CA: Respect earned - Another win for the Gipper

California Political Review ^ | 10/24/06 | Frank Duclos

[NormsRevenge]

In January 2005, GOP state Sen. Dennis Hollingsworth (R-La Mesa), while in Washington, D.C., for the Inauguration of President Bush, toured Statuary Hall in the national Capitol with Congressman Duncan Hunter.

Each of the 50 states provides Statuary Hall a pair of statues honoring notable persons from the state.

California’s statues are of Father Junipero Serra and Thomas Starr King. Father Serra, of course, is well known.

King, who lived from 1824 to 1864, was a Unitarian minister, lecturer, and orator credited with playing a prominent role in keeping California in the Union during the Civil War. Taking nothing away from Mr. King, who’s contributions to the state were properly recognized in their time, it is nonetheless true that he is largely unknown today and has been for many decades.

Another Californian, meanwhile, one whose contributions to the state, the nation, and the world have resounded around the globe — as they continue to do — for the past three and a half decades, seemed an obvious California candidate for Statuary Hall. Hunter and Hollingsworth discussed how Ronald Reagan’s likeness might become one of those representing the Golden State in the U.S. Capitol.

Congress requires states to pass a resolution in order to change or add a statue in the Hall, and thus began Hollingsworth’s Senate Joint Resolution 3. At first SJR 3 moved right along, in an unusually non-controversial fashion. According to Hollingsworth’s staff, even partisan Democrats admitted that Reagan was in fact a major figure in California’s history, and few could recall exactly what King did. It passed the Senate, but then was hung up in the Assembly Rules Committee where it lay dormant through all of 2005. It remained alive, however, for the second half of the ’05-’06 legislative session.

Hollingsworth had amended SJR3 in the Assembly, so besides passing the Assembly, it would have to return to the Senate for a final vote no later, under the Legislature’s rules, than August 31. Weeks, then months passed with no action by Assembly Rules — standard practice in the politicized state Capitol where Republican bills are often killed just out of spite. But as the end times of 2006 drew near, Hollingsworth received repeated promises that his bill would be on its way.

When the legislative day began August 31, SJR 3 was still hung up in the Assembly. Hollingsworth decided to use a small tool available to members of the minority: unanimous consent. In the closing days of the Legislature, with so many bills passing back and forth, it is necessary to dispense with many formalities, including discussion and debate on non-controversial bills. Both party caucuses agree to wave reading and debate by unanimous consent as the only way to get through so many bills in one or two days.

At the first request for unanimous consent to dispense with reading of an Assembly bill in the Senate, Hollingsworth rose to say that, until the Assembly returned SJR 3, he would debate every Assembly bill that hit the Senate floor. The bottleneck would doom virtually every Assembly bill in the closing hours before the legislative deadline.

He proceeded to provide lengthy, random commentary on the general subjects of these non-controversial bills. The chamber tittered with laughter as Hollingsworth went on and on about nothing. But on the other side of the big white building, Assembly leaders seethed. The Speaker sent a messenger over to warn that Hollingsworth’s bill would be dead if he didn’t knock it off. Of course Hollingsworth’s bill would be dead in a few hours anyway due to inaction, so Hollingsworth continued to laud the contributions of brave dogcatchers to American history and the beauty of motor vehicle department paperwork.

Before long, the Assembly Speaker was hearing from his Democrat members, frantic that their most important bills were endangered in the Senate on the last day. The Assembly Democrat bigwigs finally rolled over. After a few quick procedural votes, SJR 3 returned to the Senate and passed that afternoon. Hollingsworth, a member of the Republican minority, had won. Ronald Reagan is on his way to Statuary Hall.

Legislative Republicans often suffer the Rodney Dangerfield treatment: they get no respect. As the saying goes, respect must be earned. But with Democrats running both houses, GOP lawmakers find few opportunities to force the majority even to take notice of them. Senator Dennis Hollingsworth found his opportunity, and earned the opposition’s respect in California’s Capitol.

[Petronski]

Ronald Reagan is on his way to Statuary Hall.

That's GREAT!

Fabulous news.

[ElkGroveDan]

I like that Hollingsworth guy. Glad to hear this.

[EveningStar]

SoCal ping
Misc ping

[goldstategop]

The Left hates Reagan that much. Even in Democratic California, the lesson for Republicans is to stand and be who you are instead of schmoozing with the Democrats. Just taking a stand can make all the difference in an era in which avoiding giving offense to any one is the dominant rule.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." -Manuel II Paleologus

[NormsRevenge]

(Photo by Rick Bowmer/The Associated Press

A statue of President Reagan adorns the front of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library while the honor guard awaits the arrival of former President Reagan's casket. )

[Reagan Man]

You mean to tell me Ronald Reagan's likeness IS NOT already in Statuary Hall? Well, its about time.

[al baby]

Let me tell you something Reagan is way beyond just a statue

[Reagan Man]

I'd say, you're preaching to the choir.

[onyx]

WOO-HOO!
Fabulous news indeed!
Thanks for the ping.

[SoCalPol]

again, San Diego rep. for the conservative cause.

[SoCalPol]

Great News!!

[Amerigomag]

SJR3 passed because none of the procedures left the legislative branch. An elected Republican could exercise his due process without permission from the executive or the judicial.

The legislative minority does have considerable power under California's system but that power is dependent upon the cooperation of the executive in all but isolated situations.

California's financial circumstances would be much different today if the governor had decided to empower the legislative minority after taking office. Legislative Republicans do have the power to derail the majority's agenda but not without the consent of the governor.

[ElkGroveDan]

You are so right. When Deukmejian was Governor he had a standard policy that he would sign bills based on the makeup of the legislature. If 1/3 of the legislators were Republican then 1/3 the bills he would sign would be authored by Republicans and 2/3 of the bills he would sign would be Democrat. If the Democrats wanted more bills signed, they were then forced to send up more Republican bills. He also refused to sign hijacked bills.

That's how a Republican Governor should act.