Wednesday, January 25, 2006

Standing Representative Democracy on Its’ Head

Governor sidesteps assisted suicide
Dan Smith, Sacramento Bee

Dan Smith with the Sacramento Bee writes today about the governor’s comments at the annual Sacramento Press Club luncheon yesterday. When asked about legalizing assisted suicide Governor Schwarzenegger reportedly said, “I have all along never really put my own personal opinions into making policies and making those kind of, you know, especially difficult decisions like that.”

“I personally think that this is a decision that probably should go to the people, like the death penalty or other big issues," Schwarzenegger said. "I think let the people of California make that decision. I don't think that 120 legislators and I should make that decision."

It warms my heart to think that we spend our time voting for and electing people who get paid in excess of $120,000 a year so they can bypass the “hard” decisions and put them to the voters. While I do not support the assisted suicide bill, I do have to give credit to Assemblyman Lloyd Levine who evidently grasps the concept of a representative democracy. Levine reportedly said that voters expect the Legislature and the governor to decide the issue. "We're not going to punt. We're going to do our job," he said.

On Another Note
Does anyone find it odd that the governor doesn’t put his "own personal opinions into making policies”? Is this the same governor who said that his radically liberal Democrat chief of staff would carry out his policies – or implement his agenda? If the governor has no inclination to insert his personal opinions into major policy decisions, then just exactly whose opinions and ideas is Ms. Kennedy implementing?

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Hmmm...Weren't those "his" initiatives we voted on in November? Wasn't that "his" special election? Isn't this "his" new California? And now all of a sudden he isn't going to make those kind of decisions? Who made the decision not to grant clemency a couple of weeks ago? I am certainly confused. I thought elected officials made those hard decisions every day...Hmmmm....