Legacy-ascended “Liberal” chooses militarism, abusive prisons over education

Consequence of inherited office, entrenched officeholders

Editing, brief comment by Carolyn Bennett

“Liberal” governor promotes militarism

California Governor Jerry Brown announced today that he has convened a panel on military matters to advise the state on efforts to expand California’s defense industry and to protect against federal [military] budget cuts.

Something, my opinion, that has seriously weakened this “Union” is an insidious fragmentation caused by officeholders competing for or pandering to narrow interests of individual people and states, private and public groups and corporations ─ a quid pro quo, “Pork Barrel” politics for money, influence, votes. 

T

he formation of the Governor's Military Council comes as $85 billion in across-the-board, federal spending reductions start taking effect under sequestration.

The 18-member panel includes Republican and Democratic lawmakers, retired military admirals and generals and the adjutant general of the California National Guard. Their positions on the panel are unpaid.

Militarism over education

A new study from the Public Policy Institute of California shows California “budget cuts have led to sharp declines in community college enrollment.” 

Between 2007 until 2012, “California’s community college system sustained about $1.5 billion in state budget cuts” leading colleges to cut staff, increase class sizes and reduce the number of courses ─ a 21 percent course reduction and corresponding decrease in student enrollment during the latest academic year studied. 

“The study shows total enrollment dropped by almost half a million students.” 

Prison Industrial Complex

“Liberal” governor obstructs human rights ─ fights to end oversight

U

.S. District Judge Thelton Henderson six years ago “ruled that federal oversight of [California’s] prison health care system was needed after determining that an average of one inmate per week died as a result of malpractice or neglect.”

Executive
obstruction

Jerry Brown is fighting continued oversight.

A report issued in January 2013 by Special Master Matthew Lopes said Governor Jerry Brown’s request to end federal oversight of the state prison system was premature, citing several reasons for the need for continued federal oversight, including that:

At least 32 inmates committed suicide in 2012;

Prisons had various lapses in care; and

Patients with mental illnesses sometimes were put in isolation units for long periods rather than given treatment. 

I

Prison Industrial Complex

n a hearing this week considering the California governor’s challenge to continued oversight ─ examining whether to end federal oversight of California’s prison health care system ─ U.S. District Judge Lawrence Karlton said state officials’ actions “to build support for their case (source: the Sacramento Bee reports (Walsh, Sacramento Bee, 3/27) could be viewed as a ‘profound ethical violation.’”

Nepotism, entrenchment, 

Legacy ascsendancy = 

Backwardness

Edmund Gerald (Jerry) Brown, Jr. (b. April 7, 1938), with his father’s name recognition has hopscotched up and down the spectrum of California state office. Along the way, dubbed “moonbeam” and “fringe,” he has changed his mind at will and at anyone’s expense.

In the 1970s, Governor Jr. was an environmentalist and “liberal,” handing out a “first-ever tax incentive for rooftop solar” and appointing more women and minorities to office than any other previous California governor. 

He also opposed the death penalty and appointed judges who opposed capital punishment.

In the 1980s, Brown opposed calls for universal national health insurance and an employer mandate to provide catastrophic private health insurance.

O

n June 28, 2012, again as Governor Jr., Brown signed a budget deeply slashing social services and education. “Tough choices,” he called them, to “help get California back on track.”

Too-long occupation

In his latest hold on office, this entrenched legacy-ascended politician has occupied California’s top executive office since 2011. He also held it in the years 1975-1983. But his occupation of California office extends to 1969.

Before and between governorships, Brown Jr held various state, local, and party positions. Among them: membership on the Los Angeles Community College District Board of Trustees (1969–1971), Secretary of State of California (1971–1975), California Democratic Party chairman (1989–1991), Oakland Mayor (1999–2007) and California Attorney General (2007–2011). 

You might say that Brown owns the State of California.

Swearing in
Brown Jr
1975

Outside this occupation, he reached for and failed to achieve the U.S. presidency (1976, 1980, 1992) and the United States Senate (1982). 

Brown Jr. is the son of California’s 32nd governor (1959-1967), Edmund Gerald (Pat) Brown Sr. (b. April 21, 1905 – d. February 16, 1996).

Brown Jr fans
2011

T

his is what happens when office is inherited, when mass populations practice tribal politics, when citizens are lazy or “fall in love” with “pedigree” or personality. The end of this man’s tenure in office is long overdue.

Sources and notes

“By 2011, enrollment was at a 20 year low. Study: Budget Cuts Hurt Community College Enrollment” (by Amy Quinton), (Sacramento, CA) ─ Monday, March 25, 2013, http://www.capradio.org/185741?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+CapitalPublicRadiocapitolRSS+%28Capital+Public+Radio%3A+State+Government+News+RSS%29

“Judge Says Ethical Issues Possible in Prison Health Care Oversight Case,” Thursday, March 28, 2013, http://www.californiahealthline.org/articles/2013/3/28/judge-says-ethical-issues-possible-in-prison-health-care-oversight-case.aspxead more: http://www.californiahealthline.org/articles/2013/3/28/judge-says-ethical-issues-possible-in-prison-health-care-oversight-case.aspx#ixzz2OxOJdRKs

http://www.californiahealthline.org/articles/2013/3/28/judge-says-ethical-issues-possible-in-prison-health-care-oversight-case.aspx

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_Brown

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pat_brown

_________________________________________________

Bennett's books are available in New York State independent bookstores: Lift Bridge Bookshop: www.liftbridgebooks.com [Brockport, NY]; Sundance Books: http://www.sundancebooks.com/main.html [Geneseo, NY]; Mood Makers Books: www.moodmakersbooks.com [City of Rochester, NY]; Dog Ears Bookstore and Literary Arts Center: www.enlightenthedog.org/ [Buffalo, NY]; Burlingham Books – ‘Your Local Chapter’: http://burlinghambooks.com/ [Perry, NY 14530]; The Bookworm: http://www.eabookworm.com/ [East Aurora, NY] • See also: World Pulse: Global Issues through the eyes of Women: http://www.worldpulse.com/ http://www.worldpulse.com/pulsewire http://www.facebook.com/#!/bennetts2ndstudy

________________________________________________