September 10, 2011

"Not every human problem deserves a law."

"While I appreciate the value of wearing a ski helmet, I am concerned about the continuing and seemingly inexorable transfer of authority from parents to the state."

Who said it?



Jerry Brown!

83 comments:

FedkaTheConvict said...

Michael Kennedy?

Sonny Bono?

Natasha Richardson?

Big Mike said...

Jerry Brown said it. But does he mean it?

Saint Croix said...

I remember when he ran for President, one of his ideas was a flat tax(!)

Brown is one of those liberals who has always been a free thinker. Makes him far more interesting than the typical progressive.

Automatic_Wing said...

Typical teabagger, wanting to dismantle the government and let the poor and vulnerable fend for themselves.

Maybe Brown should move to Somalia if he doesn't like ski helmet laws, amirite?

Wince said...

Skiing children! ...Never got a law.

Red Buttons?

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Good for Him. He's right. Enough with the endless nanny state. Enough, busy-body leftwingers - enough!

Fred4Pres said...

I said that. But I am sure others have said it too.

I'm Full of Soup said...

Did he also veto the bill regarding minimum wages and mandatory breaks for baby sitters and the requirement that parents pay the babysiters FICA tax and report the babysitter wages?

ndspinelli said...

Common sense from Gov. Moonbeam. Has Jupiter aligned w/ Mars?

edutcher said...

What Big Mike said. And Saint Croix.

Funny how long the intellectuals need to figure something out.

WV "wingsted" What the Rough Rider was always asked when he visited the local Colonel Sanders franchise.

ndspinelli said...

Spider Sabich needed a kevlar vest and a helmet.

DADvocate said...

Good for Brown.

From the article - Brown "chose to ignore the scientific evidence (and) the ski industry's support."

Scientific evidence that if you fall down and hit your head (or run into a tree) it could cause serious injury? Wow. Double check with Sonny Bono.

Industry support? Gee, it's not like they wouldn't make millions of dollars selling helmets mandated by law.

Tyrone Slothrop said...

Living in California, I want to hate the guy, but he has these moments of clarity. He doesn't seem to think that government operates for his benefit alone. I disagree with his alignment with some traditional Democrat values, but I think he has his own kind of integrity.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

I'm sure the trial lawyer/ambulance chaser lobby disagrees. Again - good for Jerry on this one.

traditionalguy said...

But the CO2 death crisis requires a breathing permit from the EPA!

You are Lawbreakers, all of you unlicensed exhalers.

Saint Croix said...

From Wikipedia:

"As Brown campaigned in various primary states, he would eventually expand his platform beyond a policy of strict campaign finance reform. Although he would focus on a variety of issues throughout the campaign, most especially his endorsement of living wage laws and his opposition to free trade agreements such as North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), he mostly concentrated on his tax policy, which had been created specifically for him by Arthur Laffer, the famous supporter of supply-side economics who created the Laffer curve. This plan, which called for the replacement of the progressive income tax with a flat tax and a value added tax, both at a fixed 13% rate, was decried by his opponents as regressive. Nevertheless, it was endorsed by The New York Times, The New Republic, and Forbes, and its raising of taxes on corporations and elimination of various loopholes which tended to favor the very wealthy, proved to be popular with voters."

Now tell me that's not an interesting liberal!

Sprezzatura said...

I heard Brown on the Savage radio show many months before the CA election. There was a lot of common ground between the two.

They did also have points of disagreement, but even those were surprisingly civil. Both of them had clearly stated reasons for their views. And, they had fully formed and intellectually sturdy philosophies that consistently undergirded their approaches to specific policy issues. I think that each of these guys recognized this thoughtfulness in the other, and that recognition resulted in an unexpected mutual respect, appreciation, and amiability.

I don't think most cons (unlike Savage) realize there are some ways in which they may sorta like Brown.

Paddy O said...

Jerry Brown, sadly enough, is more conservative and libertarian than Gov. Arnold.

He fought at first, but then totally capitulated over the last 5 years or so.

Brown really did start over by being a mayor and built some good experience and independence. I disagree with much of his politics still, but he's not just a rubber stamp.

