DEMOCRATIC-REPUBLICAN MESSAGE SIMILAR

Stewart A. Alexander
2006 Candidate
California Lieutenant Governor
Peace and Freedom Party

The Democratic and Republican candidates stepped up campaigning in Southern California and recently were visiting cities in Riverside, San Bernardino and San Diego Counties. Most of the campaigning was on the governor’s proposals, assistance for regional governments and crime.
State Treasurer Phil Angelides was in San Bernardino and San Diego to offer his plan to Democratic leaders, business executives, educators and community leaders on how he will offer alternative solutions for the state’s transportation problem and financial woes and indicating the possibility of raising taxes to accomplish his goals.
However what Angelides had to offer provided little substance and appeared to be another smoke screen only to obtain support. Angelides has the opportunity to lay out a plan of how he will deal with many of California’s problems in education, crime, transportation, jobs, the economy, environment, housing and many other state issues; however, his rhetoric fails to deliver a message any different from Schwarzenegger.
The Democratic and Republican candidates must realize that Californians need answers and leadership and presently they are not receiving either from the Democratic or Republican Parties.
In his State of the State Address Schwarzenegger presented a 10 year, 222 billion dollar plan to overhaul the state’s failing infrastructure. Again it was a plan that relies on smoke and magic. The real issues are being sidestepped by Sacramento leaders because the state and federal government has been selling out the state’s economy to foreign governments and leaving Californians without good jobs, a strong tax base and sacrificing the future of our state.
On the issue of crime, the candidates are pro death and favor the Three Strikes Law and oppose a moratorium on capital punishment. Recent polls show that most Californians support a moratorium on capital punishment however what most Californians are concerned about is finding our state leaders pursuing their own party’s agenda.
Angelides seems to have no more to offer Californians than Schwarzenegger; however the governor is a better actor and his message sounds better.
Maybe it’s time that Californians start looking outside of the Democratic Republican Party for leadership; and to do that voters will need to look at other groups and leaders that are offering real solutions to complex problems.

stewartalexander4p&f (at) adelphia.net
www.salt-g.com