REPUBLICANS BLOCK THE GOVERNOR’S BUDGET – AGAIN – TO LEVERAGE NON-BUDGET ISSUES

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Bill Cavala
A veteran of over 30 years in Sacramento

You are the Republican leader of the Assembly. Your predecessor made concessions and supported deals with the Democrats instead of confrontation – to aid the Governor’s reelection. It worked, but left a lot of bad blood among the intransigent conservatives who constitute the majority of Assembly Republicans.

Republican leaders prove their worth in one of two ways. The best, like Jim Brulte, propose plans to escape minority status by defeating enough Democrats to make them the minority party.

But Republicans have not won a seat in two election cycles. In fact, they came within a whisker of losing a seat last Fall. Plan ‘B’ has been to blame redistricting for Republican woes. It’s misdirection. The line drawing plan of the courts produced a two thirds majority for the Democrats in the 1970’s and 50 seats for the Democrats in the 1990’s.

Democrats hold the majority because they field superior candidates who hold positions more in tune with the people than do the Republicans.

Which brings us to the State Budget.

If you can’t show progress toward becoming the Majority, the Budget Process allows you to exercise and leverage the only institutional power possessed by the minority. It requires a 2/3 vote to pass the budget. The Democrats can’t do it without Republican help.

Republican leaders use this sad fact (only three states require supermajority votes) to see redress of their endless grievances. Did virtually all of the Republican bills die in policy committee? Did most of the rest perish in the Appropriations suspense file? Did the remainder not even receive a hearing in the Senate? Were Republican Members denied “respect” in floor debate?

The Budget is the place to get even.