San Diego Rostra Guest Column by Jon Fleischman
If some local public employee unions were to place on the ballot a decrease in the county sales tax, first and foremost I would be stunned. But then I would sign on board and work (apparently in a bipartisan fashion) to reduce the size of government, and increase liberty and freedom for taxpaying San Diegans.
It is with that thought in mind that I question why there are some Republicans out there who seem to be concerned or upset that some unions have coughed up some cash to place a term limits measure on the ballot for San Diego County Supervisors. To this I say, “THANK YOU!”
For a long time now, it has been Democrats who have opposed term limits, because Democrats believe in elected offices being life-long careers with lucrative pay and lavish pension benefits. Republicans have long said that people elected to public office should return back to the private sector, where they can lives under the laws that they have created.
Being on the “right side” of term limits, in addition to being correct public policy, has been good politics for Republicans. It was our party that opposed Proposition 93, the naked attempt by Sacramento politicians to weaken the state’s legislative term limits law.
We should not let unions, or Democrats, co-opt “our” issue in San Diego. Sure, it may be union dollars that have placed this measure on the ballot. But the Republican Party should embrace the measure and make it our own. Opportunities to work with Democrats in a bi-partisan fashion are few and far between – and I seldom advocate it. But when “they” come 100% around to our position on an issue – then we should claim victory.
I am aware of the fact that San Diego County has a Republican Board of Supervisors, with a lot of talented members. But San Diego County has a large pool of talented Republicans waiting in the wings to one-day become Supervisors. And like I said above, these incumbents should, after a reasonable period of time, leave office and go back to the private sector, to live under the laws they have created.
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Jon Fleischman is the elected Vice Chairman, South, of the California Republican Party, representing San Diego, Orange, Riverside and Imperial Counties. He is also the publisher of the FlashReport.org website on California politics.