"Calif. Gov. Brown: A Great Power Has To Find Some Unity" [View all]

[applegrove]

Calif. Gov. Brown: A Great Power Has To Find Some Unity

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=243537901

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CORNISH: Well, what does it say that to see progress that you essentially end up with single-party rule, right? In the end, the progress in California politically is not necessarily coming from bipartisan compromise and a deal at the national level will.

BROWN: Well, you're really quarrelling with the people. They've decided to affiliate with the Democratic Party and increasing numbers disaffiliate with the Republicans. So that might cause the Republicans to change their ways a bit. But Republicans play a role, and they always will play a role.

I believe that I'm offering independent balance, so I keep the two parties both being able to contribute to governance of California. As far as the national, there is a diversity much greater than California. So how Alabama and Georgia get along with Vermont and Massachusetts and California, that's the great problem here. And a great power has to find some unity.

As Abraham Lincoln said, a house divided cannot stand. And we certainly have a house divided. How we resolve that, short of a more direct conflict, is not clear right now. Only if Democrats and half the Republicans can find a way to come together, find a modus vivendi, our - can our country be saved. But I wouldn't in any way minimize the crisis that is engulfing the nation's capital. For now, they just can't govern. And that is very, very dangerous because of the role we play in the world.



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