The Silvery Tongue of Steve Poizner
by Tony Chavira
Since it was so fun and revealing to do this with Meg Whitman, I had to see what Steve Poizner was trying to get away with saying...
"I agree with most of what Meg Whitman said," said Poizner, without adding much more of substance.
Great start to your campaign, Steve.
"Meg Whitman, you just do not know what you’re talking about," Mr. Poizner said at one point.
Even better.
Poizner said he would "send the National Guard to the border if that is what I have to do."
Which border are you referring to, Steve? The CA/AZ border?
"Now they’ve taken care, from my point of view, of any concerns about racial profiling," Poizner said. "I support what’s going on in Arizona." He now supports it [the Arizona Law], saying: "We are bankrupt. We are out of cash and we need to take some steps to stop the flow of people who are here illegally." "They need the extra manpower, they need more spotters, they need the horsepower," Poizner said. "They told me today that they would welcome extra manpower to do their job at the border."
This is a sort of interesting thing to say, just in terms of the resources that Poizner seems to be willing to dispense to make sure that undocumented workers don’t make it into the country. All racial tension issues aside, what kind of politician proposes to mobilize the National Guard and get "extra manpower/horsepower" to protect borders when we’re facing a crippling debt that has to do with the mismanagement of invested funds and nothing to do with undocumented workers? Aren’t there better ways to allocate our flimsy resources? What do you think, Steve?
"I believe lower tax rates will produce higher tax revenues. That is what I believe," said Poizner.
I do not understand this man’s logic at all. At. All. Reducing taxes will somehow provide the state with more tax revenue from what? Will everyone in the state become millionaires and pay 1% taxes across the board? Is Steve Poizner living in a fantasy world where more money in our pockets from "lower tax rates" will be somehow handed to the government to pay for things we need? Does he think that the tax money we’re paying currently is somehow being pulled right out of circulation as soon as it’s ceded to the government? How the hell does he think the government pays for things? How the hell would he expect to be paid if he ever won the governorship?
Poizner said he supports "a proposed November initiative to halt greenhouse gas limits in Assembly Bill 32 until the state’s unemployment rate dips to 5.5 percent for four consecutive quarters."
He says AB 32 has made the state less competitive.Let’s clear this one up: Steve Poizner thinks that our efforts to limit greenhouse gases are hurting the economy. Efforts that employ hundreds of government employees. That is what he thinks. And he also thinks that it’s made us less competitive somehow. Competitive to whom, exactly? As far as I know, the federal government plans on usurping it anyway. What exactly is Steve seeking to accomplish with this kind of rhetoric? Does he even know what kinds of programs AB 32 would fund or where it’s getting it’s money from? (Heads up, an existing state air quality management agency). It really doesn’t help his argument that AB 32 actually created jobs too.
"I think the science is still out on that," Poizner said. [about the environment]
...but...
"In it, I am clear that I support the new global warming legislation just passed by the legislature and supported by GAS [ Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger]," Poizner wrote in the Sept. 4, 2006, e-mail. "A few years ago, I came to the conclusion that I support bold efforts to reduce our dependency on fossil fuels."
...but wait! AB 32?! I thought he wanted to halt it! I guess Steve’s pretty eco-friendly after all.
"There’s at least 10 billion barrels of oil off the California shoreline, according to the US government," Poizner said. "We have to do our part, in a very safe way, to become energy independent."
...but wait!
"I am thrilled to pave the way for California drivers to obtain insurance that is more environmentally friendly and more accurately reflects driving habits," Poizner said at a Sacramento news conference. "As a strong advocate of healthy market competition and a healthy environment, I am especially pleased to encourage this kind of innovation and additional options for consumers."
Ugh, I’m sick of this back and forth. Let’s cut the crap, Steve... who’d be a worse governor: you or Meg Whitman?
"Tom McClintock came out and endorsed me, and he’s the one who declared, ’If you elect Meg Whitman, you’re going to get the third term of Arnold Schwarzenegger,’" Poizner said.
And we wouldn’t want that, would we?
"The thing I like the most is when (reporters) call me a Schwarzenegger Republican," Poizner said, according to the Stanford Daily.
Of course you do, Steve.
Comments
No comments.
