On Politics With Lisa Lerer: Jerry Brown Says We’re Doomed

From the headline “we are doomed”, I couldn’t agree more! (It’s what I’ve been saying; enjoy the warm weather while the global warming’s here)

The canoe turning right-ward after Obama wasn't based on policy. He was a centrist. Even Obamacare was a conservative strategy that benefited private insurers. The canoe turned hard right because he had the audacity to be a black president.

"espionage spay stubs" under spies being poorly paid???? It's one thing to stiff them on pay, but spaying seems a bit over-the-top!

It is amazing with all of the divisiveness in the country, no riots, and an economy that is good, while many move out of California and head toward the Midwest, while some settle in Utah, where prices are now approaching buble-istic. California is a state so vast that some voters have pondered splitting it up in say three parts, to make it easier to manage. As a seasoned Governor, Brown has no doubt become well versed in interpreting every imaginable mood of the public. Whether or not the public is becoming more and more impatient, unforgiving, selfish, and violent, probably worries some people. Just watching Fury Road on Youtube is worthy of taking stock on where the reflexive intelligence of the average American citizen lies. Building a better California for the future takes plenty of money, and hopefully Californians are positive about the future. Americans do like a little bit of a street fight in their day to day lives, but when it goes too far, society takes a downhill trajectory real fast. On the other hand, moving out of state might provide renewal for Californians in the long run. In that regard, you could say that Governor Brown is so Californian with remarkable longevity in that job.

I just saw Jerry Brown at CUNY grad center on Fifth Ave. His fixed stare, absence of affect, inability to respond appropriately to questions, and lack of focus announced “dementia.” Then I read this, written when he first ran for governor the second time around. It seems now that this is just the Jerry Brown who has always been. “There are an increasing number of reports that Jerry Brown, who is running for Governor of California, is senile. His speeches are rambling, he loses his train of thought frequently, and many supporters leave the room baffled as to what he was talking about. Recently, a friend’s mother was diagnosed with dementia. This came after several years of her making odd choices, losing her place in the middle of a thought, fumbling with things that used to come easily for her, etc. And that woman spoke better than Jerry Brown does. Have you heard anything else on Brown being senile? Are Democrats truly going to run this man for Governor when in a year or two he might not be able to execute the duties of the office with a clear mind and sound judgment? If there’s any validity to the claims of his impairment, then Brown needs to step aside immediately…so a decent Democrat can run, as suggested by sites like The Temple of Mut, and give the people of California a good choice in the coming election.” © 2010, HillBuzz. All rights reserved.

“We’ve had Clinton, and that produced Bush, then we had Obama, and that helped produce Trump,” he said. “It goes back and forth. So you can get very excited about a certain direction, but if you look at the history, you do have to find a steadier course.” Over the course of six decades I've lived in four different states. Jerry Brown is, by far, the best state governor in my experience, and among the best I know of, past or present. He came, or came back, at a crucial time for California, and he leaves the state much better off than he found it. Having said that, I'm shocked that his read of left and right in national politics is so simplistic. We got Bush, in my view, not because Clinton was "leftwing", but rather because his brand of center-right politics was so cynical and so pandering. Likewise, Trump followed Obama precisely because the latter was so tentative and moderate while in office, in contrast to his soaring populist rhetoric while campaigning. More than left or right, people want authenticity, political leaders like Jerry Brown, who talk straight and follow through with deeds, more than they want either left or right. They want action, effective action, not ideology. Jerry Brown, a governor who has delivered on his promises, should know this better than anyone.

Although I appreciate Governor Brown’s partisanship, his image of a champion against climate change is merely a facade. Take the cap and trade program for example- it put a price on emissions, but all companies did was buy all the credits they’d could get their hands on. His climate policy doesn’t work and through his canoe philosophy, he refuses you support some of the ideals that are now the core of the revived Democratic Party. Try again, Jerry.

One of Brown's strengths is that he has never shied away from giving an honest assessment even when it was absolute political poison. For example at least thirty, (maybe forty?) years ago, remember him saying Californians would have to get used to a world of reduced expectations going forward. Shocking at the time, and true somewhat for California, but prophetic for the nation as a whole. If he says there is rough water ahead, I for one am inclined to believe him.

Looking forward to the article analyzing the gaping "split" in the Democratic party. Because ... there isn't one? NYT's Lisa Lerer: "But don’t forget that Democrats are in the midst of their own reinvention, too — a surge of left-wing energy that has split the party ahead of the 2020 election." What split? What are the wings? Where are the camps fighting each other? Please don't create artificial biases where none exist.

For the rest of the world, Jerry Brown is quintessentially the best man/person in an American elected government position, in my personal opinion. He was my first governor when coming to California accidentally on the Grey Rabbit, though I was headed to Oregon, and he was my mayor, when I lived in Oakland. Now, he is my governor and neighbor again, in the spectacular but challenged city of Sacramento, California. I would clone Jerry Brown if it were possible. No one can replace him. Sorry, Gavin, though you too were my mayor. He is charismatic and genuine. And his religious training makes him think three times before doing anything, and he has never breached his powers (in my opinion - people in Oakland don't know the underlying reason for his call for the military in Oakland). But he has one huge flaw that is his flaw forever. He does not seem or appear to understand sexual harassment in the workplace. I know because I knew of one of his aides in Oakland, CA who quit his office so to speak, due to sexual harassment by one of his "people", so named Pierre. The then Mayor Brown stated, and I think that this was reported specifically in the now deceased but once mighty Oakland Tribune newspaper. I am just waiting for it to re-emerge. He excused Pierre's sexual harassment of women on his staff because "Oh, Pierre is FRENCH." I cannot expect a former Jesuit Priest who studied with a female Catholice saint, Mother Teresa, to ever understand women.

I suspect Jerry Brown is somewhat of a natural pessimist. My biggest wish is that I could somehow make Jerry Brown our president, right this minute. He is exactly what we need so desperately: pragmatic, principled, quiet-but-hardheaded competence. With the emphasis on competence. And did I say intelligent? Except I want someone younger to run.

Always liked Jerry Brown and proud to have him as my Governor. Interesting interview - where's the rest of it?!

I really wish that Jerry Brown would do a more thorough review of advanced nuclear energy technology and small modular reactor designs. It might alleviate his pessimism on the most serious challenge we face- halting the process of global warming and climate change. Talk to Stewart Brand, Jerry. Talk to James Hansen.