Mark Baldassare
Mark Baldassare
education lots rhetoric state
The public's frustration with the state of education is palpable. They see lots of rhetoric but little progress.
confidence degree education extent government lack level people raise reasons reluctant state surprised trust
I think I'm most surprised at the degree to which people are pessimistic about education and the extent to which they lack confidence and trust in state government in general. This is one of the reasons -- at the state level at least -- that people are reluctant to raise their own taxes.
action clearly direction governor message move public question sacramento says special state translate whether words
Clearly the governor got the message of the special election. The question is whether the words translate into action in Sacramento and move the state in the direction the governor says he would like to go and the public says they would like to go.
coming direction itself matter policy public seems state toward
Clearly, without having a policy in place on where we're going, the public itself seems to be going toward mailing in the ballot. No matter what direction is coming out of the state capital, that's the direction that the public is going in.
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It's an unfortunate irony that state leaders were unable to reconcile their differences, while voters - who are often deeply split along partisan lines - were very much in agreement. This was an opportunity to give the public something it collectively wanted.
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The March primary was an experiment that didn't work. Nationally, it didn't really put California in the driver's seat for the presidential election and at the state level, campaigns didn't really have time to get off the ground.
among concerns evident general help left public students
There are real concerns in the general public about who is going to be left behind, and those concerns are particularly evident among African-Americans and Latinos. There's a sense that when students fail, you need to help them achieve.
convince figure governor interests last partisan sacramento seemed solutions stood year
The governor must still convince independents and moderates that he is as he seemed to be last year ... a figure in Sacramento who stood for solutions and an end to partisan bickering, who put the people's interests first.
ahead challenge governor
The governor has a big challenge ahead of him.
directly frustrated improving involved issue lack levels officials progress public quality
The public is frustrated and disappointed with what they see as a lack of progress in improving the quality of education. Because the issue is so important to them, (voters) want to see officials at all levels engaged, even if they're not directly involved (in education).
borrowing resolve short term
Borrowing in the short term has become the way to resolve these impasses.
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The reasons for the special election and the reasons for the specific proposals the governor is endorsing are not something that are energizing the public right now or generating a lot of support.
inspiring none passion
None of the propositions favored by the governor's administration are inspiring much passion,
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hardly anyone picked out an initiative and said, 'This one interests me.'