Apparently earlier today in Fresno, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger responded to a reporter about Denham and pressuring his budget vote: “He (Denham) should get a lot of heat.” The Governor also told those attending the meeting and listening over the web to call Senator Denham and tell him to vote for the budget.
To this, Denham issued the following response:
Governor, let me repeat myself again, since perhaps you are not listening yet. I will not be bullied, intimidated or pressured into voting for a budget with inflated revenues, unaccounted expenses or accounting gimmickry.
Stop the theatrical performances, call the Legislature into session, balance the budget, put the cuts in writing and clean up the trailer bills. Governor, playing ‘Chicken Little’ and saying the ‘sky is falling’ is not productive – instead, you should endorse my ‘Denham Amendment’ which will provide temporary funding for those in need during the budget stalemate.
FlashReport readers will recall that Senator Denham make a motion, swiftly dimissed by Senate Democrats, to fund vital state programs while the budget negotiations continue… One has to wonder why the Governor isn’t calling on legislative Democrats to support Denham’s proposal instead of playing into the hands of legislative Democrats, by bashing good GOPers light Denham.
August 13th, 2007 at 12:00 am
Maybe a certain Senator should start listening — to his constituents AND the Governor (not to mention a member of his own Caucus).
August 14th, 2007 at 12:00 am
I think it’s time for a Civics 101 lesson…
We have 3 separate branches of government to provide checks and balances. None of the branches have authority over the others. Each exists for certain functions, and serves as a check and balance for the others. It is not the executive branch’s role to lead the legislative branch. It is the executive branch’s role to enforce the laws passed by the legislative branch.
This was the wise work of our framers to ensure that no form of monarchy infiltrated our system of government again. It is a distinctly American way of conducting government, not native to other parts of the world. But it has worked for 231 years, and it is not the role of the “nation state” to change that.
There’s nothing expedient about real Democracy…never has been since the Continental Congress. But it’s OUR way of ensuring that government does not get heady, arrogant, and convoluted by consensus.
Senate Republicans, you know the old quote: never doubt that a small group of committed citizens can change the world…indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.
History isn’t made by capitulators who make smoky, backroom deals.
Hang tough, Jeff, and count on me to help in any way I can.