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Ask the 'Geek Candidate' for California Governor
No, not Arnold Schwarzenegger. We're talking abut Georgy Russell, who studied computer science at UC Berkeley, often wears ThinkGeek clothing, has a blog, reads Slashdot, and knows how to run Linux. Since this California electoral free-for-all has turned into a worldwide spectator sport as bizarre as any other 'Reality TV' show currently airing, Slashdot might as well get in on the media frenzy and interview a candidate, and Georgy is the obvious choice. We'll email Georgy 10 of the highest-moderated questions, and publish her answers (and, yes, the chosen questions in the same post) as soon as she replies.
Do you think the california recall election is fair? I understand that a lot of Californians are unhappy with Gray Davis' performance, but he WAS elected by the people, if people dislike him then they can vote him out of office when his term is up. It seems unfair that Davis needs a majority of votes to remain in office, but a replacement candidate could be selected by a plurality. It is possible, and quite likely, that Davis will be voted out with 60% or fewer votes. That would mean 40% or more voters essentially voted for Davis, but he would not be the winner, one of the 400+ other candidates on the ballot would and in all liklihood that candidate will have received far fewer than 40% of the votes.
This whole situation seems like a gross abuse of a recall system that relies on honesty and virtuous politicians. Unfortunately California is no such utopia. By running in the election you have shown your support for it, how do you justify this support given the evident problems.
Visualize the world of wine
How would you propose to balance California's budget? Cutbacks, or new revenue opportunities? If it is cutbacks, where would your biggest cutbacks come from?
What are we going to do tonight Brain?
She's a geekgrrl, and she's hot.
Now, then, why do you -THINK- she's so popular?
(Oh, and she's a twenty-something).
With all the "Star Power" and the number of candidates that obviously are looking for media attention (I.E. Gary Colemen ), do you really thing that the candidates or the office really going to be taken serious when its all said and done?
Won't this whole election fiasco cripple anyone who actually wins?
-- Disclaimer: I can't really back up anything I post on
Do you feel that all the media attention around Arnold and the other big name people is making for an unfair election that won't give people, like yourself, with valid points and opinions a fair chance to express your views?
"Armed forces abroad are of little value unless there is prudent counsel at home" - Cicero
she's American, she's FINE, she's obviously well educated, she grew up through hard times (was raised "poor" so her bio says), and she's tackling some important issues.
While I feel (see here)that some of her issues are going to cause detrimental harm to her campaign due to the current status of most of the voting population, I think that people could possibly relate to her (especially 18-29 aged voters, sadly, most of that group doesn't vote).
do you spout off stupid platitudes about "the market" and individual rights? or do you actually believe in the concept of "society" and the social, economic and quality of life benefits of a healthy community. do you believe that we should try to build a better society then the one we received? for instance we get free, good quality primary and secondary education - will you work towards free third level education? previous generations invested in roads in california, would your administration do more to invest in public transport? will you work towards better health care with better access? will you continue to inflame the gross xenophobia in california's public discourse, or will you try to have a more sensible discussion about immigrants - for instance nafta allows for the fre-flow of goods and capital amount the us, mexico and canada, but not labour. how is that free trade?
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A good leader must surround him or herself with with the best advisors and experts within their respective fields. Who will you be bringing in to your campaign and administration, and what are their qualifications?
Since you're a "geek candidate", you're obviously well-aware of the massive short- and long-term savings California could achieve by switching its computing systems to free, Open Source projects. Considering the current budget crisis, I'm also assuming that such a switch has probably crossed your mind, at least fleetingly.
/. feel that such legislation is obviously correct, I personally feel that mandation of almost any sort from government, particularly when it relates to engineering choices, is likely to cause problems from a technical standpoint, not to mention the fact that it restricts freedom -- something I think we all want -- unnecessarily, since something as simple as executive direction to consider free projects could likely achieve the same objective.
