Posted on 05/03/2006 9:09:14 AM PDT by ElkGroveDan
If you spend enough time in the marble halls of the state Capitol in Sacramento, no doubt will remain in your mind that the people in charge have created a ruling class. Like the royals of a bygone age, these people dont just make the rules. They must be treated in a special way and given special things. They must have servants waiting on them hand and foot taking care of their every need.
I suspect such behavior exists at every level of government to some extent, no matter who is in charge. But my experience has been that when the Democrats are in charge the self-applied royalty treatment is perfected to an art. Remember, though, that its OK, because the Democrats are the Party of the Common Man. They represent the little guy. Just ask them.
A long time ago, in a marble hall three floors away, I encountered a staffer for Sen. Jack Scott (D-Pasadena), whom Ill call Fidel. Fidel was meeting with a group of high school students. He had apparently just begun his talk when I heard him ask, Who knows the difference between Democrats and Republicans? I desperately wanted to stay to hear the correct answer, but I had urgent business down the hall and I knew I would be back in two or three minutes. As I rounded the corner on my return trip I heard Fidel say Those are all good answers. The best way of putting it is that Democrats represent the average person, the poor, and people who work for a living. Republicans represent mostly rich people, corporations, and special interests.
Had I not been so busy I would have waited for the kids to finish with Fidel and then invited them over to tell them my tales of Democrats and the little guy: about Californias royal ruling class and the comforts they bestow upon themselves at taxpayer expense. Theyd hear about Sen. Carole Migden (D-San Francisco) who, when she served in the Assembly, demanded white shag carpet for her Assembly office and insisted that new carpet be installed every few months. Id tell them about former Gov. Gray Davis who suggested in the days after 9/11 that he could no longer travel by commercial airlines like the rest of us. Lord Davis wanted to be flown around by the California Highway Patrol in a spiffy leased Lear Jet.
Theyd surely be interested in hearing about Sen. Don Perata (D-East Bay) and how The Duke of Alameda alleges we little people cant be trusted to own or carry concealed firearms for self defense, though he himself has a permit to carry a concealed weapon, as does Her Excellency and fellow gun grabber Lady Feinstein.
The kids could then talk to the General Services electrician who would tell tales of Californias royalty routinely spending $10,000 of others peoples money to have a wall moved a foot and a half to facilitate the placement of a special new sofa, and then three months later demanding that the wall be moved back to accommodate a new decorating whim. Id take them down the hall and introduce them to the elevator operators on duty whenever the Legislature is in session so that the representatives of the Working Man dont have to push their own buttons in a modern automatic elevator.
Before they left I would make sure I tell these kids who came to learn about democracy and Californias state government about the Royal Chair. Last year a staffer for Senate Special Services who couldnt take it any more, pulled me aside and told me about a chair that is so special the people charged with moving it about have memorized its serial number 61557. It is a padded chair with a soft red covering, and it is the only chair that Sen. Debra Bowen (D-Redondo beach) will sit on in those long tedious committee hearings.
The Duchess of The South Bay insists that the chair be in place and waiting for her when she arrives at a committee hearing. On those busy days when several committees are meeting at once, Her Highness, Protector of the Common Man, insists that chair 61557 must follow her back and forth between committee rooms. Id send the kids home advising them to spread the word about the Party of the little people and how Democrats behave when they are in charge.
MORE LIBERALS' HYPOCRISY. OR, the do as I say NOT as I do crowd, DOES IT AGAIN & AGAIN & AGAIN...Yet somehow they get away with it , TIME and AGAIN & AGAIN & AGAIN...
I'm sure Nancy Pelosi will do something aobut that "Culture of Corruption".
ping -- pass it on
I'm sure there must be a union involved here somewhere. The Dems can spin it on how they are creating jobs for the working man, who otherwise would be displaced by modern elevator technology.
Great article! A real blood pressure accelerator.
Boston Tea Party II is waaaaaayy overdue!
Only in demorats' minds is this acceptable. Looks like they are all weird in California.
They are SAD-U-SEE...
What? No pics of the special red chair of The Duchess of The South Bay?
Can we just label these folks 'fraud, waste, and abuse'?
Great article! Thanks for posting.
What's the compensation for 'elevator operator'? Do they get minimum wage or prevailing wage? 12 paid holidays? Sick leave? How about health benefits? Pension fund? Retiree medical insurance?
Do they have restroom attendants in the capitol building too?
I don't know what the elevator folks make, but yes, they get full benefits. They are on the DGS payroll.

Her Highness.
If I'm not mistaken, I believe that the elevator operators are now California Highway Patrolmen, because the capitol security forces were merged with the CHP (and had their pay rates upgraded of course). Don't ask them to take a test to qualify though, many of them cannot read. (a CHP Lieutennant told me that)
You are correct that the State Police became part of the CHP. However you are incorrect in suggesting that State Police and/or CHP operate the elevators. The elevators are operated by department of General Services Employees
Yes, we can.
Once a 'Rat, always a 'Rat...
Dang, I'd like to have that nose full of nickels.
I don't understand how you can live in that state Jim.
Not at all.
A bunch of pampered prima donnas .. eeeeegads!
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