Our Elections Have Consequences

U.S. Senator Judd Gregg, R-New Hampshire, coined the phrase “Elections have consequences” as a way to eloquently and simply convince people that we are all affected by whom we vote for and how we vote on issues. In other words – you better try to get the best elected official you can or you will feel the pain in some way or another.

The voters of the Santa Clarita Valley and California now have the election table set for the November 2010 balloting, which will bring many consequences to this state for years to come. At the top of the ticket, Meg Whitman and Jerry Brown will face off. This race promises to be a high-intensity, expensive campaign on both sides.

If each of us does not go vote for our candidate, we will be disappointed and, worse yet, economically and socially impaired should the wrong candidate win in November. This is not to say that one candidate is better than the next – we simply must each know the issues at stake in California and ensure that someone is elected who will promote business, reduce regulatory burdens, reform the pension system in the state and, above all, bring some semblance of reality to Sacramento.

We have the same decision to make for our U.S. Senate seat. In November, Carly Fiorina will face off against Sen. Barbara Boxer. The U.S. Senate is more than just a group of 100 citizens in D.C. who don’t really impact our daily lives. They confirm critical appointments made by the president, including Supreme Court justices, and spend billions of dollars in American taxpayer money.

Don’t be lulled into believing the Senate race is less important than the governor’s race in California – one senator can have a lot of power. Make sure you are giving careful consideration to who should wield this power. What are the issues that will be affected by our next governor and senator? I recently went through a single day’s stories from a well-known political website, Rough & Tumble, and here’s a smattering of some of the issues we will be deciding in November: • Public pension reform • Majority vote on the state budget • Park and water bonds • Marijuana legalization • Changes to loss carry back and tax credit provisions for business • Illegal immigration • Gay marriage • Redistricting of congressional and state Assembly and Senate districts • Local government funding • State budget shortfalls • IOUs • Incentives and proposals to boost the economy • Affordable housing • Education cuts • Tuition increases at UC, CSU and community colleges • Environmental legislation – most importantly the Global Greenhouse Gas law (AB 32)

And this was one day of political headlines!

We must all be ever vigilant and realize that this election – as does every election – will have consequences for all of us. Whether you are a business owner, soccer mom, firefighter or corporate executive, as we approach this November’s election, we should all keep in mind the famous philosopher Pericles who in 430 B.C. said, “Just because you do not take an interest in politics doesn’t meant politics won’t take an interest in you.”

Be interested because the consequences are huge – for you, your children and California’s long-term future.