day for California. All I can say is, "You get what you deserve."
David Johnson
San Clemente
I am disgusted by the results of the special election, especially when people say it was all show and no substance. Capping the overspending of a socialist Democrat-controlled state and changing the way they gerrymander their districts to prevent any serious competition is not important? How the hell did all these freaking bleeding-heart liberals end up here? The only solution is to nuke this state and start all over. Yesterday was the end of liberty and the start of tyranny.
Chris Winkler
Costa Mesa
A government by the people is fine if the people have any brains in their heads. In California that apparently isn't the case. Arnold said he would go with the will of the people. Since the voters prefer the tax-and-spend Democrat way of life, the only thing Arnold can do is raise taxes.
To top it off, San Francisco passed severe anti-gun laws. Reminds me of France. They do these incredibly stupid things and then wonder why their society is falling apart. When gun deaths and crime increase sharply in San Francisco (as it has everywhere they have imposed gun-control laws), the people won't understand it.
There is not much good about being 82 years old. At least I won't live to see the failure of society.
John Waugen
Anaheim
A sad day for California
It is a sad day in California. What has happened to our state? It seems that we must be so busy that we only get our news and election information from the commercials during our favorite shows. How else can we explain the defeat of Propositions 74, 75, 76 and 77? Only two years ago we threw our governor out of office because he made outlandish deals with the unions (remember the 37 percent pay raise for prison guards?) and voted in someone who was different, who was not a politician, to shake up California.
Our governor tells us there is a problem with the way things are done in Sacramento and then works hard to put propositions on the ballot to change the way things are done, just like he said he would do. Did we listen to him? No, we listened to all the negative ads and voted to return things to the way they were two years ago.
Frank Wissel
Huntington Beach
The real lesson of Tuesday's election results in California is not that people don't want change; it's the fact that they are afraid of uncertainty and are addicted to pathetic mediocrity. It is time for us to look to a viable third party that represents our values and our hopes. Gov. Schwarzenegger was welcomed as a breath of fresh air, yet he didn't know how to get his agenda across. Democrats and labor unions didn't defeat the governor; his inability to articulate a message, his own arrogance, his failure to remain an independent thinker and his accepting help from the fringe groups within the Republican Party did.
Edward A. Sussman
Fountain Valley
I find myself sickened by the results of Tuesday's special election, not so much because of the outcome, though I did support Propositions 74 through 77, but because of what I sense is a laziness and apathy in the voting population. I'm not just speaking of the low voter turnout, though that is an abomination in itself. What I'm speaking of is the willingness of well-educated, thoughtful and hardworking people to rely solely on the opinions of others while casting their ballots. I had many conversations with friends, co-workers and family members on Election Day, and the majority of them had very little idea what issues were even being debated. That wasn't stopping them from going to the polls. Almost without exception, they were casting votes "against Arnold" or because the Democratic and Green Party Web sites or their union representatives told them to vote "no" across the board.
Whatever happened to reading and forming our own opinions? I am a longtime registered Democrat, and to me this election was about making some serious and long-overdue changes to the way the state is run. It wasn't about Republican or Democrat, union or nonunion; it was about balancing a budget, something we all have to do in our daily lives, not just to get by, but to survive. It was about fixing state and federal legislative districts that are currently gerrymandered to the point where incumbents have basically handpicked voters for their next election.
I am fed up with people who are essentially allowing their ballots to be cast by unions or political parties. Pick up a copy of the propositions to read or don't vote at all.
David Barisic
Fullerton
I want to have faith in California voters but it gets harder every election. The liberal idiots in this great state thought it would be fun to elect a movie star to take the place of a governor who was clearly incompetent. When the new governor actually tried to do what he said he was going to do, the majority of voters skunked his ballot initiatives, which would have been a good start on the way to the recovery from our problems.
It is evident to me that the Republican-bashers thought this was about partisan politics and not about fixing an ailing economy. These people have shot themselves in the foot and probably still don't know it. Everyone wants the problems fixed but won't make any concessions or compromises to accommodate the governor's plan.
I am also convinced that the majority of voters opposing initiatives 74, 75, 76 and 77 have no idea what they offered but instead voted against the Republican Party. Please, if you don't know, don't vote!
Jay Gaskins
San Clemente
The people have spoken (yikes!)
The people of California have spoken. They have now officially tied the hands of a governor they elected to reform this state. Now the Legislature can get back to the really important things like gay marriage, driver's licenses for illegal aliens, changing offending high school nicknames and collecting big bribes from the unions. This state deserves whatever it gets.
As for me this was the last straw. I will be leaving California as soon as I am able to. I will follow all of the people and businesses who have had enough of the left-wing loonies who run this state. When I am told I cannot know if my minor daughter is having an abortion, that just about sealed it. As for California I say goodbye, good night and good luck. You need it.
Carl Baker
Mission Viejo
I am absolutely stunned by the results of the election. Deep down in my gut, I knew these results were a possibility, but I just cannot believe how stupid voters can be.
I have lived in California for almost 20 years, and now it is time for me to say goodbye. In my profession, I can live in almost any state, so there is no reason to stay any longer. For those who are influenced by the negative ads filled with lies, you deserve what's going to happen now. California is going to go bankrupt, financially and morally. A Gray Davis clone will get elected, taxes will go sky-high, and business will leave in droves. It's going to be very sad to watch such a great state go down in flames, probably literally. Goodbye, California.
Jess Ruger
Fountain Valley
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