Melissa Fox – the Grownup Choice for 70th AD (Choi & Wagner in Title)

We all saw another unpleasant post the other day from my blogboss, entitled “Melissa Fox wants Higher Taxes” or some such total BS.  His basis for penning such an incendiary, irresponsible title was of course the innocuous fact that she criticizes Republicans for their inflexible raise-no-revenue pledges, and agrees that the 2/3 rule for raising revenue ain’t working out so well.

So of course that means it’s time for me to ONCE AGAIN point out that Melissa (and Phu, and any other Dems you may wanna vote for) are NOT going to raise YOUR taxes.  It would just be a STUPID idea, in this economic climate.  What they WILL do, and what Republicans will on principle try to prevent, is:

  • Institute an oil extraction fee, here in the only oil-producing state that doesn’t have one – which’ll get our state $1.5 billion annually (and NOT cost us at the pump – which apparently I’ve even convinced Art of.)
  • Proceed with the decriminalization, regulation and taxation of pot, which’ll get hundreds of millions to cities and counties for their dire needs – education, infrastructure, law enforcement.
  • Close some really stupid corporate tax loopholes Arnold pushed thru last year.

You know, though, what it’s time to talk about, since it’s Art who keeps raising this ruckus, and particularly after this Rand Paul debacle, is what a Philosophy For Teenagers this “libertarianism” is.   Maybe I’m talking to a crowd of seven malcontents or less, but you’re the ones who keep up this attack on Melissa.  Which (if it has ANY effect) is only gonna be helping some character like Jerry Amante or Don Wagner, who are as far from champions of liberty as could be envisioned.

I laughed at poor Rand Paul, and it was sad of course, when he spoke out his doctrinaire libertarianism in regards to the Civil Rights Act.  I never thought Rand was a racist.  I just think he’s a pampered guy who’s been able to live in a world of theory all his life, and has only the most distant conception of how racism affects people and the rotten stuff lotsa folks will do to others if allowed.

Both major parties need to take individual civil liberties and privacy a lot more seriously, the LP does have that to teach.  But ready for prime time? – not this century, as a governing philosophy.

I know there’s a really nice lady, Debby Tharp, who’s running under the rubric of “compassionate libertarianism,” which is self-evidently even more nonsensical of an idea than W’s original “compassionate conservatism.”  Debby should know, from her husband’s medical misfortunes, the stern necessity for us all to take care of each other, which is what we actually have a damn country for.

The 70th Assembly District has serious needs – UCI’s underfunding, the seniors at Laguna Woods whose caretakers’ livelihoods are being threatened – and the 70th AD needs a serious assemblyperson representing them.  Not a GOP hack and not an ideological adventuress.  And that’s all I have to say about that.

About Vern Nelson

Greatest pianist/composer in Orange County, and official political troubadour of Anaheim and most other OC towns. Regularly makes solo performances, sometimes with his savage-jazz band The Vern Nelson Problem. Reach at vernpnelson@gmail.com, or 714-235-VERN.