While Governor Kristi Noem has opened her administration with cramped, visionless proposals, illogical Trumpist excuse-making, and bunker-mentality sniping at other states, freshly inaugurated Governor Gavin Newsom of California is declaring his state the true model for saving America’s future:
“We face serious challenges — some that have been deferred for too long,” Newsom said in his inaugural address. “We face a gulf between the rich and everyone else — and it’s not just inequality of wealth, it’s inequality of opportunity.”
Still, Newsom said it’s California that can best defend U.S. values in the face of “incompetence and corruption” in Washington. He never mentioned President Donald Trump by name, but his speech was laced with sharp rebukes of Trump’s policies, particularly on immigration.
“The future depends on us,” he said. “And we will seize this moment” [Kathleen Ronayne, “Gov. Newsom Points to California Exceptionalism, Challenges,” AP via News Tribune, 2019.01.07].
And in contrast to Noem’s failure to offer any bold new education proposals, Newson is pushing to expand his state’s efforts to educate everyone:
As expected, Newsom’s budget incudes $40 million to support a second year of free tuition for community colleges in the state — California currently spends $46 million a year to make the first year free. The budget proposal also includes $5 million to expand outreach for the program.
Newsom’s plan includes a total of more than $36 billion for the state’s public institutions, an increase of 4.1 percent (and a 5.4 percent increase in general funds) [Paul Fain, “Calif. Governor’s First Budget Proposal,” Inside Higher Ed, 2019.01.11].
When Newsom introduced his budget yesterday, he had been in office 40% less time than Noem. Yet he was able to crank out a budget proposal that serves 45 times more people and spends 30 times more money than whatever proposal Noem is still working on. Newsom’s budget also appears to contain a good 30 to 45 times more vision for education and other quality-of-life priorities than Noem will offer.
“Quality of life.” It would be very nice if the SDGOP positively addressed such issues for All South Dakotans. If they were imaginative and bold in thinking about how to make life better for everyone in the state….
It’s not just California or other big states that can do that. SD can too, on an appropriate scale. Disregard ALEC/Kochs and GOP mantra. Look within SD. What’s needed? What will improve the quality of life for folks in Beresford, Buffalo, Springfield, Hecla, Mission and all the rest of the state? Now create a way to move in that direction.
‘Where there is no vision, the people perish.’
Really, a few acres of land transfer on federal land illegally squatted on? Not raising taxes?
What small minds. What small thinkers. I only think of 2 SD governors and 2 senators who dared dream big and executed.
Legacy. This precious public trust is about legacy, enduring legacy. A gift for the ages. Restated, what are you going to do with this precious, powerful public office to improve the “quality of life” for citizens.
Governor Mickelson created the Mickelson Trail for the ages.
Governor Norbeck created the Norbeck Wildlife Preserve, dedicated Mount Roosevelt and Friendship Tower, and as senator established Mount Rushmore for the ages.
Senator Daschle created the Healthy Forests Act, without which the pine beetle epidemic would have been worse.
All the rest was chump change mired in the daily friction of the job.
Note that our sitting senators, likewise, are missing, what George Bush, the elder & wiser, called, ‘that vision thing’. Governor Newsom shows he’s up to the public trust. Governor NOem, NOt so much.
Well Rounds has other interests. He wants to fly expensive twin engine airplanes. Kristie is all about filling up Facebook and thinks she’s our best and brightest. These are just day jobbers. 9 to 5ers. Trump clocks in occasionally before noon. Thune, he’s all about staying cigarette-thin…distance running. (These 3 have dangerous cruel ideologies.) McConnell has groomed Thune as food for the wolves as Mitch spins his way out of the coming Trump conflagration. Now Dusty. I understand he has potential. Educated. Leadership material. Made some slips with Maria Butina but he’s probably trying to just stay young. Hit the bars after 5. Gravity however will prevent the three “athletes” from having hot bodies much longer and Rounds….pretty sure his eye is on just being in the 1%.
1.09.19 twitter Rounds calls on ACA to help mental health challenges of farmersWHILE ATTATCKING ACA OVER AND OVER. Insurance industry shill dug in…of course lambasting Dems for not letting the stupidest president in history save face. “Getting to Yes” Harvard’s science of the “huge very very great deal”(1988ish)