(#39/365) Offerings

"Adult life brings its own natural spiritual tasks and openings
We become more caring and responsible for our family, our community, our world
We discover the need for vision and feel strong desire to fulfill our own unique expression of life.
As we mature, a natural contemplative quality enters our life. We can sense a movement within
to seek periods of reflection and to gain perspective, to stay in touch with our heart."
Jack Kornfield


Title: Keep Me In Your Heart
Flickr User avenue207

California Politics: Meg Whitman & The 2010 Governor's Race

Former EBay CEO and GOP candidate for California governor Meg Whitman told the SF Chronicle in her finance statements she'd spent "2.8 million in 2009 to launch and maintain her website" - 2.8 MILLION dollars on a website? Well I had to go visit said website. First off - if she doesn't want to look like a millionaire who wants to control the masses - she needs a new stylist. Every picture of her she's in a shiny high end suit looking like an heiress vs. a "every person's politician". This woman scares me - an email recently leaked from her campaign where she threatened her opponent in the GOP primary with statements like "We can spend $40 million plus tearing up Steve if we must, bad for him, bad for us, and a crazy waste to tear up a guy with great future statewide potential." It's crazy when a political campaign can say so nonchalantly that they'll spend FOURTY MILLION DOLLARS destroying/discrediting their competition.

The state of California is truly in a state of budgetary and political dissarray. Populist governor Schwarzenneger took power after recalling Gray Davis - and has, eight years later (much like GWB) left California a far larger mess than he inherited. According to California Politics' Anthony York, a majority of Californians believe California is worse off now than when Schwarzenegger took office in late 2003, a new Field Poll finds.

The survey found 59% of those surveyed believe the state will be in worse condition after Schwarzenegger’s tenure is over. Only 7% of the registered voters surveyed think Schwarzenegger will leave state government in better shape than he found it, when he took over from Davis.

Many pollsters are wondering when Jerry Brown will announce his candidacy for Governor - and honestly - if I were Jerry Brown - I'd be looking at the revolting state of things in Sacramento - and the state of education, the homeless, health care and the overall budget in California - - - and I'd sit this one out.

Whomever inherits Schwarzenegger's billion dollar mess - won't fix it overnight. or perhaps at all. A lot of the real blame lays in the state legislature - mired down in the same kind of Republican vs. Democrat demonization and "defeat the other party regardless of the impact on the citizens of California" mentality our national Congress is in.

I love living in California - but the politics here are just as abhorrent as they were in Idaho. Only - it's a bigger pie and a far bigger mess. Reading just a little bit about all of it - makes you feel powerless to do a single thing about it. I can't imagine "losing" 32 BILLION dollars in a year. I see headlines about businesses and state economies losing these kinds of dollars, and it's said so nonchalantly. (not to mention our TRILLION dollar national debt).

A lot of people asked me why I got out of politics when I left Idaho and moved to California - this is why. I just don't like to be sick to my stomach ALL THE TIME. I still read up and get myself educated - but stepping in and working on this mess - and actually solving it. I don't know if can be done - leave alone what I might do to help. (sigh)

followup to the 'sarcastic hmmmmm' (chortle)

In a follow-up to this post - every morning I write David a note and leave it on his desk chair in his office. Along with the normal loveydovey-vomit-inducing-sweetness^tm - it was accompanied this morning by month by month printed calendar for him to X off - each day that I make it to the gym during the "The 2010 Sarcastic Hmmmmm Bob Workout Challenge!" :)