Arnold Schwarzenegger’s "Beat up Republicans in their district" tour continues as he spent the morning in Kern County, the home of Republican State Senator Roy Ashburn. I don’t think the Governor’s approach is working… Senator Ashburn just posted this up on the web…
POLITICAL REALITY – By Senator Roy Ashburn
Senate Republicans in Sacramento have been roundly criticized for refusing to approve an irresponsible state budget. This week Governor Schwarzenegger has been traveling the state seeking to put pressure on us in our own districts. It won’t work.
The voice of the Senate Republicans resonates because we are holding firm against a budget that is out of balance, and contains numerous technical errors and implementation problems. Without a balanced budget, and fixes to the trailer bills associated with the spending plan, California is sure to see upwards of $5 billion in deficits next year. This is not a new mantra by the Senate Republicans, in fact it is supported by documents and statements issued by the non-partisan Legislative Analyst Office.
In light of the current budget stalemate, the best thing for all concerned is that leaders in both houses make the commitment to return to the negotiation table. Since that is not likely, given the myriad of chest-pounding press conferences held by the Democrats throughout the state, Senate Republicans have been pushing for a temporary solution to ensure vital government services continue.
Before the Senate abruptly shutdown two weeks ago, Republicans made every attempt to introduce legislation that would provide continuous, uninterrupted emergency funding to pay for vital services such as the health care of Medi-Cal patients, but they were ignored. Hospitals and nursing homes across the state depend on Medi-Cal payments to keep their doors open to care for the poor, blind and disabled, so we call on the Democrats and the Governor to stop the unproductive press conferences and name calling, return to Sacramento and release funds to provide for California’s most vulnerable.
See the rest of this column here.