What I want to know is, do you think that passing a law mandating the use of free software wherever it does the job properly would be proper? While many people here at
Thank You,
Alex Kirk
How To Get Humans To Mars
California has some of the most draconian firearms laws in the nation. What will you do to protect/return the Second Amendment freedoms of Californians?
so prior to receiving emergency medical treatment you should have your citizenship checked? if someone falls off a building or has a heart attack they *must* be treated in the first few minutes or they will die. and the initial treatment costs a lot of money - ambulance, staff, drugs, rooms.
but you think the first thing the paramedics should do is "check their papers."
gee, glad i don't live in america any more.
and you're assuming that *all* illegal immigrants came over the border knowing they were illegal. a fair number of illegal immigrants are brought over with promises of legal immigration and legal jobs. a lot of internet add servers do geo-targeting and they know my ip addresses are outside the states so i see ads everyday advertising companies that will bring me over to work in the states legally (or so they say).
and these are american companies exploiting foreign workers. often in high risk jobs with little regard for osha.
and you favour leaving them bleeding in the streets.
nice.
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Georgy is the only candidate courageous enough to put forward the tough decisions Californians will have to make to restore fiscal discipline to California.
For about 80%, the vast majority of Californians, the increased taxes necessary to fund universal health care would be less than their current costs for private health care. A new system would allow for much needed accountability for health coverage, and create competition based on quality of care rather than cost of care.
How can you (on the same web page) talk about your fiscal dicipline and introduce an idea for universal health care?
Additionally, in a single payer system there is *no* competition. Is your universal health care really universal or are you unsure of the meaning of competition??
Clearly you haven't thought a lot of this through. There are typos on your web pages and *worse* there are logical fallacies in your political rhetoric.
On the other hand I love your approach to gay marriage and marijuana. But that's the Libertarian in me... not the liberal.
Why should I vote for you?? (Aside from the fact that you're hella cute and also geeky?)
May I suggest a new sloagan for you??
Georgy for Govenor. The same political hot air... now tempered with good looks!
~foooo
PS. I don't live in Kalifornia, but if I did I'd spend my vote on someone less bleeding heart and opt for a more practical candidate.
Lets look at your generally assumed positions - 1 at a time...
They pay taxes. Federal taxes deducted from their paychecks.
Where exactly is that fscking line item on the envelope full of singles that they get at the end of the day?
They are not a draw on social programs?
The county of Los Angeles ALONE - in 1 year paid out $350 MILLION (one county, one year) last year in medical expendatures to "undocumented workers". How do they know this? If you have a valid SSN, you get MediCAL. If you don't have a valid SSN, they simply bill your (ficticious) residence. The cost last year was $380 million. (LA Times)
If they get arrested they get tossed out?
It costs the state of California 7 times more to incarcerate "undocumented" Californians than it will cost to run this recall election.
They do not have to pay any insurance costs for their "vehicles" because they do not bother to register them, because, like you said, they avoid the DMV.
They most often use public transportation - which is by all accounts in every location in California a tax user, not a tax producer - because all state county, and city public transportation systems run at a loss, they do not make the cities/state money.
They do not pay for the cost of their children's education - because they do not pay income tax because they do not, on average, make enough to pay taxes since most of them make less than $22k a year.. below which, you do not pay federal income tax, and they can actually GET money back from the federal govnerment because you get $1000 for each child you have - the child tax credit.. so in the end, they MAKE more money off of the tax system alone than they put in.
They pay sale tax (on good that they buy in stores, but not on goods such as private sale of foodstuffs like what the farmers will sell to them at the end of the day). And they pay property tax (as part of their cost of rent) - but since they live disproportionately more people/dwelling, the revenue generated per captia is far below non-Latino rates.
In short - California is 100 times better than where they came from. Where they cam from they did not get free medical, free childbirth medical, free schooling for their kids, nearly free transportation costs, they don't get extorted by the cops as much as they did back in Mexico, China, Korea or whetever central American country they are from... and they get to be guarded by the best police, fire, and military protection in the world - without paying most of those nasty taxes that go to provide it all.
The employers of these people have an unfair tax advantage - but far far more importantly, they do not have to pay worker's compensation insurance on them - which in the State of California is running around 75% of worker's wages right now/year... it may go to 125% within 5 years. That means if you hire a guy for $40k a year, it will cost you nrealy $100k to hire them - when its all said and done...
This state is on the verge of total colapse - and it is because this state is responsible for the care, feeding (school lunches and breakfasts), and medical of non-trivial portions of other country's populations.
I did not sign up for the recall because I want to see at what point people will "get it" - that you cannot run a state like this, or it will collapse. With the party in power now standing up things like the "end poverty in California committee" movement in the state legislature - perhapse you remember that from the past.. Stalin and Lennin were both big proponents of the same ideals.
