It was typical John and Ken anti-Arnold quasi-populist bullshit. Those guys feed on anger, and take pride in being as ill-informed as they can possibly be.
California has its own set of challenges. But California, unlike the Federal government, is trying to balance its budget and figure out how to do this without driving more businesses out of the state.
I don’t agree with everything Schwarzenegger has done—particularly in light of the state’s financial difficulties under Gray Davis, which were behind the recall movement in the first place (that would be how Arnold became our governor). But to compare Arnold’s liberalism with that of Barack Obama—or to compare his the missteps of a pro-capitalist governor with those of an anti-capitalist President, who is on the verge of creating a second Great Depression in the country at large—is a fucking joke.
And for assholes like John and Ken, who feed off the corpses of every passing political scandal in Los Angeles, to call themselves part of the “tea party” movement is egregious.
Hint: if it’s a real tea party, you won’t hear about it only on KFI; it’s also be mentioned on KRLA and KABC—from which the sane people (other than Rush, who is on KFI) broadcast. You’d hear about it from Dennis Miller, Dennis Prager, Michael Medved, Hugh Hewitt, and Al Rantel. Not from the French Revolution twins, who are only trying to gain listeners, rather than actually adding something useful to political discourse.
Sure: let’s destroy our Terminator memorabilia. And stamp on our Beatles records. And burn books. I’m sure we’ll all feel much better afterward. Neither the state nor the country will be any better off, but we’ll feel great.
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John and Ken never called what they were doing a “tea party” and never said what they were doing was connected to the larger national tea party movement against Obama. I was there Saturday and never heard them say Obama’s name once. You’re attacking a straw man.
I’ll assume you don’t live in California, if you did you wouldn’t be so “ill-informed” about the state of the State.
“Balance it’s budget” yeah right. They have been trying to do that for the last decade, and failing at it each year. Year to year increases in spending at 10% or more over tax intake is not “balancing the budget”. Shifting money from the Transportation fund to the General fund to cover cost over runs is not attempting to “balance the budget”, and soaking everyone in the State with massive tax increases is not “balancing the budget”.
The State legislature is beholden to the Unions and the State employees who hold more sway than the voters over Sacramento’s “Leaders”. Arnold could have held the line over the last 5 years, required reductions in State spending, quit with the bullshit “global warming” crap, and actually stood up to the “special interests” he’s always prattling on about. Instead, he joined them and has done a far worse job than Davis at managing the States fiscal future.
California is possibly the worst state to do business in, and the State legislature continues to pass laws that will make it even harder for businesses to succeed. Raising taxes on nearly everyone in the State during a massive fiscal downturn is not good policy. Passing legislation written by the Unions themselves is not good policy. Continuing to spend well beyond your means with each passing budget cycle is not good policy, yet Arnold and the State Legislature have done just that for the last 5 years.
You don’t have to agree with John and Ken’s methods, but their message is clear. Enough is enough. California Republican’s sold out their voters, ignored their no tax pledges, and helped pass one of the largest tax increases in the States history. Not exactly something for Conservatives to be proud of is it. And now, I’m having my sales tax go up by another 1%, my car taxes doubled, and a whole host of “fees” added to nearly every interaction with the State, and all for what? So the California Teachers can get paid the highest average salary in the US with one of the worst public school systems in the nation. Or better yet, we can spend about 53k per prisoner vs Arizona next door spending 24k per inmate. Still better, we can continue to piss away roughly 4-5 billion a year coddling illegal aliens. Yeah that’s the ticket.
1) Mark: Both Glenn Reynolds of Instapundit and Ed Morrissey of Hot Air referred to the Fullerton protest as a “tea party,” and linked it to the nationwide movement that is protesting the Obama-Reid-Pelosi bailouts/budget. I am attempting, in my own bitchy way, to set the record straight.
2) Gabriel: I do live in California. Arnold Schwarzenegger took a huge salary cut on his last Terminator movie in order to keep the production here in the Golden State, rather than seeing it made in Canada. He did that to save other folks’ jobs.
Speaking of jobs, Schwarzenegger has HAD a few of ’em. Unlike Obama.
“You don’t have to agree with John and Ken’s methods, but their message is clear.” Yes, it is: their message is, listen to John and Ken, because they screech into the microphones a lot. They are shrill, shallow, self-interested assholes. They add nothing to public discourse. They are out to make money out of any cause they can find or manufacture. That is all.
If they weren’t doing that, they would partner with the other radio stations, instead of using the notion of a “tax revolt” to shore up KFI’s numbers.
If I’m going to be manipulated, I’d prefer to deal with people who are better at it. But that’s me.
I understand the slant against it being a “radio” event, but honestly those guys have had the highest rated show in the region going on what, almost 10 years now? I could understand if their position in the market had been lagging, but they have routinley trounced their competition. You mentioned Al Rantel, Miller, Praeger, and Hugh Hewitt, all of whom I have listened to for years, but combined they don’t have half the audience of John & Ken. As for partnerships, Hugh has routinely dismissed them on his show and won’t address them by name, maybe its because he was too busy sniffing Romney’s jock to pay attention to local events. Lets face it he likes to think hes a “national” radio presence, but his weekly numbers don’t match J&K’s daily numbers. He still holds a grudge against them from their targeting of his buttbudy David Drier.
I was at the rally and saw almost 1/3 of the signs being against Obama. I think any protest that speaks out against the massive taxation of the State and Nation is a benefit, regardless of an underlying motive for a ratings boost. Oh and no one was going to see T4 because Arnold was in it, and if he really wanted to keep more jobs in California, he’d do it for more than just his friends in Hollywood, he would do it for the entire state and reduce taxes and spending instead of boosting both.
I think you’re kind of missing the point. John and Ken didn’t create the anger in that crowd, they just gave it a voice. Personally, I don’t care why they do it, I’m just glad they’re doing it. If something doesn’t change soon, California will become a test case for the theories of Ayn Rand. Productive Taxpayers are leaving the state in droves! When the Payers are gone, all you have left are the Takers and a Bloated State Government to pay for! Who’s gonna pay? Then we’ll find the end of the Marxist Rainbow…..BANKRUPTCY!!! What will California be then? The Golden State? More like a Third World S**thole!!! REMEMBER FULLERTON!!! I know I will!!!!