From Gov. Jerry Brown On Down, Too Many California Democrats Sell Out On Fracking And Climate Change

[xchrom]

http://www.alternet.org/fracking/gov-jerry-brown-down-too-many-california-democrats-sell-out-fracking-and-climate-change



The reasons wary—political cowardice, corruption, compromise and election year self-interest—but regardless, many top Democrats in California, from Gov. Jerry Brown to a sizeable block of state senators, are not even allowing modest steps to postpone a gigantic new wave of oil and natural gas drilling in the state.

Charles Stewart, the spokesman for California Sen. Holly Mitchell, whose district is in south and east Los Angeles, where newly expanded drilling shadows parks, schools and many poor neighborhoods, has had a front row seat and can’t say what’s most alarming.

Stewart has seen Democratic state senators sell out his boss, by skipping a recent vote on her statewide fracking moratorium. He’s seen Democrats get rewarded with campaign funds from oil and gas lobbyists for voting "no" on it. He’s seen Brown defend drilling and brush off environmentalists' concerns. And he’s seen broad anti-fracking sentiments ignored, from statewide polls overwhelmingly supporting a moratorium to dismissed public health concerns.

“It wasn’t last minute,” Stewart said, speaking of the Democratic senators who in late May avoided voting on Mitchell’s moratorium, which would have postponed a new wave of drilling enabled by hydralic fracturing and other exteme techniques until the health and environmental impacts were known. “Holly Mitchell had carried a moratorium [bill] last year in the Assembly. It died on the floor. In both cases, it was not the opposition’s votes that defeated it. It was the failure of votes from our Democratic caucus.”

[reddread]

1. whats the worst thing that could happen?

earthquake under a nuclear power plant?
quitcher whining. Its Nader's fault, anyway.
we have plenty of water for this, its not like
they havent thought it through...

[Uncle Joe]

2. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, xchrom.

[xchrom]

3. ...

[reddread]

4. are we ever going to learn a lesson about brand name dynasty candidates?

The Brown family commitment to offshore drilling regardless of popular sentiment and legislative protections?
The Cuomo disappointments?
The Bush family?
The Clintons?
these folks have their tendrils in monstrous environmental and economic machinery that does not care who gets
hurt or killed. Brown especially has mastered the deception of faux liberalism.
Air? Water?
those are the top two issues on anyones agenda, whether they know it or not.
turn off the boob tube, disconnect from the propaganda and think about what
your loved ones need to be secure.
we can beat the system, as corrupt as it is.
look at other countries with citizens who actually give a shit about their own well being.
Lets quit embarrassing and shaming ourselves.
be good citizens, not patsies.
dont ask for your inalienable rights back.
thats a slaves errand.

[MisterP]

5. Bayh, Jr.! (but I actually haven't heard any CA Dem pol blame the state Dems'

Pub behavior on Mark Sanchez causing Republicans to get elected to the statehouse and "thwarting" the no-doubt lefty utopia the Dems HAD planned until the rabble ruined it for them; the corporatists are relatively open at the state level)

[reddread]

6. Crooked California Democrats come cheaply for Big Oil, special elections, not so much

http://www.bakersfieldcalifornian.com/politics/local/x738926105/Rubio-to-resign-immediately-from-the-state-Senate

[MisterP]

7. there's definitely a difference in how national and state Dem parties are treated

when half the NY Dems caucused with the GOP they got booed--not given the benefit of the doubt because they have a D after their names
the sycophancy even gets weird--like they're able to erase the Libya War, an-Nusra, and all the Wall Street and PhRMA asskissing, etc etc etc etc

[reddread]

8. anything but a public option

this is America, and you know who has the last word when it comes to our health, safety and security.
not us.

[MisterP]

9. remember that scene in Buffy the Vampire Slayer when Angel was trying to explain that Ben is Glory?

[reddread]

10. well. no.

but I do love Firefly.
And Dark Shadows, second to no one.

[MisterP]

11. the quote starts around "Is everyone here very stoned?"

http://www.buffyworld.com/buffy/transcripts/099_tran.html

[reddread]

12. thanks

I might just try streaming some of that series,
anything but anything by the object of my
"Super H8te"
JJ Abrams.
I cant imagine Star Wars surviving his brutish touch.

[KamaAina]

13. I have just learned that diesels do not get smog-checked

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=841273



There's something they could get done right away.