Enough with This Garbage: Confirm Maldonado

Who benefits? (0.00 / 0)

Maldonado has a very weak record on equal rights for gays and lesbians.  He voted against domestic partner rights, and against equality in insurance coverage.  He did change his mind and vote in favor of the Harvey Milk Day bill this year, but he undercut that vote by saying he views Milk as a "capitalist and entrepreneur" who was only coincidentally gay -- and by emphasizing that the bill does not actually require teachers to say that Milk was gay.  Really, Abel?  That's pretty pathetic.  We don't need any more statewide officeholders who are opposed to the basic civil rights of gays and lesbians.

So there are pros and cons to both confirming and defeating.  If he's confirmed, it opens up a senate seat, but creates the possibility of him actually becoming governor, and gives him an incumbent's ballot description for 2010.  If he's defeated, he's kept out of high office for now -- but then runs as a martyr in 2010.

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by: DavidT @ Thu Dec 10, 2009 at 02:18:59 AM UTC

Incumbent's ballot designation (0.00 / 0)

Ain't worth so much these days. Ask Bruce McPherson.

I think?

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by: Brian Leubitz @ Thu Dec 10, 2009 at 03:27:56 AM UTC

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Actually, that's what kept it a close race (0.00 / 0)

Look at all the other statewide downballot races.

Insurance Commissioner was an outlier because you had a Rep who could self-fund, but if you look at all the other downballot races where it was generic Dem vs. generic Rep this (Sec. of State race) was the closest one (3 points).

LG - 4 point margin
Controller - 10 point margin
Treasurer - 17 point margin
AG - 18 point margin

Yeah, Bowen wound up winning, but it was awfully freakin' close. McPherson's "incumbency" was worth several points. If it had been non-incumbent generic Dem vs. non-incumbent generic Rep the margin probably would have been something closer to Chiang's margin in the Controller's race - 10 points, not the squeaker that Sec. of State turned out to be.  

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by: petercharles @ Thu Dec 10, 2009 at 04:45:40 AM UTC

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It was more than that with McPhereson (0.00 / 0)

He ran a pretty good campaign. He came off as fairly well informed. He had a base and was perceived as moderate. Now, you could say that many of these adjectives apply to Maldonado, but I would at least argue on informed.

Now, comparing the SoS race to the Treasurer race is rather meaningless. Parrish had no money and was a nut.  AG featured a universally known candidate, Jerry Brown, against another nut who had no name ID and little money, Chuck Poochigian.

It was a strange year, but I'm not sure if you can really compare these races on an even level without looking at other information.

I think?

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by: Brian Leubitz @ Thu Dec 10, 2009 at 05:19:50 AM UTC

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Central Coast benefits (0.00 / 0)

Abel Maldonado goes to one of the least consequential posts in government and is replaced by John Laird?  Sounds like a good deal to me.

Are you worried about Abel becoming Governor someday?  Those who think Republicans would nominate him are not familiar with the dynamics within the GOP right now.  There is NO WAY he could live through a primary (unless he gets the open primary).  Then, if Democrats cannot find a stronger candidate than Abel Maldonado when GOP regisration is at 31% then they don't deserve to hold the governorship.  Democrats cannot be that pathetic.  

From my standpoint, there is much to gain and very little risk.

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by: smoker1 @ Thu Dec 10, 2009 at 18:05:09 PM UTC

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Democrats cannot be that pathetic (0.00 / 0)

Again, Don Perata begs to differ.

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by: jsw @ Thu Dec 10, 2009 at 18:23:29 PM UTC

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Oh No (0.00 / 0)

Arnold endorsing p/t legislature and 50 percent pay cut initiative?

Why would we be shaking in our boots about that? Arnold is at 26 percent approval and voters dont trust a word he says.

That said, agreed on the Abel confirmation. But let's get something for doing it other than a crapshoot at a Senate seat gain.

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by: sacguy @ Thu Dec 10, 2009 at 05:44:20 AM UTC

Who are we negotiating with (0.00 / 0)

I like where you are going with this. Perhaps Arnold has some motivation to really help Maldo, because he's the only one to negotiate with. We aren't going to buy any Republican votes for any budget with this, as they all hate him. So, the question is what Arnold's got to give at this point?

I think?

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by: Brian Leubitz @ Thu Dec 10, 2009 at 14:25:09 PM UTC

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