He has used his veto pen in good ways.

Plus, California is in an absolutely terrible spot, so Brown really has nothing to lose by defying this legislature, which sounds like it's going to change a whole lot after the "nonpartisan" redistricting.

cubanbob said...

While all this adulation of Brown is fine lets not forget the seeds for all California's current fiscal problems were planted under his previous administration.

Anonymous said...

He could mean it for now (being a politician), but many of his constituents don't.

Maguro: Like other teabaggers, Brown is clearly against us if he's not for us. He's a fascist, Christianist hater of equality and justice which are clearly the only paths to human freedom. The institutions necessary to ensure this human freedom should be built and run by us brother-in-arms. We shall be free and happy forever.

Unknowable said...

Life long californian here (we sold the capital "C" for two bucks and a small jar of Snail Darter eggs).

Jerry Brown (former unofficial motto: "If it's Brown, flush it down!") is the single most interesting liberal/progressive at the state or national level. I will give him that.

However, he can never, ever be forgiven for having brought upon California the death curse of public employee unions.

Thanks to Brown (and the irony is supremely delicious right now) California government is of, by and for the public employee unions.

Thanks to Brown, Californians are fated to continue living under an ever-growing, ever-more hyper-expensive government whose primary, foundational function is redistribution of the wealth of non-public-employee Californians to public-employee-Californians and politicians and activists and bureaucrats.

Jerry Brown doomed the state of California, pure and simple.

DADvocate said...

a small jar of Snail Darter eggs

You're familiar with the Tellico River dam and the snail darter controversy?

Brent said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
gerry said...

I feel like not every human deserves a law under the current administration.

Steve M. Galbraith said...

Who said it, part II?:

"In every society there must be either a law from within or a law from without. The more you have of one the less you need of the other."

Brent said...

Here's a law that needs to be made:

Companies That Take The Wrong Amount of Money Out of Your Account Should Be Open and Fix IT Even on the Weekend

I bought a Honeowners policy from Geico 2 days ago and they took out 5 times the amount out of my account of the premium I approved. They admit on the phone this morning that it was a mistake on their part, but say they can't even start to correct it until Monday. In the meantime, I ma in the hole with first time overdraft fees of $300 (so far) and cannot buy groceries until Monday at the earliest. The girl says she's sorry that they made the mistake, but she doesn't have to cancel going to a wedding because her gas is limited and she and the rest of Geico get to eat this weekend.

THAT Human Problem deserves a law.

Thanks to you Warren Buffet the owner of Geico and the money you make off of people like me and then don't give a damn when you make a mistake and don't do anything about it until Monday.

stlgretchen said...

I found one of your tag words for this piece quite interesting..."right wing ideology". Funny, never thought that label and Jerry Brown would appear together.

Paddy O said...

"lets not forget the seeds"

Oh, I'd never vote for him, don't get me wrong.

DADvocate said...

In every society there must be either a law from within

Doing a search on this phrase, only you.

Bayoneteer said...

Brown is often good for a sound bite. But he don't mean it.

Robert said...

Tree.

I got you, Tree.

Milwaukee said...

Brown does have interesting ideas, from time to time. Just as we can pillory the left for failing to hear Palin, we need to listen for those occasions when our opposition has an idea.

Just think how short the Vietnam War would have been if we had understood it as a war of independence from a colonizing power, and that the Vietnamese and Chinese really, really hate each other?

Too many Establishment Republicans would object to a flat income tax because the current tax system favors graft and corruption. They will help Corporation J get a tax advantage over Corporation K. Thus the Establishment politicians, of both stripes, need tax loop-holes.

How about 2% income tax on the first $10,000 of income, going up 1% for every $10,000 of income to maxing out at 15%? Make corporate income tax the same. If it isn't worth a corporations time to hire people to avoid taxes, they will just pay their taxes. We would have corporations flooding into this country.

Henry said...

One of my liberal facebook friends posted this. Surprise! I posted "Good idea. Let's run with this."

I agree with others, Jerry Brown has always been a more interesting political thinker than the average politician.

