Posted on 01/14/2005 9:16:15 AM PST by NormsRevenge
With an opportunity to do the best thing for California education, Democrats on the California Senate Rules Committee took another route. They weaseled. Faced with confirmation of a nominee for a second term to the State Board of Education, who California Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell said would go down in California history as one of the best members of that board, Democrats voted him down.
This was the first big test of leadership for state Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata. Perata failed.
With his "no" vote, he prevented the nomination of Reed Hastings from going to a full vote of the Senate. In rambling remarks before the vote, he offered no explanation as to why he was voting against confirmation. All he could offer at the end of a three-hour hearing was that, "Members of my caucus have concerns beyond those exposed here today."
Such as? Be specific. That's what public hearings are for. As chairman of the committee and leader of the Senate, why didn't Perata make sure all concerns were aired and the nominee given a chance to respond? The fact is, the only issue brought forward in public was Hastings' stand on bilingual education.
(Excerpt) Read more at sacbee.com ...
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