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agincourt

(1,996 posts)
Mon Dec 26, 2016, 01:14 PM Dec 2016

Will the GOP try to sabotage the California economy?

I remember when Bush/Cheney got in in 2001, that Texas based power companies gouged California bad on electricity rates, it was flagrant market manipulation. People were getting outlandish bills and it added to the budget shortfall of the golden state. I think it had some role to in the Gray Davis recall. My question to fellow DUers is what the GOP might pull now to hit California? I'm sure they're going to target Jerry Brown just like they did Gray Davis. I don't think there would be any recall, but I'm sure the GOP would love to hit Jerry Brown if they can

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Bradical79

(4,490 posts)
1. I'd be shocked if they didn't
Mon Dec 26, 2016, 01:20 PM
Dec 2016

Enron was deliberately creating blackouts in California and got Arnold Schwartzneger elected. And the amount of hatred for California from their base make it an easy target. They know it can be done, and their deplorable supporters will gladly look the other way.

mopinko

(69,803 posts)
3. i have thought often about the parallels to that recall election.
Mon Dec 26, 2016, 02:15 PM
Dec 2016

a flood of idiots and bimbos on the ticket made gropenator stand out, just the way it happened in the thug primaries this year.
the whole thing stunk to high heavens, but nobody ever asked the right questions.

kimbutgar

(20,871 posts)
2. Then I hope the local media reminds everyone what happened in 2001
Mon Dec 26, 2016, 01:29 PM
Dec 2016

We have to think up the devious things they might do and be prepared to counterattack. Something tells me though Jerry Brown anticipates this.

Auggie

(31,054 posts)
4. I think they could try by cutting Federal appropriations ...
Mon Dec 26, 2016, 02:31 PM
Dec 2016

and blame any ensuing budget crisis on Brown and the Senate/Assembly supermajority. That's the target -- or should be, IMO -- the supermajority. Brown will be termed-out in 2018.

Merlot

(9,696 posts)
5. I think we give more than we get on federal appropriations
Wed Jan 4, 2017, 02:58 AM
Jan 2017

though I could be wrong about that. If the California economy is going strong, could possibly survive the shortfall. I think they'll try something else.

Hekate

(90,188 posts)
6. California's a "donor state", that is, we give more in federal taxes than we get back....
Wed Jan 4, 2017, 03:17 AM
Jan 2017

So, cutting what we get back would hurt, but not be fatal.

Unless, that is, we have a natural disaster (for instance) on a scale where we actually need federal help. At that point, one would really hope FEMA is still a viable organization and has not returned to the wreck Dubya made of it.

Actual sabotage, like what Enron did to us, shit I just do not know.

McCamy Taylor

(19,240 posts)
7. Summary: Enron price gouged California with the aid of the Bush administration
Wed Jan 4, 2017, 03:34 AM
Jan 2017

including Nora Brownell, Karl Rove's pick for the position of head of the FERC. Thomas White is said to have bragged that Enron's plan to stay solvent involved "California". They would stage phony brownouts and inflate the price of energy. A federal judge shut down the price gouging operation in Summer of 2001, which precipitated Enron's massive financial crisis. However, Ken Lay did not give up. Enron turned to the Taliban to broker a deal to save their asses. When the deal fell through, the Bush administration promised to rain bombs down on Afghanistan---a promise they were able to keep after 9-11. Also in the wake of 9-11, the Bush administration asked Congress for a huge infusion of cash into a few companies as "economic stimulus." Enron was one of those companies. The House readily agreed tp give a bundle of money to Enron but the Democratic controlled Senate said "Fuck you, Enron" at which point Enron collapsed like the house of cards it was.

But that was not the end of Enron. First, the administration had to distract from the investigation into the price gouging. They did that by pushing up the invasion of Iraq so that it happened the exact same week the report detailing the administration's involvement in the price gouging. Was scheduled to be released. As a result, the story was buried by the press. And, since Rove had handed control of the Senate to the GOP using e-fraud and war mongering, there was no more federal investigation.

However, the state of California under Davis was launching a massive civil suit against Enron that would have exposed the Bush administration. So, they engineered the recall of Davis and installed Arnold with a mandate to shut down the Enron civil suit.

And that, in a nutshell, is Enron--the crappy company that directly caused 9-11 and two foreign wars.

Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin

(107,063 posts)
8. Probably
Wed Jan 4, 2017, 03:37 AM
Jan 2017

It seems they're already trying to sabotage the Washington state economy with their opposition to Boeing and the ex-im bank.

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