Gavin Newsom's "reform" pitchBy Tim Redmond
Mayor Gavin Newsom doesn't have enough money to do a major statewide TV buy, but he's making his early pitch, and trying to define the race, with a new internet ad. Calitics points out that the ad
mentions not once, but twice, both the Constitutional Convention and eliminating the 2/3rds rule. Newsom is positioning himself as the candidate of not just "change" but of structural reform:
Of course, those of us who live in San Francisco know that Newsom has done nothing -- nothing -- in terms of real structural reform in the city, and has pused a Schwarzenegger-style no-new-taxes budget. He was at first very wary about Constitutional change, but now is embracing it, sensing, no doubt, that the mood of the public is so down on Sacramento and Sacto politiciians that the concept of fundamental change is attractive -- even when peddled by someone who has no credentials as a "change" candidate.
But for Jerry Brown, this is serious stuff -- the candidate who defines the race first is often in a much better position to make the case for his or her election. And Newsom is trying to define the race as insider-outsider, change v. politics as usual. Brown may have the poll numbers and the money, but if he sits around and lets Newsom define the race, he's playing a dangerous game.
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Comments (6)
Good point, Josh -- as long a nobody remembers Newsom's record, he'll be fine
Posted by Tim Redmond | October 13, 2009 02:01 PM
LOL, "We're not a state of memories, we're a state of dreams."
Translation: pay no attention to my 6 years of incompetence
Posted by Josh | October 13, 2009 02:02 PM
Newsom's record is not so much defined on what he's done, as much as it is by what he's kept from happening, problems where Newsom has put himself between the problem and the solution.
-marc
Posted by marcos | October 13, 2009 04:06 PM
Newsom tried to raid the money set aside for public financing of campaigns three years in a row. The first year we were able to stop him, the second year he was successful in taking $5 million, the third year he got another million dollars. His actions have severely damaged the integrity of the public financing fund, making it possible that we will not have sufficient funds for the mayor's race in 2011. The past two years Newsom said he was doing it because the budget situation was so grave. But the first year he tried to raid the fund the budget situation was not severe. Still, they went after the money. Newsom and the people around him have fought public financing every chance they could. So it will be interesting to watch the leopard try to change his spots and now portray himself as a reformer.
Steven Hill
Posted by Steven Hill | October 13, 2009 07:45 PM
Newsom - Structural Reform? Let's look at the facts of real structural reform from Gavin, and his partner in this crime: Senator Mark Leno. In the State of California, we have never sold any State Park - ever. It is the structure of our Public Trusts, that our Public Property is not for sale - especially State Parks. Mark Leno wrote and Leno and Newsom pushed for SB 792. What's this? Newsom and Leno accomplished the first sale of a State Park to Private Developers in State History. Schwarzenegger just signed the bill this week. Newsom and Leno sold State Park Property in Hunters Point to Lennar. Lennar is a Board Member of the Bay Area Council. What other State Parks do the Private Developer friends of Newsom and Leno have in their greedy eyes? Structural Reform is when Public Servants reform Public Policy to line the pockets of their campaign contributing friends. This shows what we can expect from Newsom as Governor: The Wholesale - transfer of public trust property - our property - our parks, our forests and wilderness areas, and our public schools to private developers. Ravenswood High School is no more - in East Palo Alto. Gone. That School is now a huge Retail Mall. The State Park that was to be developed overlooking the Bay from a Hill few have discovered - gone, and soon to be Market Rate Condos. (like we dont have enough unaffordable housing in San Francisco already). Los Angeles wants to do to 1/3 of their pubic schools what East Palo Alto did to what used to be Ravenswood High School in San Mateo County. The structural reform Newsom and his Republican Friends at the Bay Area Council want to see is the Theft of our commonwealth and the corporate privatization of California. First these politicians sell off the prime property in the poor areas. Precedent set. Then we all get robbed. Newsom and Leno and their Republican Allies need to be exposed - not supported. Structural Reform for Newsom is the destruction of Public Regulation by the State of California so we can get reamed and told that was reform. Newsom's idea of a Constitutional Convention is what the Republicans want thru their front group: Repair California. If anyone wants to stop the wholesale loss of our Public Trusts, join us. We are the California Action Network, and we have petitions in circulation now that call for a Citizens California Constitutional Convention:
http://CaliforniaActionNetwork.com
Posted by Paul Currier | October 16, 2009 03:09 AM
No surprise that the little weasel has disabled the 'comments' feature on this latest piece of PR fluff. Come to think of it that action pretty accurately describes his capabilities.
Posted by Patrick Monk | October 17, 2009 07:29 AM