As a member of the leadership team for our caucus, I must honor that our internal workings and decisions of our caucus must remain internal with the outcome being the aspect that we may or may not go public with.  Obviously, with the new term and our organizational meeting on the horizon, the discussions turned to the leadership of our caucus.  Controversy surrounded as to how that discussion would be carried out and when.  Our unity being one of our most important assets in my 4 years in the legislature, I had great concern as to how this was going to play out.  

Our leader, George Plescia, inherited a situation not to be envied in terms of the transition.  He jumped into the fire during the bond ‘negotiations’ and counter to what some may say, was not twisting arms of members to vote for any bonds.  Nor during the budget, when more than the usual 6 Republicans usually needed to pass a budget were there.  Members complaining about these issues and voting for them, look in the mirror.  

It was a 2nd year of the session, an election year, where the leader’s job is to protect our targets and wage the battle on new seats that we could conceivably pick up, to use our limited resources wisely, with respect to the candidates needs this year and our long term caucus goals.  Our fundraising under George was very successful, giving us a fair shot in picking up one or two contested seats and preserving our targeted members.  Of course, election turnout dynamics ultimately play a big role in the outcome, but the role of our leader to have the resources and people in place to convert a favorable election day dynamic is necessary.  Vince Lombardi is credited with the saying that "luck is the residue of preparation."  We had the preparation in the contested seats that if ‘luck’, meaning the nationwide and statewide vote had favored Republican turnout just a bit more, we’d have picked up seats.  The part of the equation that our leadership could control, was prepared.  George was nimble enough to make judgements and decisions on last-minute conditions that very nearly brought us a new Republican seat.  George would tell you, close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.  "If" doesn’t translate to nameplates on Assembly floor desks.  But being in play does set the table for other possibilities.  George remained focused on what our members needed, as the leadership change distractions were occuring behind him.  Bonnie Garcia is back for her 3rd term because of his dedication to his job, to his members, as leader.  George is a class act, a man I trust in a place where trust is tenuous, and he will be seen in his 3rd term as the strong force for Republican principles that I know him to already be.

As you know, the result of our organizational meeting yesterday produced a new leader.  As much as I would like to bring openness and spotlight the positive or dispel rumor and innuendo that is floating around after, it still would be wrong for me to discuss the internal workings of our caucus meeting.  What I can say is that Leader Mike Villines will be a solid leader, one that I’ve seen as likely ascending to that role at some point.  We’ve worked closely on issues and share a close personal non-business life.  We share the same conservative values and concerns for Calfornia’s long neglected needs, especially additional water storage.  He was a pleasure to have served with on the Natural Resources Committee that I Vice-Chair, where water storage, timber and other resource issues are heard.  I know he will be solid on true Republican principles.  We met after our vote and I know that any bumps in the road from the leadership change will be addressed by Mike earnestly, respectfully and importantly, prayerfully.  

It’s not an easy job.  31 other members to treat fairly, dealing with the Speaker and their majority who make and break the rules at will.  A budget that has to be passed in some form each year.  All that while working with the Governor, winning elections and importantly, keeping Republican principles intact, principles that, most importantly, we all believe best serve Californians.  George shouldered this burden well, Mike will find the way to do so also.

This shows me that when we come back in January, we can pull together and tackle what will be very difficult fiscal issues this year.  The voters approved $43,000,000,000 in new bonds that we will have to start paying for someday.  We will need to fight very hard that the spending of the bonds actually goes for infrastructure, not bureaucracy and more bugs and shrubs, but highways and levees, as people expect.  Our economy and budget will not run on luck, we need to cinch up and prepare for the best possible climate for what strengthens the economy, what keeps and creates jobs here in California.  

Election year politics are behind us.  There are no excuses for Republicans not learning the lesson learned in D.C.  I expect our caucus will respond well to these challenges when we get back in January.  We are all determined to keep the drive that has stopped tax increases cold, recall a failed govermor, improved workers comp and given California a chance again.  Together we’ve done these things the last 4 years, together Republicans will do more.

[Publisher’s Note:  Well said, Doug! – Flash]

This entry was posted on Friday, November 10th, 2006 at 12:00 am and is filed under Blog Posts.