It appears that the politics of who is going to be the next Speaker of the Assembly is still yet unresolved. Sure, the current occupant of the job, Karen Bass, held a press event and announced that her ally and chosen successor, John Perez, had secured the necessary votes to win the influential position. But rumors continue to swirl around that Kevin DeLeon, who has aspired to the Speakership for some time now, is still working hard to put together the votes.
For me and for Republicans, this is a tragic spectator sport because both of these Democrats are not just liberal, but are literally tied for being the most liberal members of the legislature, scoring goose-eggs on those ratings from conservative groups. In other words, neither Perez nor DeLeon are going to do anything but continue to try and push California off of a cliff — working to increase taxes and create new regulation at a time when the exact opposite is needed.
The reason I am writing about this as we head into the weekend is that I have now heard from multiple sources that one of these ultra-liberals (Perez, if you were curious) is trying to lure Republican legislators to "cross the aisle" and provide votes — as FR readers know, the Speakership goes to whomever can get the support of 41 members.
From my perspective, Republicans crossing over to support either hyperpartisan liberal — Perez or DeLeon — would be tragic. I’m sure all kinds of "insider baseball goodies" are being talked about to try and lure GOPers — I can imagine the "Christmas Tree Ornaments" — staff augmentations, bigger offices, a token Committee Chairmanship, more money for taxpayer-funded mail, etcetera. Lots of "pieces of eight" to be taken for crossing party lines.
My message to Republicans is straight forward — DON’T DO IT. If Republican votes play a meaningful role in the selection of a liberal Democrat Speaker, then we "own" the policies of that Speaker. We will put a "bipartisan patina" on someone who stands for none of our principles.
I am all about Assembly Democrats having a major civil war and food fight — couldn’t happen to a nicer group of people. But for Republicans, especially in the minority, we should be unified behind casting our votes for the Republican leader, Sam Blakeslee, to be Speaker. He undoubtedly lose the vote. But we all lose if Republicans start trying to put their fingerprints on which Democrat is our favorite.
The voters out there don’t know or care about the internal minutia of the Assembly — but I can tell you that there is a growing movement within the Republican Party, as exemplified by the "Tea Party" movement, to reject the kind of insider-politics that seem to dominate our federal and state capitol. I challenge any Republican legislator to speak before a crowd of several thousand irate taxpayers, and explain why they voted for an ultra-liberal to lead the State Assembly. Actually, they wouldn’t get a chance — because they would never get an invitation to speak to the event!
December 4th, 2009 at 12:00 am
Lets be grown ups here! Most people in California can only read the words “food stamps”. The educational system is so pathetic it has given us a couple generations of undereducated citizens incapable of even opening a checking account at a bonafide financial institution.
The Republican Party must have a massive and continuing program to show citizens cause and effect….why California ain’t workin!
A prime example: Liberals always want to shutter state parks for the masses, a drama unfolding annually as a diversion from funding unions, college and school administrators, government worker pensions and the lovable enviro whackos. Of course, they blame it on the dementia/daft Republicans who do not have a “rapid response system” to counter liberal smears, stigmatizing and propaganda…
What is to be done….when Republicans learn there is a communication world out there beyond their Apple IIE, 128k ram computer….things might change!
December 5th, 2009 at 12:00 am
Honestly I dont think Republicans will vote for Perez, they have an aversion for voting for anything positive for the LGBT community in California even if Perez and his lieutenants want to offer glittering prizes to Republicans for voting for him.
Unless DeLeon wants to run a coup where the Republicans would share governance like how Willie Brown stole the speakership in 1995, but that is not likely either.
Republicans are going to need to have a Contract with California on economics and structure of our state government in the next 2 elections. Tell Californians WHY we should be in power.
Yes, we need to put advertisements on how California is broken and how we will fix it.
We need to work on getting the districts we used to represent since 1996 back to our column so we can have the opportunity to choose who would be speaker.
December 5th, 2009 at 12:00 am
You will see in 2010 what ends the Democratic majority will go to get taxes raised….sales tax(permanently), gas and carbon fees as well as some gimmicky parcel tax for commercial properties.
Your dealing with an unhinged fanatical majority, a cult-style kabal that has not been seen in politics since communisim-lite in Eastern Europe.
Expect to see less consumer choices, stunted demand for middle class-style goods and services; retail, tourism and retail food businesses will have to lay of thousands and thousands of ball cap and apron employees.
Resiliant Californians will hunker down, spend discretionary dollars keeping gas tanks full, slog on through the traffic to work, listen to talk radio, eat their porridge for supper watching O’Reilly and many will read books about the STAMP ACT, Bunker Hill and the BOSTON HARBOR TEA PARTY lent out by local libraries…
For the unemployed, minorities, immigrants, the sick, seniors on limited resources, the young getting trying to get educated it ain’t gonna be pretty. It will come down to the Sacramento kabal vs their so called constituents for existence. Now that will be a phenomena to watch closely!
December 5th, 2009 at 12:00 am
Remember Perez is gay, so what will he offer a Republican Assemblyman?
December 5th, 2009 at 12:00 am
That comment is open to quite a few jokes. Seriously, the Speaker has a lot of power that goes beyond political issues and for members not to participate in a discussion and election that revolves around how the body is run is just dereliction of duty and in the end, I don’t think most voters will appreciate them not doing their jobs. jmo!