For those legislators thinking about voting for the 2007 – 2008 budget, I could spent a lot of time listing out programs in it that simply represent the worst of centralized state planning and control.
But today I was made aware of what would have to be the worst "poison pill" of the whole bunch.
In the budget is an increase of $18.9 million in funds from the General Fund for the "Medi-Cal Minor Consent Program." This money, and I am dead serious here, is to fund abortion services for the minor children of illegal aliens. The program specifically PROHIBITS contacting parents for consent, and has never asked for verification of citizenship.
As a matter of fact, this is not a new program, but the cost of it is shifting to the state because new federal guidelines require proof of citizenship.
So as you cast a budget vote, you are funding what we are called the "Trifecta" (no documentation, no notification, for abortion). I just couldn’t cast that vote. Just the thought of the program existing, quite frankly, makes me nauseous.