Rumor has it that there are three Republican votes for a budget with a tax increase.  Since only two are needed, why would three Republicans vote yes?  Once again, according to rumors, one of these Republicans wants to protect Lou Correa, the only Democrat in a target district, from having to vote for a tax increase.  If these rumors are true, we have three Republicans who wish to betray Republicans two ways, (1) by violating the basic principles upon which they all were elected, that is, the basic commitment to smaller government and less taxes; and (2) protecting the Democrat majority from the consequences of their spendthrift ways by protecting one of the targets.

Who are these three?  Once again according to rumors they are Roy Ashburn, Jim Battin, and Abel Maldonado.  All friends of mine, all Senators for whom I have great respect and all Senators that would break my heart if these rumors are true.  Now I know my heart is unimportant in the scheme of things, who am I anyway? But I feel like that little boy who looked at Shoeless Joe Jackson after the Chicago Black Sox scandal and said "Say it aint so, Joe."  Say it aint so, Jim, Roy, Abel.  Say it aint so.

Even crazier, these three are said to be ready to vote for this tax increase, even though there are not enough votes in the Assembly for it.  Essentially, they will put up their votes, tell the world they are ready to sell out their principles, and they may not even get the outcome they may be selling out for.  That is the worst political strategy.  And trust me, if you expect this Governor to keep his word, I can tell you from personal experience how short his memory is.  Anyone remember how much I sacrificed in my good name and good will when I endorsed him for Governor?  Two years later, he couldn’t even remember how important it was, telling me that I jumped on the bandwagon at the last minute.  Once your vote is gone, he won’t remember who you are.

Here is the biggest problem, in the last 15 years, there have been 12 Republicans who have voted for tax increases.  We all remember what happened to Maurice Johanneson, Dick Dickerson, Anthony Pescetti, Mike Briggs and Dave Kelley (remember Dave Kelley, Jim), all faded into political obscurity within a year of voting for the tax increase in the 01-02 budget, the last tax increase that occurred after a Governor went through a spending spree.

But what of the ones before?  Remember Paul Horcher, the most famous (or infamous) of the sell-outs of 1991? Who else lost their seats?  Gerald Felando, lost to Betty Karnette.  Bev Hanson, lost to, of all people, Maurice Johanneson.  Bill Jones, removed as Republican leader. Bob Frazee, quit.

I actually had the most interesting conversation with Assemblyman Frazee at the 1993 ALEC convention, when he told me he was leaving the Legislature.  He sadly related how bad he felt for the 1991 tax increase vote.  15 years in the Legislature he said and he knew he would be remembered for that one bad vote.  "I promised I would never raise taxes" he said, and "I betrayed that promise."  "How could I destroy an entire career with that one vote?  I still feel bad about it."  He did it , he said, because he thought he owed it to Governor Pete Wilson.  Even still he told me, very sadly, that he believed he was wrong, and that one vote ruined his entire time in the Legislature.

The biggest problem with this whole scene is that each of these Senators performed admirably last year trying to get this Governor to reign in the spending, knowing full well that this year’s budget was going to collapse.  Why should these good men, with promising futures in politics, be forced to pay with their careers and their good names.  They are the ones who will be breaking their promise.  They are the ones who have stood solid with all of us over the years to fight the excesses of Gray Davis, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and the Legislative Democrats.  When he is done, Schwarzenegger will go back to Hollywood, untouched by his betrayal and his lack of discipline.  These three, however, will pay and pay over the years if they actually vote for the increase.  They are all good men, with a conscience, and a heart to do the right thing.  They should follow their heart.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, August 13th, 2008 at 12:00 am and is filed under Blog Posts.