I could not be more proud of the fifteen members of the Senate Republican Caucus. Despite an immense amount of pressure, and an immature Democrat Senate President who "locked in" the entire 40 member Senate in their chamber overnight, they remained unified as a caucus, as Republicans.
Going into this period of budget negotiations, Senate Republicans took a pact, made a pledge, took a vote — until a majority of our caucus is satisfied with the negotiated budget agreement, we will all refrain from voting from a budget bill. In doing this, Senate Republican Leader Dick Ackerman and Senate Budget Committee Vice Chairman Dennis Hollingsworth are significantly more empowered to negotiate on behalf of Senate Republicans.
The reality, as spelled out by so many Republicans, is that the budget bill that was passed out of the Assembly is a bad one for Californians. Yes, Assembly GOP Leader Mike Villines made a tactical call that in his opinion, it was as good as it was going to get given the GOP’s minority status (not to mention all GOPers being hamstrung when the Governor proposed a spending package so large that even the Democrats could coalesce behind something that spent less).
But, of course, Villines’ calculated support for this budget bill also included a tax-relief package that was simultaneously passed out of the Assembly, and which Senate President Don Perata declared dead in the water.
So I am confident that very same budget that got zero Republican votes yesterday morning was back in the Assembly, without that tax relief package, it would also have received zero votes out of the Assembly Republican Caucus.
That said, Republicans should continue to stand their ground. Not only is it fair and reasonable to ask for a budget that does not contain deficit spending (as state income careens to the highest levels in history) but it is a moral obligation to try and do so. And, of course, having state government spend only as much as it takes in is just the tip of the iceberg where needed reforms are concerned.
**There is more – click the link**
July 22nd, 2007 at 12:00 am
Congratulations. Not easy to praise the Assembly Republicans, then praise the Senate Republicans for rejecting the position of the Assembly Republicans, then ask the Senate to continue to block their Governor’s budget over his opposition – and still claim to be a Repblican.
July 22nd, 2007 at 12:00 am
Indeed, Bill, rhetorical gymnastics are getting to be a part of the core curriculum of any good “conservative” education. This is like the Cirque du Soleil here.
The 2/3rds requirement needs to go, pure and simple. We need an up-or-down vote to allow the will of the people to proceed. It’s funny that an “up-or-down” vote is good enough for a supreme court justice but not for a state budget. Maybe we can find some conservative Mary Lou Retton for that one.
July 22nd, 2007 at 12:00 am
Brian, if the hardworking CA taxpayers lose the 2/3-vote requirement, we have lost CA. It will be “Liberals Gone Wild”. Worse than it currently is, Liberals will be storming the beaches in a mass assault… no taxpayer will be safe anywhere.
No doubt the Senate Republicans are under great pressure, and they should be commended for not buckling. However, their end game is not strange or odd, it is common sense. Just like every family or business in CA, their desire is for CA government to live within their means. Don’t spend more than you take in! Who can be against that???
July 23rd, 2007 at 12:00 am
Jon: Perhaps the comments above require a new post…Commenting to be relevant…
July 23rd, 2007 at 12:00 am
To Mr. Leubitz:
Sorry, but your budget “solution” was on the March 2004 statewide California ballot
as Proposition 56… and Golden State Voters riddled it like so much Swiss cheese.
Proposition 56 would have cut the legislative majority needed to approve the state
budget from 2/3, to just 55%.
That proposal lost 57 of 58 California counties, with a thundering 66% NO majority
(4,183,188 to 2,185,868) overall…. Stalwart liberal counties like Alameda, Santa
Cruz, Yolo and Marin all rejected it. So when Republicans say no to more spending,
they have plenty of cover from voters.
Perhaps you were at the Cirque du Soleil during that cycle! :O
July 23rd, 2007 at 12:00 am
Jim
As you can see…completely safe seats…resulting in superior monetary resources give the Dems a short memory and a false sense of brilliance. It’s easy to be brilliant with a built in majority and more money.