Sep 29
Cruz
Cruz Bustamante is the ultimate political hack. Unfortuantely for California, he isnt even a good political hack. Bustamante served in the Assembly, as Speaker of the Assembly, and then was elected to serve a Lieutenant Governor for Gray Davis. Since California does not run on a combined ticket for Governor and Lieutenant Governor, there is a certain degree of enmity between Gray Davis and Cruz Bustamante. However, let there be no equivocating, Cruz is a through and through liberal.
Cruz is panders to the Latino community. He has in the past suggested that his assembly district needed illegal immigration. He also, if elected, would give undocumented workers, i.e. illegal immigrants, all basic government services. This includes the same rights to attend the University of California system (at in-state tuition rates). Bustamante claims credit for repudiating the will of Californias voters and leading the charge to overturn Proposition 187. Coupled with these lamentable parts of his record are his ties with the organization MEChA, which advocates separatism for Latino students and the cession of the formerly-Mexican states of the union. His efforts are so laudable, Tom Metzger, the former Grand Wizard of the California KKK has endorsed Bustamante for governor. Bustamante has consistently refused to disavow any support or links with MEChA from his past. Instead he solidly remains separatist ideals that work to divide, not unite, the people of California and the United States.
Bustamante is also extremely hypocritical in his Tough Love for California budget proposal. Bustamante claimed that if the legislature did not pass his proposal, he would put it to a referendum of the voters. Yet, he criticized the cost of the recall election. Both of these are costly statewide elections, however, according to Cruz, it would be perfectly acceptable if Bustamante needed it to pass his budget and completely unacceptable if the people of California needed to use a statewide special election to remove a governor for gross mismanagement. The double standard the Bustamante seeks to create is short-sighted, purely political, and entirely hypocritical. If Bustamante really wanted whats best for California, he would be lining up with the other candidates in calling for Gray Daviss resignation, rather than being a sycophant who really wants Gray Davis removed from office, but only if he can replace him.
Cruz is also tarnished by the same special interest favors that plagued the Davis administration. While prison guards were the favorite patrons of the soon-to-be-ex governor, Bustamante has used inventive accounting and campaign donations from Indian tribes in his quest for Californias highest office. Millions of dollars are being spent by the tribes in donations and direct media buys by the tribes to advocate voting no on recall (ostensibly Bustamantes position) and for Cruz Bustamante. Furthermore, Cruz has illegally transferred funds between campaign committees in order to try to circumvent the campaign finance laws. He represents the installed bureaucracy in Sacramento that is disengaged from voters and has long since sold out to the special interests.
The worst thing that could happen for businesses is the election of Bustamante. A proponent of universal health care, the astronomical costs of conducting business in California will not decline according to Cruzs plan. The Bustamante plan for the budget includes $8 billion in tax hikes on California businesses and residences. Yet, he said in the debate that Californias budget problems were caused by having spent too much. His solution is disingenuous and dangerous. It would exacerbate the already precarious economic situation in California. With states with much lower tax rates bordering California (including Nevada which has no state income tax), the flight of businesses and individuals would increase from its already prodigious rate. Economically, Bustamante also shows his true liberal roots.
Bustamante as governor could perhaps be even worse than Gray Davis. Davis at least pretended to follow a Third Way as a Democrat, instead of being the typical separatist tax and spend liberal that Bustamante is through every statement that hes made. Its time for California to have a Grayout and Cruz by Bustamante to find a good governor, one that will return fiscal responsibility to Sacramento.