There's also an interesting dynamic I've noticed. Liberal parents in my liberal state express frustration and annoyance with nanny-state policies, but never draw the connection to their own politics.

Robert said...

They say that we can't go down the hill,

Before we go we really should write a will.

Anonymous said...

The beautiful people do not look so beautiful while in a helmet, nor do they look any better with helmet hair back at the lodge apres-ski.

If this mere merely an issue for the lumpenproles rest assured Brown would not argue likewise.

MadisonMan said...

@Brent: Small Claims Court.

I'd start with a letter detailing what their mistake cost you monetarily. I'd throw in the missed wedding and the inconvenience, too, but just focus on the money.

Document, document, document.

If they don't reply and make good within a week or two, take them to court.

I suspect they will try to make things right, and add some extra $$ for your trouble. That would make good business sense to me.

Saint Croix said...

Thanks to Brown (and the irony is supremely delicious right now) California government is of, by and for the public employee unions.

Yeah, that's a pretty big blind spot. An efficient tax code doesn't mean a damn if your government is actually a corrupt kleptocracy.

I wonder if he's learned the lesson?

Here's an interesting article, about a liberal guy pushing for union reform.

Brent said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Brent said...

Thanks MadisonMan.

Question: If I was told I could withdraw $500 from a corporate account, but I took $2,500, would that be stealing? Could I be prosecuted? So, can I bring charges against a corporation of the reverse happened?

David said...

Better late than never?

Too little too late?

A good start?

Vulcan cloaking device?

David said...

Just sing "I got you babe" to the little nippers as they head down the hill. That should reassure them.

MadisonMan said...

I am not a lawyer.

I suspect a DA would be unwilling to bring charges for (1) a first offense that might be (2) just stupidity.

This is the kind of story that On Your Side type local TV news reporters would love, especially if you don't get compensated for any monetary loss that is the fault of the Company's mistakes. I think a polite letter that points out that you lost money because of the Company's errors in a way that makes the Company look very very bad will do a lot. As in, who's gonna want to patronize such a firm?

cubanbob said...

Brent said...

You just can't cure stupid. Who told you to authorize 'them' to debit your account? Ever heard of writting a check? Paying with a credit card? Brown's right on his point you can't legislate everything and you prove his point.

Unknown said...
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Tyrone Slothrop said...

@Brent

cubanbob is right, you surly douchebag. Or is that what pisses you off?

Brent said...

cubanbob,

I paid - like the majority of people, with a Visa tied to my checking account. I have never had a problem before.

I did nothing wrong or unwise. GEICO has alread admitted the error, but they don't give a flying f*** about what it is costing me this weekend and into the next week. They caused me harm and they don;t care.

I got hold of a college buddy who is now an assistant DA here in the county. He said it is definitely a potential criminal case. The main factor right now is to watch the speed with which they attempt to right this Monday morning. Any delay can be considered possible grounds for obstructing and aiding attempted theft.

He also said that it doesn't matter if it was "obvious" it would be discovered by me and they would have to restore it. If a criminal case ensues they will subpoena the recording of the conversation of the transaction and can ask for a wider subpoena to see if such "mistakes" occur with any regularity or pattern. He said he believes GEICO will make it right, but to call him Monday morning and let him know how it's going.

I'll bet if I was sitting next to Warren Buffet it would be taken care of today, huh?


cubanbob you are an asshole. But you already know that.

Brent said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Brent said...

Tyrone,

I did nothing wrong. GEICO did and they admitted it. We'll see if they do the right thing.

Why are you such a hater? Do Corporations let you suck on somebodies tits for free?

Tyrone Slothrop said...

@Brent

Hey I was on your side until you revealed yourself as a complete asshole. You think calling me names hurts my feelings? To me you're just some anonymous dickwad trying to get sympathy by hijacking a thread. So FOESAD, asshole.

Tyrone Slothrop said...

@Brent

Why do you keep deleting your abusive comments? I'm seeing them before you chicken out and pull the plug. Are you ashamed? You should be.

Brent said...

I DID NOT hijack a thread, you piece of worthless shit.

I took what was the theme and said that the law can make corproations be accountable in an area they should be.

