"ICEBERG, DEAD AHEAD!"
Editing and publishing this website, I read a lot of news stories and columns. So I find it fascinating that so many of our Republican legislators, who have year after year voted against putting massive bond measures on the ballot, are now flocking to support a collection of bond 
measures that would represent the most borrowing – ever – for the Golden State. As a matter of fact, a number of the bond packages are being authored by Republican legislators, and we’ll be talking about that in the coming days. There is a saying that goes like this, "No one has the ability to grow government more than a Republican Chief Executive." Is that what this is all about? Massive borrowing, when proposed by Democrats, is wasteful and irresponsible. But when it is proposed by a Republican, then it is okay? What should be resolute and total opposition to ANY borrowing unless it is only to make up a past shortfall in return for a major commitment going forward to fund billions of infrastructure investment right out of the general fund, has turned into some debate about making sure the borrowing is tied to reforms in the way that borrowed money is spent. While reforms in borrowing and spending are important, this side-debate completely misses the point. The issue isn’t how you spend the borrowed money, it is the borrowing of the money in the first place!
I am reminded of that saying, "This is like rearranging the deck chairs on the titanic." It truly is… The legislature is being asked to place vast amounts of borrowing in front of the voters. Right now, this is like turning the wheel of our ship of state and pointing it right at an iceberg. While GOP leaders in the legislature talk about peripheral issues like "limiting debt ratio" or "exempting building proposals from SEQA regulation" and other such matters — our ship, and our economy, are going to plow right into the iceberg.
A better use of time would be for Republicans to put the onus on Democrats. Our state’s general fund is bigger than ever in the history of California. Why don’t Republicans introduce legislation to devote $6-8 billion a year on infrastructure investment, and tie ANY GOP votes on any borrowing to instance that today’s money be used on a go-forward basis. It can be paid for by imposing an austerity program on every other facet of state government. If we don’t do something like this, then I recommend that if there are any rock-solid fiscal conservatives in our GOP caucuses, that they start making their way to the life rafts. Because like in the tragic sinking of the HMS Titanic, there aren’t enough life rafts to go around…
MY MOM
Linda Fleischman volunteers her time as a counselor for seniors going through the maze of the Medicare process. She has been bursting with frustration ever since the Feds unveiled their new "Part D" prescription drug benefit plan – which may not really be a ‘benefit’ at all. Please read her column today — since I asked her to write it!
BAKERSFIELD ‘KING OF PORK’ LOOKING FOR A PROMOTION?
Bakersfield Californian writer Vic Pollard has a story today that draws attention to the fact that some aides around Bill Thomas are floating the idea that he might run for Majority Leader of the House of Representatives. I spoke to the Chief of Staff of a Member of Congress yesterday, who said that Thomas is so disliked he probably couldn’t pull together 20 votes. Let’s hope he is right. Bill Thomas is the poster-child for our spending problems in Washington, D.C. While federal spending climbs to record spending, the "King of Pork" is bragging up the hundreds of millions of dollars in pork spending he has brought home to his district.
SUSAN KENNEDY ON THE ‘CASHECTOMY’ TRAIL
I should have a lot to say about the LA Times article today talking about how Ms. Kennedy (you’ll recall her, the former Deputy Chief of Staff to Gray Davis) is going to be out raising money for the Governor, and augmenting her salary from his campaign kitty. I guess my only immediate thought on this is that it might make sense to press her into this kind of service. After all, a hallmark of Gray Davis’ time was how he had turned into an art the raising of political funds from those who had an interest in government spending. When you think about all of the special interests that will be salivating to get their hands on the spending-side of this $222,000,000,000.00 spending program that is being proposed, it really kind of makes sense. "It’s beginning to sound a lot like Christmas…"
THE DISAPPOINTMENT FILE
I noted, with sorrow, that a Republican, State Senator Abel Maldonado, is the legislative author of the raising of the state’s minimum wage law. Apparently the Central Coast Republican thinks that some mandates on California business are okay, and others are not. I’ve had plenty of conversations with the Senator over the years — and he knows better. If you want to ask me why he would introduce a bill like this, I would only say that it is popular with the electorate, and perhaps that is the motivating factor. But sometimes leadership means doing the right thing, and not the politically expedient thing. Senator, it is not too late to reconsider, and to withdraw this bill. If the Governor is intent on heaping this mandate on California business, let him find a Democrat to do it — since regulating business is in their party platform, not ours!
Please keep sending your thoughts, ideas and tips to me. Email me, or send something anonymous. The links are in the upper-right hand corner of the site.
Jon