I want Americans to feel first hand what socialism does to a state... i want them to experience total colapse of a state under the weight of open borders and unlimited government programs. Because it is obvious to me that most people still left i
guns kill people like spoons make Rosie O'Donnell fat.
Costing more than double Canada's system per person, the U.S. health system eats up 13+% of U.S. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) compared to Canada's 9%. And, tragically, for all the money it costs, the U.S. health system serves only a fraction of the population.
A staggering 43 million Americans have no health coverage whatsoever and another 100 million are considered under-insured.
- Why NOT Privatize
It looks like the US could easily afford health care for both "real citizens" as you call them and illegal immigrants.
Besides, I'd rather pay an extra $10 in taxes this year than let some poor kid with a bullet in her stomach die on the street.
Nobody wins unless everyone wins, right?
The US Army: promoting democracy through unquestioned obedience
of The Simpson's as a (Slashdot) cultural common denominator.
It brings up another interesting aspect of cultural power in this election; how many people will see Arnold as anything less than a hero? How many people will be influenced by his characters' ability to go against seemingly overwhelming odds to survive and succeed? This is not to say that the big guy isn't a good person - I was quite impressed by his charitable donations and interest in children. But he has gone against aliens, liquid metal assassins, sword weilding tribesmen, evil public servents and some villians too ridiculous to mention and succeeded each time.
How will his opponents (Ms. Russell, this question is for you) fight against this vision in the public's mind so that their issues and faces can take center stage?
myke
Mimetics Inc. Twitter
Then let them come via legal channels and not come sneaking across the border!
Look- I'm a Republican who believes that we need serious imigration reform, our policy is too restrictive (I know, not exactly the party line there). The southwest sees tons of illegals because we as a country won't let them come across in a legit manner. However, all that will change by giving illegals free health care is increasing the number of illegals. Politicians on both sides of the aisle spend way to much time fighting symptoms. Get to the cause- make these aliens legal and then allow them the same health care options the rest of America has.
It appears you might be in a segment of the political spectrum where you are duty bound to think of business as the Bad Guys, but I'd ask you to look beyond that. At least look for ways to attract smaller businesses which is where most of the job growth tends to occur anyway.
I'm afraid your statements have too much ideological content. For example, there are reasons OTHER than "special interests" that prevent wide adoption of solar energy. Some of them have a solid scientific and economic basis. And the crack about "Oh, do we want to be like Bush's Texas" was also silly.
A lot of us out here are really, really tired of that blame game nonsense. We don't want to hear California's woes blamed on Bush or 9/11 or El Nino or the flapping of a butterfly's wings in Argentina. What's done is done and now is now. What do you propose to FIX it?
--- Ban humanity.
In your issues paper, you say you are for the legalization of marijuana. That's fine, so am I. However, marijuana is already legal in California for medical use, but can still be arrested, prosecuted, and incarcerated under federal law. So, if you were elected governor of California, of what possible relevance is your stand on marijuana?
Georgy,
I understand what you mean when you say that Bush and Davis show that political experience is overrated. But I think that's a ludicrous characterization of an obvious point: experience does not guarantee success, but can you have success without experience? What is your experience in the field of public speaking and policy analysis? As someone who has been involved with high school policy debate and still is involved with college parliamentary debate, I often feel there is a depth to issues that most ordinary people don't understand, a depth that usually comes through a careful, two-sided analysis of issues that is, more often than not, unique to some kind of analytical, political activity. Please provide evidence (or at least convince me) that you have this depth.
Cordially,
Samuel Chang
One thing that is interesting to note here is the fact that the massive state budget gaps come not from poor management, but from reduced consumer spending.
But they are all related. Consumer spending is down because people are out of work. People are out of work because the economy is bad. The economy is especially bad in California because of the asinine anti-business legislation that is driving businesses out of the state.
The message? Sales taxes are a bad idea.
The message I get is that you shouldn't increase state spending by 30% in three years during a period of unsustainable growth in tax revenue.
And I happen to think that sales taxes are the most fair methods of taxation because they let the individual choose how much taxes they are going to pay.
One idea I like is the circulation fee system.
I hate that idea. Coerced spending- ugh.
