Proposition 23 takes aim at California's ambitious environmental law (known as AB 32 or the global-warming law), which requires greenhouse-gas emissions to be reduced to 1990 levels by 2020. If approved by voters in November, the ballot measure would halt enforcement of AB 32 until California's unemployment rate, now over 12%, falls to 5.5% for at least four consecutive quarters. Or global warming floods the whole state, including Mt. Whitney, whichever comes first.
Last week, Jerry
Governor MoonbeamBrown, a former California governor,
... who helped lay the groundwork for the current collapse whilst banging Linda Ronstadt...
declared global warming to be the defining issue between himself and the Republican candidate, saying Whitman "will gut AB 32."
That's a feature, not a bug...
In the months to come, Brown said, "the contrast between my proposal for green jobs and her shilly-shallying on AB 32" will become clear.
To date the green jobs are vapor. If the effort was showing results there wouldn't be an argument, would there?
Indeed, despite her latest statement that she may vote no, the ballot measure's supporters see Whitman as an ally.
If she doesn't have the lips to stand up for it then there's a problem, isn't there?
"Whitman has said all along that AB 32 is a job killer and that she favors temporary suspension of the law and that is our position as well -- it is consistent with Proposition 23," says Yes on 23 spokeswoman Anita Mangels.
"Why do you want to have a law that destructive?"
"Because it feels so good when when we repeal."
Brown is well aware that Whitman's willingness to suspend the greenhouse-emissions law puts her on the wrong side of California public opinion.
That's the same public opinion that keeps voting in the Caliphornia legislature, so I guess the Caliphornios deserve the government they've got.
A new poll by the Public Policy Institute of California shows that 66% of residents support the climate law, 45% of the public believe AB 32 will create more jobs, while only 23% believe it will kill jobs (24% say the number of jobs won't be affected). Independents, who currently support Whitman 42% to 39%, are opposed to Proposition 23 by 53% to 29%.
The California Experiment continues.
They just can't settle for being halfway down the drain, can they?