By Justin Kerr
Staff Writer
When asked how he would solve California’s fiscal nightmare, state Sen. Tom McClintock answered, “I would apply the first law of holes: ‘when you’re in one, stop digging’.”
The lawmaker should know a great deal about holes — he has filled many during the past three decades. From founder of a high-school political network to assemblyman and finally to California senator, McClintock continues to occupy a life of service and leadership. Now, 20 years after his first election victory, recall voters will give him the chance to expand his leadership again as governor of California.
Although progressive policies have failed in California, lawmakers continue to label McClintock as a “caveman” with obsolete views. His views include a reduction in the California bureaucracy, tax cuts and an increase in government accountability. These three reasonable proposals face scrutiny by our state’s leaders because they classify any cost-effective solution as beneficial only to the rich.
Furthermore, in order to avert the issue of government waste, the majority party has regarded McClintock as a hypocrite for his endorsement of big business.
However, this alleged business embezzlement and corruption have little to do with a $32 billion deficit that the Davis administration has bestowed upon the people of California. If a trend of multi-billion dollar losses develops, than we, the next generation of California taxpayers, will bear the burden of repaying old debts.
In the years to come, Pepperdine graduates could be forced to make either one of two decisions: stay in California and pay for government waste or leave the state, and their homes, behind.
Amid a gloomy prospect, one man promises to restore the opportunities that our parents enjoyed some 25 years ago by enforcing common-sense and economic accountability. Although McClintock’s platform is considered conservative, government accountability should have bi-partisan appeal for all state programs, including welfare and education, and benefit from the proper utilization of public funds. If taxpayer money is used wisely, then McClintock stipulates, “there is plenty (of wealth) to go around.”
Politicians often generalize their proposals for financial management, but McClintock offers specific examples where California could preserve its revenues. For instance, he proposed to close any programs that overlap one another at the local, state or federal levels. Therefore, two government services would no longer be funded for doing the same job.
However, a balanced budget is but a fraction of the reform sought by the gubernatorial hopeful. McClintock promises to change our substandard education system and enforce fundamental constitutional liberties on behalf of all Californians.
Just as startling as a $32 billion deficit, our public school system is ranked 38th in the country. As government officials massively cut school programs, their curriculum dwindles in quality. Unlike any other candidate in the recall election, McClintock has devised a masterful plan to solve our education woes by putting the power of choice into the hands of California parents.
Under McClintock’s plan, parents would be able to choose their child’s teacher, or in a more open school system, their school itself. Furthermore, wages would be based on the number of students in each class. As a result, teachers would have to compete with each other, “breeding excellence,” in order to achieve their self-interest — salary — while parents would accomplish their goal — a good education for their children.
Secondly, minorities who feel marginalized would have greater power in determining their children’s futures. These parents would no longer be forced to watch from the sidelines as “Big Government” ruined their hopes and dreams. Rather, this education reform allows direct action between parent and teacher.
In all fairness, one major con exists: the size of the classroom would increase. Obviously, the better teachers would have many students in their classrooms. However, once the substandard teachers receive a cut in pay, their efforts to increase their pupils’ test scores would increase. Furthermore, these teachers would have fewer students, making their job easier.
Over the long run, a natural equilibrium of class size would be established, while California teachers, in the pursuit of excellence, would restore our state’s public school system as a leader of education in the United States and the world at large.
Finally, McClintock is the only candidate who has acknowledged God. While Gov. Davis and Lt. Gov. Bustamente have championed the cause of revoking their responsibility to a higher power, McClintock believes a leader’s accountability before God will reflect his accountability before man. While a citizen has the luxury of denying the existence of God, the framework of our Constitution does not allow our leaders to serve themselves, but man and man’s God.
Today, California is governed by authoritative humanitarianism, where men rule by a conglomerate of special interest forces rather than a mainstream, Judeo-Christian republic.
Tomorrow, California will become as every government of the world: devoid of basic ideological and religious freedoms that have made America a light to the earth. Leaders will again distance themselves from the public, submitting to the desires of their interest groups rather than God and God’s people.
As Christians, we cannot accept the moral degradation of our leaders as ordinary. Rather, we must voice our beliefs in order to preserve freedom for ourselves and our posterity.
Why is McClintock the best man for the job? Well, if the first law of holes is “when you’re in one, stop digging,” perhaps, the second should be “holes don’t have to be filled with crap.”
In this recall election, let’s fill the hole of governor with a pure, honest candidate. Even better, on Oct. 7, let’s fill the hole with an inclusive Christian.
October 02, 2003