"The defense of freedom requires the advance of freedom" - George W Bush
Here's what's happened. A long time ago the people of California, in their infinite wisdom, voted in something called "Proposition 13." Otherwise known as the "welcome, neighbor" law. This instantly created huge disparities in property taxes. For people wanting tax relief, it gave it in spades by freezing property taxes. For people moving to the fine state of California, "welcome, neighbor!" Your taxes are based on the price you paid, regardless that your neighbor in an indentical house pays 1/4th as much. (Bear in mind, please, that this fellow's net worth has increased dramatically. Sell your million dollar bungalow these days and move to Washington State waterfront with enough left over to retire.
It seemed like such a good idea at the time. But social services were cut. Libraries, for example, were decimated and whaddyaknow, the so-calledd "quality of life" began to deteriorate. (But hey! You lifers' property taxes are low, so to hell with your neighbors!)
So what did the government do? Began to rely on income tax. With the 90's boom the (state) government stayed afloat on dot-commers' riches for a few more years. Then the bust.
Now the chickens are home to roost. This has nothing to do with Davis. He inherited this mess caused by the voters when Proposition 13 was passed many years ago. But the *Voters* take no responsibility for the mess they created. They voted Prop 13 in; they vote Davis out. Somehow, they see no connection.
If elected, you will also inherit this mess. What will you do to educate voters to being citizens of the state instead of citizens of their own plot of land? How will you teach voters that word that is so hard to say, Responsibility?
How about a moderation of -1 pedantic.
On reading your website's issues page:
Clean elections--
Do you honestly believe that money needs to be removed from the elections equation? How will this ensure an efficient solution if no one is allowed to contribute to a candidate s/he endorses, and how will this ensure that majority candidates will not be swamped by the radicals that flood out of the woodwork by a more equitable playing field? How much money would each candidate get out of the public funding pool? What happens if too many candidates run and not enough money is available?
Justice System--
While I agree in principle that the death penalty is bad policy, please offer a concrete solution to take care of the the problems that arise with letting more convicted felons into already overcrowded prisons. If I read your website right, you seem to advocate loosening sentences for as-yet-not-elaborated-on cases. Do give something substantial here.
Budget Woes--
Please, please, please tell us what you will do to *solve* the budget problems, other than "make courageous decisions."
Health Care--
Please elaborate on how Vermont's health care system, which serves a population of 613,090 (probably less than LA's population even), will scale up to serve California's population of 34,501,130.
Legalization of Marijuana--
Although I may be in the minority on this issue, do you think that allowing another mind-altering, functionally-impairing substance on the market is a good thing? Is burning paper and plant leaves good for the environment? What about secondhand smoke? What about commercialization of marjiuana, which will inevitably put additives in to make it smoother and more carcinogenic?
Economic Prosperity--
Please, once again, tell us what you will do about this, other than "take a page from President Clinton."
Overall, I think you introduce many ideas which are great but will be extremely costly to California. Given your repeated use of the words "fiscal discipline," I am less convinced that you have a consistent theme running throughout your platform. California cannot afford to partially fund every political candidate, provide universal health care, and achieve fiscal solvency. This does not include the costs of regulating marijuana and investing in clean energy technologies, which will add to the burden. As you would have Arnold do, please clearly elaborate on what policy initiatives you will undertake, how you would fund them, why they will work, and not what things are like.
Cordially,
Samuel Chang
Why does running Linux, wearing ThinkGeek gear, and anything else computer related qualify you for governor of California or any other political office?
<PERSONAL OPINION>
Like William F. Buckley, I'd rather be ruled or governed by the Everyman than I would by an increasing number of deep pocketed haves. That said, I'm not giving anybody a free pass, because they play the part of the geek or legit geeks. I want candidates to put forward a comprehensive platform. Programs they will execute. Priorities for their budgets. Don't placate me by "feeling my pain" or reciting the terms of the GPL.
<SUBOPINION ON CALIFORNIA>
If the marijuana legalization and gay marriage are the acid tests for your gubernatorial candidates, then you have a serious problem. These are journalistic issues, issues that sell papers and give the cable news talking heads something to babble about. In reality, these issues (in addition to file sharing, the RIAA, and IP infringement) affect minor assortments of people. They do not belong in the realm of public policy making where budget crises, transportation gridlock, and energy shortages will determine California's future. These affect homosexuals and heterosexuals, virgin lungs and potheads, and Windows neophytes and Linux zealots with no prejudice.
</SUBOPINION ON CALIFORNIA>
</POLITICAL OPINION>