“Now, perhaps the most sophisticated way I can explain this is by using a device I found in my home,” Becerra says. It’s a strained metaphor: If petroleum corporations control the terminals, they control the spigots, giving them the power to restrict supply and drive up prices (get it?). Corny, sure, but great for television, and the cameras zoom in for a closeup.
The Valero lawsuit is a strictly local issue, but people have been looking to Becerra as an important player on the national stage — as the leader of the resistance against President Trump. The mantle of resistor-in-chief, however, does not rest comfortably on his shoulders.
In a state where Hillary Clinton won by 30 percentage points, it’s politically expedient to rage against Trump. But when Becerra engages in Trump bashing, he’s a bit stiff, as if he’s reciting pre-written quips. Mostly he sticks to one good line: “I don’t think California is looking to pick a fight,” he says, “but we are ready for it.”
As liberal California chants for Trump’s head on a stick, Becerra has remained circumspect. He has filed the lawsuits he thinks will make a difference, not necessarily the ones that would please progressives. When I ask him which cases he thinks are most important, he talks about defending light-bulb efficiency standards, an oddly wonky choice if he’s fishing for publicity. It’s not exactly an issue that fires up the base.
Becerra is taking on Trump as the nerdy scholar he’s always been, not as the warrior liberals crave.
Read Again https://www.salon.com/2017/10/08/better-call-becerra-the-planets-lawyer_partner/Bagikan Berita Ini
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