They STOLE from me. They hurt me - I missed a wedding I was going to get paid for to sing in because I don't have gas money. I buy groceries on Saturday, Tyrone. And i need milk for the meds I take and I have been out since Thursday night.


You and your children can burn in hell for judging me, you child molesting, cocksucking worthless piece of human refuse..

Brent said...

Go fuck your children Tyrone- they miss your cock.

cubanbob said...

Milwaukee said...

A better idea is to simply eliminate corporate income and capital gains taxes and tax the shareholders on the pass through distribution (as income or capital gains).
No substantial amount of resources devoted to maximizing tax avoidance, resources that could be used to further expand the business, capitalize the business and allocate capital in a more economically efficient manner.

US corporations have two trillion dollars in cash parked overseas earned from their foreign operations. The cost of repatriating the money is 35%. Why would any sane CEO/CFO ever repatriated the money back to the US under the current climate and face a lynching from the shareholders?

The rest of your proposal is interesting, I would rather tax everyone from dollar one at 15% with no deductions (other than the basic personal deduction) but give them a tax credit for the FICA taxes as an offset. The sooner the public understand that the FICA tax is just that, a tax and not an insurance premium, the better. Obama's payroll tax holidays are already starting starting to sink in to peoples minds as to the falsity of the insurance premium and lending credence to social security as a Ponzi scheme.

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Tyrone Slothrop said...

Oh boohoo.

By the time I post this your puerile name calling will probably be withdrawn, the sure sign of an intellectual lightweight.

Unknown said...

I delete Tyrone because blogger keeps putting my profile as unknown or another email.

And don't lie Tyrone about having been on my side - when cubanbob calls me stupid, and I respond.

Are you a moron? Seriusly. Is your IQ single digits? Are you on parole?

Are still fucking your mother Tyrone? The woman who had a thousand dicks before your dad's? Are you sure who your father is? Is that why you molest children?

Does your parole officer knwo where you are tyrone?

Brent said...

I delete Tyrone because blogger keeps putting my profile as unknown or another email.

And don't lie Tyrone about having been on my side - when cubanbob calls me stupid, and I respond.

Are you a moron? Seriously. Is your IQ single digits? Are you on parole?

Are still fucking your mother Tyrone? The woman who had a thousand dicks before your dad's? Are you even sure who your father is? Is that why you molest children Tyrone?

Brent said...

See asshole Tyrone?

Was your daughter's cunt tasty this morning Tyrone?

I know what you do at night Tyrone.

Brent said...

Tyrone are you jerking off while saluting GE and other corporations?

Brent said...

cubanbob is a childfucking idiot.

You can't cure stupid.

Tyrone Slothrop said...

@Brent

Congratulations! The thread's all yours now. Enjoy.

cubanbob said...

Brent said...

Brent you have proved my point. You are a complete and total moron. You paid with a debit card tied to your checking account. No doubt you are the kind of moron who gave the number to the operator on the phone, could not do it on the online website so you could KEY IN the correct amount. This is why you don't USE a debit card unless YOU enter the value yourself. And you are demonstrably stupid as you have not as yet disputed the charge. As for Friday to Monday, seriously no DA is ever going to mess with this as this is a civil matter, there is no credible criminal intent, and at best you might get your NSF fees covered plus a small hassle compensation if you ask nicely.

The real issue here is that you are an idiot and angry at the result of your stupidity but aren't man enough to accept responsibility for your stupidity and instead come here and rant and rave demanding their OUGHT TO BR A LAW to protect my from my idiocy. You must be J's dumber brother.

You were born stupid, are still stupid and will die stupid and you are too stupid to understand that. But that is your problem not the rest of the world's problem.

Carol said...

I actually voted for Brown in 1974, before leaving the state. He is an interesting pol..I heard recently that he wanted to pull the plug on all those community development boondoggles. Jesus we got those everywhere now, and the locals tout them like it was something really new and innovative.

Good luck to him!

cubanbob said...

Tyrone Slothrop said...

It appears we outed J in another disguise. Just as stupid and just as nasty.

Unknown said...

cubanbob - I bought a new policy over the phone that I needed that day.

