“What do we do?” –

I believe that our current process and media preoccupation with moral/ethical/personal b.s. is clearly a contributor to the declining quality of leadership who choose to enter public service.

It has been over the course of the most recent decades that we’ve chosen to deviate from a wisdom of the past which understood that our political leaders were human – and we politley gave them the room to misbehave in their personal lives. Going back further in time, a level of misbehavior was even expected. .. . . but, in both cases, it was rarely scrutinized by the media with the furvor we are currently subjected to.

As a result, we see increasing numbers of personalities that are either too naive to understand the reality of todays political stage, or, are so arrogant as to think they (and their families) can remain unscathed by this nonesense. In either case, the candidate is seriously out of touch with reality.

If Sara Palin is an example of the best female running mate the RNC can muster, then something is very much broken with the process that sees her rising to the top.

If Colin Powell was driven to exit from the political scene, what was it that caused this very talented individual to do so?

The quality of our candidates is (increasingly – and not in ALL instances) declining with time. Electorate is far too preoccupied with things that dont matter.

The California Legislature drafts an unconstitutional law which provides small-businesses with a tax break. Many years later, the California 2nd Court of Appeal declares the thing in conflict with Federal commerce law and The California Franchise Tax Board then asks for unpaid taxes to be returned to the state. (Taxes which WEREN’T paid by small business owners for many years while acting according to this unconstitutional law)

Bob W says – “..if this is allowed to stand it will strip away any certainty investors and small business owners possess”

Unfortunately, he’s NOT making reference to the ineptitude of the original action . . . . but, instead is making the California Franchise Tax Board out to be the villian!

If *I* am a business person, the loss of confidence and faith and damage done occurred at the moment the courts stated that a law passed by the Legislature was in conflict with Federal law. I’m wondering if I can do business in California when their legislature is so lame as to concoct something this half-baked.

Now the question is, do we reward the Legislature and their constituency for passing and acting on an unconstitutional law??

Seems like Bob is hoping that the California FTB is willing to operate according to the adage of “Easier to get forgiveness . . . .”

Take some responsbility, Bob. The Legislature passed this thing. The Legislature needs to get busy explaining their “mistake” to their constituency and stop hoping the FTB will bail them out.

http://asmdc.org/members/a25/newsroom/press/item/2759-assemblymember-wieckowski-opposes-ftbs-retroactive-denial-of-small-business-incentive

According to Charlie, individuals who support our Council prefer to make use of the tactics of name-calling, avoidance of facts, and personalized nonesense when combatting their detractors.

Draw your own conclusions. Birds of a feather . .. .

#12…
Hey CalGuy, adult diapers are on sale…. buy one get one one free this weekend at VinnieMart fool!

http://www.contracostatimes.com/news/ci_20693342/contra-costa-times-editorial-new-bankruptcy-bill-shows

Because MNG/BANG does not keep their content hosted for too very long, here is a cut and paste of the article currently located at the above link:

Contra Costa Times editorial: New bankruptcy bill shows assemblyman can’t be trusted to keep his word

Contra Costa Times editorial

© Copyright 2011, Bay Area News Group

For three years now, public employee unions have been trying to make it impossible for local governments to seek bankruptcy protection.

This has been a raw political power play to take the federal court option off the table, to force the rare local government that might be on the financial brink to irresponsibly borrow its way out of a crisis rather than seek bankruptcy protection that might lead to changes in unaffordable labor contracts.

Leaders of cities and counties see bankruptcy as an absolute last resort because they recognize the devastating credit consequences and fear the loss of financial control. However, they understandably feel they need to preserve that option just in case, especially as the state’s economy continues to be moribund.

Last year, during a showdown in Sacramento, a compromise was worked out — thanks to the leadership of Sen. Lois Wolk, D-Davis — in negotiations that involved both houses of the Legislature and Gov. Jerry Brown.

It sets up a nonbinding, 90-day mediation process involving the local government and interested parties to see if a plan can be developed to avoid bankruptcy.

To us, this seemed like a solution in search of a problem. Since 1949, only two cities and one county in California have filed for bankruptcy. That, however, was the bargain.

Assemblyman Bob Wieckowski, D-Fremont, who carried the legislation, originally had tried to ram through a much more far-reaching bill. When the compromise was reached, he called it “a positive and reasonable step to forge an agreement on debt restructuring by municipalities in distress without going into bankruptcy.”

Within weeks of the law taking effect, Wieckowski introduced new legislation to undermine the compromise process, which currently is being applied in two financially distressed cities — Stockton and Mammoth Lakes.

Wieckowski admitted to us this week that he had no information that the process wasn’t working as intended in those two cities. In addition, he admitted that he had not talked to any local government organizations involved with last year’s compromise.

Local governments had correctly insisted that the mediation process be nonbinding and that it have strict time limits that could only be extended by mutual agreement.

Wieckowski’s new, obliquely written bill would alter that. As the mayors of the state’s 10 largest cities said in a joint letter this week, “Seeking to undo key parts of (last year’s compromise) just months after it was passed does not foster a culture of trust or reliability.”

Wieckowski was a key party to last year’s negotiations. His bill this year demonstrates an appalling display of bad faith and shows he can’t be counted on to keep his word.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=60740288

Significant takeaway (if you do not have time to read the article for yourselves) – “In Vallejo’s case, bankruptcy offers another benefit: It would allow the city to renegotiate costly labor contracts with public-safety employees, which reportedly account for about 80 percent of the city’s general fund budget.”

For whatever reasons, Bobbie W. fails to include this particular “benefit” amongst his list of rationalizations.