I have had my doubts about Kashkari. I was a Donnelly fan from the moment I met the state assemblymember in 2012, and I wanted him to win the nomination. He was a proven fighter, and to this day, even though he lost the nomination, he has not stopped waging the fight for our rights and the integrity of our state.
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| Neel Kashkari glad-handing a supporter. (Source: Laguna4life) |
In the past month, though, I have witnessed Kashkari take rugged jabs at Governor Brown's failed policies. I have witnessed him taking the stance for real education reform.
His counter press conference in favor of Vergara v. California demonstrates a creative social media savvy much needed among GOP candidates.
Kashkari's debate was all substance and flair, exposing the California Comeback for all that it really is (nothing much), and calling out Governor Brown's unfailing allegiance to interest groups and public sector unions
The former Bush Administration official blasted Governor Brown on his unwavering stance with unions against kids:
[Regarding Vergara v. California] The judge got it exactly right. This is one of the most important civil rights cases in years, not just in California, but in the country, Nine kids sued Governor Brown, and said that their civil rights as guaranteed by the California Constitution are being violated by our failing schools
You had a choice between fighting for t he civil rights of poor kids and fighting for the union bosses who funded your campaigns. You sided with the union bosses.
Then here came the statement which sent chills up my spine:
You should be ashamed of yourself, Governor!
I'm going to fight for the kids. I'm going to fight for the kids, and I want you [the audience] to know that.
Where have I heard this statement before?
From Congressman Darrell Issa, the House Oversight Committee Chairman who demolished the assistant attorney general [2:12 - 2:20] in a hearing on Operation Fast and Furious.
But I digress. . .
Governor Brown flummoxed to defend himself against Kashari's pointed rebuke (because he could not)
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| Brown faced an onslaught of challenges to his record during the Sept. 4 debate. (Source: Neon Tommy) |
First of all, Kashkari's statements make perfect sense. It was Governor Brown (when he had hair) who had enacted collective bargaining rights for public sector workers in California. At least his liberal colleague/counterpart Jimmy Carter wisely barred public federal workers from organizing during his one-term Presidency.
Brown's politicking, policy-making, and budgetary practices have been of the unions, by the unions, and for the unions. Whatever meager pension reforms he has offered, his left-leaning legislature has refused to accept anything which would keep union bullying in line. The plastic bag ban bill enacted by the legislature received significant packing from the United Food and Commercial Workers (and corporate interests like Safeway).
Second, a statement cannot be "so false". Either it's true or it is false. There is no degree to truth, and Kashkari's remarks about Brown putting union bosses ahead of kids was true to the nth degree. All of his talk about the Local Control Funding Formula is unfounded as well, since his reorganization of state resources has impoverished high-performing schools, when studies continue to affirm that more money does not buy better education for our kids. School choice, more accountable, more flexibility in hiring and firing of teachers, plus less bureaucracy will revitalize our public schools -- and all reforms which Governor Brown diffidently resists.
News sites all over the state conclude that Kashkari carried the debate, forcing Brown to play defense for the first time in years, and a poor defense at that. Breitbart's Joel Pollak announced that Brown is no longer invincible, but whether Kashkari has taken his campaign from possible to probable remains an unlikely outcome.
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