ALPERN AT LARGE - One of the best moments in Governor Jerry Brown’s term came a month ago when he told the Democratic-dominated Legislature to “man up” and make the necessary cuts to state services to help the state stay within its projected budget after repeated reports surfaced of decreased projected tax revenues.
Of course, the Democratic Legislature warmed up to Democratic Governor Brown’s exhortations to “man up” as much as they did to his Republican predecessor’s efforts to get them to do the same. Whether it’s government services, pension reform, or any other issue surrounding public sector spending, we’re all going to have to “man up”—regardless of whether Sacramento has the courage and morality their share of it.
(And for those who have a problem with the term “man up”, feel free to mentally change that term to “shape up” or “grow up” or anything else. Or just go on to another article, because you’re part of the problem and really don’t have the ability to focus on the HARD and PAINFUL decisions that will have to be made in the months and years to come, and are too easily distracted by issues that are irrelevant to the budgetary nightmare that just isn’t going away.)
“Manning up” is something that has to come from ALL of us, from every corner of the population, and from the very top to the ordinary citizen. President Obama had to “man up” and change a lot of his attitudes towards the War on Terrorism (some aspects of which he once publicly opposed) and created a “kill list” while cavorting with our “frenemies” in Pakistan, because it’s best to keep friends close … but enemies closer. Having two children forces a lot of loving fathers to “man up”.
Transportation advocates like me must also “man up” and confront the growing disillusionment with our California High-Speed Rail (CAHSR) initiative. As virtually every group, including Democrats, pro-Labor and all ethnic groups would vote against this project today, and/or would not ride the proposed CAHSR train, and/or favor spending on other priorities, the “manning up” is quite clear.
Democrats, including the pro-CAHSR Governor Brown, need to “man up” and acknowledge that, should this push to slam the CAHSR down the throats of the taxpayers continues, it might turn off enough voters to end Sacramento’s efforts to raise taxes this November and balance our state budget. Republicans need to “man up” and speak more about the need to spend on transportation/infrastructure to create both private and public sector jobs while building a 21st Century economy.
One idea, similar to that which the Orange County Transportation Authority has proposed focuses on what $10 billion could potentially do for the transportation system we have already. This process is very similar to what created the successful Acela train system that Amtrak runs in the Northeast US, and would focus on fixing and improving service problems and rail upgrades in our current passenger rail network.
Amtrak has successful and popular trains throughout the state (as do more local Metrolink lines in Southern California and Caltrain lines in Northern California), and it wouldn’t be hard to find $10 billion of excellent, first-rate, locally-popular projects to improve passenger rail throughout the state, to say nothing of funding projects like the Wilshire Subway and Downtown Light Rail Connector to enhance access to our state’s passenger rail network.
This plan still means “manning up” and acknowledging that years of studies show we AREN’T ready for a statewide CAHSR, but that we ARE ready to build two first-rate local rail networks in Northern and Southern California…with a doable and cost-effective spruced-up Amtrak line to connect the two ends of our state. It also means “manning up” to the obvious reality that sufficient matching federal funds are NOT going to come from Washington any time soon.
So if “higher speed rail” could happen in the short run, even if “high-speed rail” doesn’t, it’s not a complete loss. Similarly, the original Grand Avenue project to turn that avenue into the “Champs Elysees” for Los Angeles might not be built as originally envisioned, but a scaled-back project could help Downtown Los Angeles continue its gradual growth into the cultural center for LA County and Southern California that it has become.
So both transportation and planning advocates are “manning up” and scooting over to the real world while they fight to create something as an alternative to a colossal and expensive fight resulting in nothing created at all. And our teachers, who are now represented by some of the most regressive unions in modern history? Well, they’re also “manning up” by ignoring their union leadership and working to create a fair and accurate teacher review system.
Meanwhile, the electeds in Sacramento are showing who’s up to “manning up”, and who’s not, after the voter-approved Citizens Compensation Commission approved a 5% pay cut for the governor and the legislature. Governor Brown is taking the cut in stride, particularly because he values the state and his own credibility, while Democratic Legislative leaders are apparently more concerned about their salaries than their cash-strapped and hurting constituents.
And the list goes on, whether it’s the public sector, where Governor Brown is working with and trying to bring public sector unions into the real world, or in the private sector, where ex-gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman is trying to bring Hewlett-Packard into the real world and shedding tens of thousands of unsustainable positions worldwide.
We’ve all got to “man up”. It’s recently been—and hardly for the first time—pointed out that the nation’s encouragement of single mothers has hurt the fiscal well-being of these mothers, discouraged fathers from being real “men” and contributing to the financial well-being of their children, and helped ensure the poverty and underachievement of their children.
It’s also been—and also hardly for the first time—pointed out that laissez faire capitalism does NOT help create enough support for middle class families despite the increased jobs that its advocates proclaim. In other words, maybe taxing wealthy corporations and the super-rich to sufficiently ensure a middle class isn’t all that bad an idea…although it’s probably safe to say that the rich don’t care about more taxes as much as they care about their taxes being spent well.
We’re facing a hideous three-headed serpent of too many government dependents demanding a handout, too many wealthy individuals and corporations demanding special treatment, and too many public sector “leaders” demanding their own little sweetheart deals…all with the collective attitudes of “gimme my goodies”, and to hell with the rest of society.
And in California, this serpent has been settling down and crushing us all for years. The pressure has become unavoidable, and will certainly carry forth to the other 49 states as well.
But the answer is simple, whether we have the courage and morality to accept it. Man UP, California!
(Ken Alpern is a former Boardmember of the Mar Vista Community Council (MVCC), previously co-chaired its Planning and Outreach Committees, and currently is Vice Chair of its MVCC Transportation/Infrastructure Committee. He is co-chair of the CD11 Transportation Advisory Committee and chairs the nonprofit Transit Coalition, and can be reached at [email protected]. He also co-chairs the grassroots Friends of the Green Line at www.fogl.us. The views expressed in this article are solely those of Mr. Alpern.) –cw
Tags: Ken Alpern, California, California budget, California economy, Governor Brown
CityWatch
Vol 10 Issue 45
Pub: June 5, 2012