Posted on 08/11/2007 1:54:33 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Saturday accused Senate Republicans of holding up passage of a new state budget to tie up the Legislature and prevent approval of legislation that would reduce the number of Californians without health insurance.
"There are people out there ... (who) want to hang on to the status quo," the Republican governor told a televised health-care forum held in eight cities. "There are politicians in Sacramento who are holding up the budget so they don't have to go into health care reform.
"So let your legislators know how you really feel about health care reform, how much we need it," Schwarzenegger said. "It is inexcusable that someone would hold up the budget in order to make health care reform suffer."
But Senate Minority Leader Dick Ackerman, R-Tustin, said the budget deadlock and the debate over health care reform were "totally unrelated," although members of his caucus have been critical of health care plans proposed by Schwarzenegger and Democratic lawmakers.
"The budget is not being held up because of health care," Ackerman said in a telephone interview. "Senate Republicans think that health care is important, as do most Californians."
Ackerman said GOP lawmakers want a budget without a deficit, and they want passage of legislation to ensure that bond financing for highway and other infrastructure projects approved by voters last year won't be held up by "specious lawsuits."
The $145 billion budget has been approved by the Assembly, but it's been rejected twice by the Senate, with all but one Republican voting no. The spending plan needs at least two GOP Senate votes to reach the two-thirds majority required for passage.
The deadlock has held up a variety of payments made by the state, including support for nursing homes, adult day-care facilities and child-care agencies. The California Association of Health Care Facilities has filed a lawsuit seeking a court order directing the state to resume those payments.
Schwarzenegger plans a series of public appearances this coming week to try to pressure at least one more Senate Republican to support the budget.
Democratic leaders warned this past week that no other issues will be considered until lawmakers approve the overdue budget, which was supposed to be sent to the governor by June 15.
The Legislature is scheduled to return from a summer recess on Aug. 20 and adjourn for the year on Sept. 14.
Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, D-Los Angeles, assured the forum that lawmakers would approve a health-care bill before they adjourn. Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata, D-Oakland, said that if that doesn't happen it would lead to an "expensive initiative shootout" over efforts to expand health care.
"We must act," Perata told the forum. "Inaction is not acceptable."
Both Schwarzenegger and Democratic leaders have proposed health care plans that would require most employers to either help provide health insurance for their workers or pay into a state health-care fund to help cover the uninsured. But the Democrats' bill would require employers to spend about twice as much as the governor's proposal.
Senate Republicans have proposed a plan that includes tax breaks for workers who are forced to buy their own health insurance and health-care providers who treat the uninsured.
The televised forum, "CaliforniaSpeaks," gave hundreds of participants sitting around tables in Humboldt County, Sacramento, Oakland, Fresno, San Luis Obispo, Los Angeles, Riverside and San Diego a chance to give their views on the need for changes in the state's health-care system and what those changes should be.
I love gridlock : )
"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 Palelologus
Maybe the Gub will create a commission to study gridlock and how to avoid it next time.
Our mission is to keep him from getting another chance to blow the doors off the treasury.
"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 Palelologus
Yep!
LOL!!
"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 Palelologus
These same Republicans were hot to trot to support Schwarzenegger for gov. They deserve what they’re getting.
Gov. Arnold Kennedy....
"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 Palelologus
I love whaaaaaaam and eggs on Saturdays.
Hey Gurly Boy Aunie, didn’t you promise to cut spending when you got in there? Didn’t you promise to bring back fiscal conservancy?
Why are you so whiney about the Republicans who remember you saying that, and are determined to make sure it doesn’t get any worse if you’re not going to do what you promised.
“We are brothers together, we shall not be moved...”
Take that Mr. Guvinator.
Many Republicans think Arnold will be just another liberal Governor.
9 posted on 09/25/2003 10:44:40 AM PDT by Always Right
We sure dont see those Arnold supporters around on Arnold threads much these days. Of course nowadays alot of them are on the Rudy threads, trying to push Rudy on us.
“BUT ARNOLD CAN WIN!”
... and we were right, he did
No matter what you think of Arnold, it dosen’t change the fact that McClintock would not have won.
...and CA illegals still don’t have driver’s licenses.
“Of course nowadays alot of them are on the Rudy threads, trying to push Rudy on us.”
That’s because RUDY CAN WIN!!!!
The best legislation is the kind that doesn’t happen. The demonator gets slapped by the few good ones in CA. The CA budget has been stopped before. Good job by the senate Republicans. McClintook should have been governor.
Amen to that!
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