This just in from Republican Senator Jeff Denham:

“As I looked around the Senate Chamber a little before dawn this morning I couldn't help reflecting back to the lock-in that then-President Pro-Tem Don Perata tried on us a few years back as well as remembering the famous Speaker Jesse 'Big Daddy' Unruh lock-in in the Assembly back in 1960's.”Historically, these lock-ins are not successful, at least from the majority party's perspective.  If anything, they seem to harden the will and resolve of the minority party.  Indeed the longer it goes on the more strength the minority seems to gain.

It appears the assembly has the votes to pass this budget proposal and the senate has all but one vote necessary for the two thirds vote needed in the senate.  We have been in this situation before and I believe we will see the same result again, IMPASSE.  The will of the minority is once again hardening.

It's just before 11:00 am now and Senate President Pro-Tem Darrell Steinberg announces that we are recessing until 1:00 pm and I and others plan to make a break for our in-session residences to sleep (really nap), shower and maybe even shave before coming back.

Darrell Steinberg, while following in Perata's lockin attempt, has his own style.  With Perata, he forced everyone else to stay locked-in while he went home.  With Darrell, all 39 Senators will get a chance to regroup a little bit.

The weather outside the Capitol is rainy, cold and windy yet it is a much welcome switch from the stale air inside the Capitol we have all been breathing for the last 18 hours.  We'll see what's in store for us, and all Californians, this afternoon . . .”

This entry was posted on Sunday, February 15th, 2009 at 12:00 am and is filed under Blog Posts.