The Politics Behind the Republican Budget Blockade

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

Why are legislative Republican leaders holding out on this years budget? Because they care about the state's spending? Because they worry about future deficits? Guess again. It's because the GOP leaders in the Assembly and Senate are afraid of losing their jobs.
 
In the Senate, Republican Leader Dick Ackerman has been hanging on to his post by a single vote or two for the past year. Senators George Runner, Dave Cogdill, and Jim Battin are among those who have been eyeing his post.
 
These hard-right Republican senators coveting his job have been laying in wait for Ackerman to fold early in the budget talks. So, as a result, Ackerman has to talk tough to hang onto his job, or else he'll be spending lots more time on his yacht.
 
Ackerman is under immense pressure to show his caucus he can be as mean-spirited as they are. And that's no easy task. The GOP Senate is dominated by anti-tax conservatives who despise the Governor. Two weeks ago, the ultra-right Senate GOP flashed its colors by tanking a bill that would have provided transitional housing for foster kids -- even though Assembly Republicans had unanimously approved it and it had the support of Gov. Schwarzenegger. That's the crowd that Ackerman is dealing with.

There's more...