Cavala: Republicans Kill Reform Bill That Hurts G.O.P. Chances While Democrats Support ‘Reform’ That Hurts Their Chances

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Bill Cavala
A veteran of over 30 years in Sacramento

Legislative Republicans killed another effort to extend voting rights to young people yesterday. Legislation that would have allowed young people to “pre-register” in high school if they would hit 18 years of age by the following election received no Republican votes in the Assembly (again).

Republican opponents derided the measure as favoring Democrats because, “young people are liberal”, becoming conservative with time and experience.

Now whether that is true or not, one would have to give credit to the Republicans for defending the interests of their party in the face of MSM (Main Stream Media) coverage that is critical in nature. Republicans have never pulled punches about playing by Marquis of Queensberry rules in politics. Republican politicians believe in the ideology of their party, and have shown a willingness to bend rules and fight “bare knuckled” to further that ideology.

Progressive Democrats, however, seem overly affected by traces of Marxist historicism most of the time. The truth will out, justice will prevail, history is on our side. The sad truth is that none of that is true. Progressive victories will only occur by beating Republicans. In that context, we need not accept handicaps.

When Democrats win a majority of the votes in the Legislature, they win the right to deny Republicans a majority on all policy committees and to retain all chairmanships and most of the policy staff for themselves. Is that fair? Shouldn’t Democrats change the rules to give more power to the Republicans?

Republicans think so.

Republicans also favor “redistricting reform” – and for the same reason. Behind all of the rhetoric about fairness, legislative conflicts of interest, and a desire to make seats more competitive lies a single motive: Produce a configuration of seats that makes a Republican Speaker a possibility.