BACK ROOM DECISIONS TO SPEND $300 BILLION

The Infrastructure Bonds are going to conference committee next Thursday. Some are asking, "but they never passed an Assembly or Senate Committee". In normal circumstances, bills are introduced, hearings held, legislation debated on the floor of both bodies and then passed. At that point the competing bills go to Conference Committee for compromise and approval. Then back to the legislative floors for an up or down vote, without amendments. Be doing it in this way, only the Conference members will be able to make amendments, leaving over 100 Members, elected by the people of California to represent them, without the ability to amend a massive piece of legislation that could tie up all State bonds for the next twenty years.

In this case, why go through the normal procedure--just go to a small number of members and get them to come to an agreement. This allows the final bill (also the only one) to come to the floor of the Assembly and Senate for an up or down vote, without amendment. This is neither Democracy or a Representative government in action. This is power politics for the special interests, not the needs of the families or jobs of California. It has been my experience that every time the California Legislature uses short cuts, the outcome is something that is corrupt and again makes the legislature foolish.

What are the leaders of the Legislature afraid of by allowing full public debate on the subject? More than $300 billion will be spent (that includes the interest on the bonds) and the up and down decision is being made in a back room, behind closed doors. I urge Senator Ackerman and Assemblyman McCarthy to open the doors to the public, let us know how the decision to spend $300 billion is being made. It is actions like this that make the public suspicious of government decisions. Why trust any elected official is just one step away from "why should I vote, they all act alike, for themselves?"

Three Wilsonegger gang members (Schwarzenegger, Ackerman and McCarthy) cut a deal with the legislative majority leaders (Perada and Nunez) that convienetly excludes any legislative Republicans from discussions and negotiations during the legislative process.

Last week Senator McClintock complained loudly and publicaly in a transportation committe hearing about this corruption of our constitutional process. Strangely, at almost the same time, he privately recommended the gang to CRP convention delegates. Both his complaint and his letter of recommendation were published on this forum.

Following are eaxmples of the anger that this revelation generated from the CPN&V forum:

1364 - Posted by Richard on 2006-02-11 08:32:59

Let's be honest. The Republican Party in California is bankrupt. If it were a business it would have been closed a long time ago. As a party we continually seek personalities to rescue us from our second rate status. There is no vision and no recognizable agenda coming from this party. The average person sees Republicans in California exactly as the Dems portray them - hateful and close minded. Arnold hung with us as long as he thought it would benefit him. After the ill planned and poorly executed special election Arnold chose to side with the professionals - Democrats. Until we build a viable political infrastructure our ideas and party will continue to be marginalized. But that's only my opinion.

1365 - Posted by Rosemary on 2006-02-11 08:47:20

I warned about Arnold. No one listened. I voted for Tom. I was right. Okay, that was then, this now. What to do... 1. Call talk radio. Let them know there is a bond coming our way, and shut it down. 2. Get a petition to say, "Heck no, we won't pay!" We CAN rescind this bond if we care enough to do so. 3. Write to the editorial pages. It does not matter if they haven't printed anything you've sent in before. If you don't try, it surely will not be printed. 4. Call everyone you know and tell them about this. 5. Use your e-mail address list to ask everyone on it who has a blog or a website to cover this. Light is the best disinfectant. If we can bring down Dan Blather and Eason Jordan, we can take back California. Enough talk. Time for action.

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