A lot of professional politicians, Democrat, Green, Labor Party and other, should take lessons from at least one Hollywood actor--Warren Beatty.
In his speech last week at the California Nurses Association House of Delegates, Beatty demonstrated how to say what you believe, come out swinging, and stand up for the progressive values that a majority of Americans believe. When many left leaders are afraid to stand up for healthcare, or peace, or social justice--is it any wonder we keep losing elections?
And will he run for Governor? Well, not now. But the door's still open a bit...
You can read the full text here, but I'm putting some of the choice paragraphs below.
Because it allows me, yet again, to acknowledge what I continue to be, which is an old time, unrepentant, unreconstructed, tax and wisely spend, bleeding heart, die hard Liberal Democrat who grew up a southern Baptist from Virginia and believes in the golden rule, social programs, a safety net, regulation, and an active government.
In the next six and a half weeks you and I have a public service to perform.
The Governor has called for a 50 to 80 million dollar extra election on Republican initiatives notwithstanding the fact that we will be having another election soon afterward in June.
He is doing this now because he can use it to raise unlimited money this year for his re-election as Governor next year and avoid the legal restrictions he faces during the year his own election actually occurs in.
To try to justify this unnecessary spending of the taxpayers money he's refused to settle these initiatives in the legislature, which he could have done, or to submit them for the regular election in June because more Democratic voters are bound to show up for the June Democratic primary.
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So now we have to respond to this odious tactic, a cosmetic exercise to build up his image while he exhibits himself as a supposed reformer while raising lots of right wing corporate cash all across the country after having accomplished little or nothing in office except to revise workers comp to the benefit of the insurance industry and the detriment of the workers and to intentionally insult, alienate, and scapegoat the democratically elected legislature to try to capitalize on and exploit the public's growing mistrust of government.
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Governing by show, by spin, by cosmetics, and photo ops, fake events, fake issues and fake crowds and backdrops...is a mistake.
Not facing facts is a mistake.
That concept of reality should be saved for action movies and show business.
I'll tell you another mistake.
Going after the nurses.
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