by Jack Lee
1 OCT 09 – In Mr. Keene’s press release he refers to Jim Brulte as, “arguably the most powerful elected Republican in California.” and “I sincerely appreciate Senator Brulte’s endorsement and confidence,” responded Keene. “It is an honor to be recognized by someone with the record of leadership and accomplishment that Jim has,” said Keene.
(Brulte shown left) Yes, Sen. Brulte’s name is certainly tied to our State’s history! Remember back to 2001 when you didn’t know if your house was going to get electricity or not? PG & E went bankrupt trying to pay inflated wholesale electrical rates from the crooks in the power generating business. Those companies banded together like sharks in a feeding frenzy because of one thing, a massive loophole in California’s energy deregulation plan that left us wide open to attack! Guess what? Brulte was part of that group that left us wide open!
Conveniently overlooked in Mr. Keene’s press release was Sen. Brulte’s key role in the nation-wide energy scandal of 2001 that nearly ruined California, but I haven’t forgot and I bet you haven’t either!
Gov. Grey Davis took the full brunt of this energy fiasco, even though it was Gov. Pete Wilson-R who signed it into law. Lurking further behind the scenes were the actual legislators who created and supported the bill that caused the single greatest energy disaster in California’s history.
Candidate Keene can portray Brulte as a great and powerful political ally if he wants, but for those of us who suffered through that costly period of energy scandals and brownouts, well, we have a slightly different opinion of Mr. Brulte. This endorsement calls into question Keene’s judgement and his integrity for trying to schmooze us!
As another tidbit you should know, billionaire Steve Poizner has hired Jim Brulte to run his campaign for governor. Now get this because this is where the dots start connecting, elections are more frequently being won by a block or group of candidates and incumbents that support each other. What do you want to bet that Poizner will be getting Keene’s endorsement next? Self-serving alliances by career politicians makes a mockery out of our democratic process because it is all but impossible for the lone citizen-candidate with original ideas to compete against the secret alliance with the deep pockets.
THE MORE YOU KNOW THE SMARTER YOU WILL VOTE.
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“During the spring and summer of 1996, … Jim Brulte from Rancho Cucamonga oversaw a special committee of six lawmakers from both political parties and legislative houses established to take up the questions of restructuring. The main concerns of legislators and interest groups during this period lay not with the architecture of the restructured industry but with questions of stranded cost recovery and of rate relief for large and small consumers.” Charles Jacobson