There was nothing stupid about that.

You are an asshole who will die an asshole and you will burn eternally in the blackness of darkness forever.

Please come to where I live and bring your friends so you can stand up for your comments. You chosse the first attack and so to defend my honor email me and I will tell you when and where.

You are a pussy who did a driveby and you don't have the balls to stand up to what you said cubanbob.

I do. I;m calling you out bitch boy.

Everyone now knows you have no balls Bob.
Call me. We'll make this right between us.

Tyrone Slothrop said...

cubanbob-- I've been waiting for him to translate his gutter rants into bad Spanish. At that point we'll know for sure.

Unknown said...

Oh and cuban bob - I did dispute the charge at the bak today.

Good luck with that corporate titsucking and asskissing you are doing here.

Call me Buttbob. Just reply that you want my email, and I'll send it toi you and tell you where and when.

You threw the first charge Buttbob.
C'mon Ball-lessbob. Stand up for what you said.

Unknown said...

Tyrone - are you also ballless, bitch boy?

Hiding behind your anonymous address too?

Ask for my email and I'll give you it.

Then we will all see if you grew a pair or your just a pussy like buttbob.

Unknown said...

and Tyrone, I thought you said I got the thread now - why are you still here?

Oh that's right - hiding behind your mother's internet, you pussy.

On your period now Tyrone?

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
BJM said...

@James Dandy

Brown also appointed CA Chief Justice Rose Bird and we are still living with the consequences of the Brown/Bird court.

With five aging Justices, the chances are that he will have an opporunity to stack the CA Supreme Court again.

To be fair, while Mayor of Oakland Brown created two very good charter schools that he still supports financially. Given that Oakland Unified had to be taken over by the state and is among the worst school districts in the nation, that's to his credit.

Unknown said...

I'm sure Brown will cave. He has, has always had, interesting ideas, which disappear into the vapor upon the slightest pushback by his owners, the unions.

He wanted to end redevelopment (boondoggle) and the CUIAB (sinecures for out of work pols). He soon stopped talking about them.

Gene said...

Hard to believe Jerry Brown would say something like that unless the trial lawyers pressured him to (on the grounds that without helmets they would have more personal injury suits to litigate).

Robert Cook said...

"I paid - like the majority of people, with a Visa tied to my checking account."

So, am I mistaken, or do you mean you paid via a debit card transaction?

If so, this is just another reason NOT to have or use debit cards...I sure don't. When my bank sent me a renewal ATM card some years back and I realized it was a debit card, I contacted them and told them I didn't want it...I wanted a plain old ATM card. They provided me one and I shredded the debit card.

Listen, folks: with a credit card, assuming one loses it or it is stolen, the worst that can happen is that someone can run up charges on your account...no money is immediately taken from you. You may dispute the phony charges. With debit cards, vendors or unauthorized users have direct access to the cash in your bank account. It can be sucked away like the last fluid ounces of beverage in a BIG GULP cup.

Don't do it...renounce your debit cards!

(I'm not kidding at all.)

Gene said...

Paddo O: Jerry Brown, sadly enough, is more conservative and libertarian than Gov. Arnold.

Gov. Arnold didn't have the breath of vision to be governor. Or perhaps even the intelligence. Once before he entered politics I heard him speak at a libertarian dinner honoring Michael Milken. I thought he was reading his speech off the back of a cereal box, except cereal boxes have more depth.

He was an alpha male who spoke utter banalities with complete self-assurance. But he had great social skills and in person could be utterly charming in his manly way.

cubanbob said...

Tyrone Slothrop said...

All of the below( underneath) proves beyond a shadow of a doubt and to a metaphysical certainty the Brent is J. A complete and total waste of a life and irredeemably stupid. When Robert Cook who normally is nearly nuts in his political rants is absolutely sane, sober and correct in his comment about debit cards then you know you are dealing with a whole another level of crazy that only J is known to inhabit. Proof enough for a capital crimes conviction. RC no offense intended. We disagree completely politically but I am not at all implying that your feet are not planted firmly on planet sanity when it comes to matters of daily living.

