Obama. Just. Doesn’t. Get it. (Jerry Brown Gets It)

[Hazumu]

By Ann Rostow
Published: December 25, 2008

It's not simply wrong because Prop 8 was a "revision" rather than an "amendment." It's not simply wrong because we believe our cause is just. It's not simply wrong because we don't like losing, or because we want equality, or because we want to get married.

It's wrong because it is antithetical to our entire system of constitutional justice. It's like losing a close football game because the referee decides to award an extra two points to the team with the loudest cheerleaders. We're not just upset that we lost, we're upset because the normal rules don't seem to matter when we're on the field.

And this is what Jerry Brown said to the court. First, he disagreed with most of our legal points. He thinks Prop 8 is an amendment, not a revision. He does not believe Prop 8 interferes with the separation of powers. Prop 8 is just fine and dandy throughout most of his discourse on the subject.

[lizbeth]

jerry brown is the first person I ever voted for (92 california democratic primaries).

I <3 jerry brown.
I <3 obama too.

[RebeccaFog]

Jerry Brown is a hero to me.  Since like the 70's, he's spoken his mind plainly and boldy whether right or wrong.  I voted for him in the primary against the Clinton

[tekla]

I worked hard for Jerry in Iowa, had his people stay at my house, had lunch with him a few times.  Very smart guy, zero pretense.

[Vicky]

One of the reasons I decided to join this set of discussion boards was Susan's motto in the header of balance, and the fine, perilous job we are up against.  I'm going to mangle her idea just a bit to make a point on this subject. 

One of the things about this article is that it does take reading the source thoroughly to see the interesting points of how people think they can achieve balance. Most wish to achieve balance by putting abolutely equal weight on both ends of the lever, the drawback to this is that too much on each end, and the knife edge fulcrum will will cut through the lever and let both ends fall, and then they will really be on different sides of things.  Obama is still loading both ends equally which is a receipe for eventual disaster.  But hey the guy is new at the job at that level. 

I did not vote for Jerry Brown when he was governor of California, for the same reason that I did not vote for Obama this time.  Brown was too new, and while he had his dad as a model, he was then a kid that wouldn't listen to his old man.  I did vote for him this time as the Attorney General of CA.  He's grown up and matured in judgment.  His "Getting It" by going to higher ground than the technicalities of law that some of the lawyers even for the GLBT community wanted to hit is what more people should do in this whole sorry mess we have in the entire US.  Our problem is that too many people think that the "Higher Ground" is found in denominational literature and they are off the hook from using a vital human organ.  The heirarchy of shamanism is unbelievable.

Politically, I am a pragmatist, and can see where both sides of the aisle have some sense from time to limited time.  I am actually pushing for a multi (more than 2) party legislative system like the rest of the "civilized" world uses. 

I am not yet "OUT" in too many places, which gives me a chance to be seditious in some straight (double entendre) line conservative groups I infiltrate.  Getting someone to finally admit that they don't know, and cannot say why someone elses gay/les or transness deeply affects their ability to have a happy life can be fun.  I simply hope they don't forget it after the next morning's sermon.  I have also gotten the answer a few times that "saying it affects my chance of happiness to the people here keeps them from thinking I am (gay/les/trans) one of them, and having them throw me out of this group."  There's the crux of it. 

Lets hope Brown's theory pans out, but we need to be ready to use the chicken kacky arguments too, darn it.  Maybe Obama will grow up and realize that you can't fool all of the people all of the time.

[tekla]

Jerry had 4 years as Secratary of State under Regan, the only Democrat in that cabinet.  And his record as gov is pretty good.

Brown was elected Governor in 1974 and reelected in 1978, by over one million votes.

During Governor Brown's tenure, California produced 25% of the nation's new jobs. His eight years in office are generally considered among the most innovative in American history. He established the first agricultural labor relations law in the country, enacted collective bargaining for teachers and other public employees, started the California Conservation Corp (CCC), signed into permanent law the California Coastal Protection Act, earned federal protection of Northern California wild and scenic rivers, brought about the country's first building and appliance energy efficiency standards and made California the leader in solar and alternative energy.

Brown appointed more women, Asians, Latinos and African-Americans to high government positions than any other chief executive. He also created the nation's first Wellness Commission, the Office of Appropriate Technology, the Native American Heritage Preservation Commission and the California Commission on Industrial Innovation. As president of the University of California Regents, Brown successfully sponsored the establishment of the prestigious Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation. Brown legalized the practice of Acupuncture and strongly supported the rights of chiropractors, osteopaths and lay midwives. He also significantly expanded apprenticeship programs and created the California Worksite Education and Training Act (CWETA). He mandated every high school district to establish clear graduation standards and successfully fought for increased math and science requirements for both the California State University and University of California systems. Finally, Brown restructured the California Arts Commission so that it was composed of practicing artists and increased funding by 1300%.

In the field of crime fighting, Brown enacted hundreds of tough anti-crime measures, including the "Use A Gun Go To Prison" Law and mandatory sentences for rape, sale of heroin, violent crimes against the elderly, child molestation and selling PCP. He established and funded the Career Criminal Prosecution Program, the Career Criminal Apprehension Program and the Crime Resistance Task Force.