A nice profile of Jerry Brown in the Atlantic. I think it's easier for Brown to look good when the economy is doing well...or at least...high income earners are doing well because that's where all the tax revenue in CA comes from. Still, I like this quote:
The truth is that a reliance on rules and a mistrust of mere politicians have come close to ruining public life in California. “When given a choice between human judgments and formulas, we’ve always chosen the formulas,” Joe Mathews says. He is critical of Brown in many ways, and yet he says, “I would rather let the Jerry Browns of the world make decisions for me than some crazy set of rules someone thought would help.”Yes, the system in California is screwed up. Anyone who votes knows it. Do you read those propositions? Do you feel qualified to make those decisions?
In a total side note: when the money is flowing, so long as you are not a total idiot, most decisions you make are reasonable. Vacation? Needed to recharge the batteries. Car repair? Spend to save in the future. New clothes? Help your image at work. Savings/investments? Easy to save more than 15% of the income. But when the money is not flowing, no decision is without stress. Vacation? Can't afford it. Car repair? Is it worth it? New clothes? Waste of money could be spending elsewhere. Savings/investment? Nearly impossible. I figure the same applies on a public scale.
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