" Brent said...
Go fuck your children Tyrone- they miss your cock.

9/10/11 3:27 PM

cubanbob you are an asshole. But you already know that.

9/10/11 3:14 PM
Unknown said...
cubanbob - I bought a new policy over the phone that I needed that day.

There was nothing stupid about that.

You are an asshole who will die an asshole and you will burn eternally in the blackness of darkness forever.

Please come to where I live and bring your friends so you can stand up for your comments. You chosse the first attack and so to defend my honor email me and I will tell you when and where.

You are a pussy who did a driveby and you don't have the balls to stand up to what you said cubanbob.

I do. I;m calling you out bitch boy.

Everyone now knows you have no balls Bob.
Call me. We'll make this right between us.

9/10/11 3:50 PM
Brent said...
I DID NOT hijack a thread, you piece of worthless shit.

I took what was the theme and said that the law can make corproations be accountable in an area they should be.

They STOLE from me. They hurt me - I missed a wedding I was going to get paid for to sing in because I don't have gas money. I buy groceries on Saturday, Tyrone. And i need milk for the meds I take and I have been out since Thursday night.


You and your children can burn in hell for judging me, you child molesting, cocksucking worthless piece of human refuse..

9/10/11 3:26 PM

Unknown said...
I delete Tyrone because blogger keeps putting my profile as unknown or another email.

And don't lie Tyrone about having been on my side - when cubanbob calls me stupid, and I respond.

Are you a moron? Seriusly. Is your IQ single digits? Are you on parole?

Are still fucking your mother Tyrone? The woman who had a thousand dicks before your dad's? Are you sure who your father is? Is that why you molest children?

Does your parole officer knwo where you are tyrone?

9/10/11 3:31 PM

Brent said...
I delete Tyrone because blogger keeps putting my profile as unknown or another email.

And don't lie Tyrone about having been on my side - when cubanbob calls me stupid, and I respond.

Are you a moron? Seriously. Is your IQ single digits? Are you on parole?

Are still fucking your mother Tyrone? The woman who had a thousand dicks before your dad's? Are you even sure who your father is? Is that why you molest children Tyrone?

9/10/11 3:33 PM

Brent said...
See asshole Tyrone?

Was your daughter's cunt tasty this morning Tyrone?

I know what you do at night Tyrone.

9/10/11 3:35 PM

Brent said...
Tyrone are you jerking off while saluting GE and other corporations?

9/10/11 3:36 PM

sorepaw said...

I'll give Jerry Brown extra style points if he quotes Jesse the Body:

"You can't legislate stupidity."

Unknown said...

cubanbuttbob:

Why didn't you include the quotes where I called you out?

Because you are a coward, Cubanbuttbob.

I am not Jeremy.

I am someone that you personally slandered with no provocation from me. I told my situation and you chose to call me stupid and insult me.

You are ball less cubanbuttbob.

Ask for my email and we'll see if you are not a pussy.

Everyone can see that you make drive-by slanders and hide behind your mother's internet.

You are a pussy Bob. Show your kids this so they can see what a spineless person you are cubanbuttbob.

You are a coward.

SukieTawdry said...

Saint Croix said...Brown is one of those liberals who has always been a free thinker. Makes him far more interesting than the typical progressive.

Brown had a blog while he was mayor of Oakland. It was very interesting; he was very interesting. Too bad he sucks at governing; he should have gone into something else. I believe at one time he considered the priesthood. He would have made a good Jesuit.

Gene said...

Milwaukee: How about 2% income tax on the first $10,000 of income, going up 1% for every $10,000 of income to maxing out at 15%? Make corporate income tax the same.

I have never the understood the logic of making (American based) corporations pay taxes on income, given that they invariably just raise the price of what they sell and we end up playing anyway.

What's wrong with a company making a lot of money? Sooner or later they have to do something with it, such as pay salaries or invest it in something. Eventually the money ends up in an actual person's bank account. Once that happens we can tax it to our heart's content (or liberals can anyway).

caseym54 said...

Of course, Brown has no problem making smokers an anti-protected class by making clear that it is OK to discriminate in housing against smokers.