Posted on 03/26/2008 5:23:48 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
Calling state government dysfunctional, a bipartisan group launched a reform effort Wednesday that it said would be backed by its own political action committee.
The group, called California Forward, will push for passage of a proposed November ballot initiative supported by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to take away the Legislature's power to draw political districts and give it instead to an independent panel. Advocates say this will help moderates get elected.
The reform group also plans to address the state budgeting process.
Leon Panetta, a former Democratic congressman from Monterey and chief of staff to former President Bill Clinton, is leading the group with Thomas McKernan, a Republican donor who is chief executive of the Automobile Club of Southern California.
Panetta acknowledged it would be difficult, if not impossible, to change the way government functions. He said many had tried before, only to have their recommendations ignored, a reality the speakers illustrated with a three-foot-high stack of old reports on good governance that they piled next to the lectern.
But Panetta said lawmakers should heed the message of voters who have grown tired of the political paralysis that breeds chronic budget deficits and that killed efforts last year to reform health care.
He said he hopes "to convince legislators and the governor there is merit in governing the state."
He added, "They have to appreciate the fact that governing is good politics."
McKernan said the group would keep an open mind when it comes to addressing the state budget deficit and might entertain such fundamental changes as lowering the two-thirds majority it takes to pass a spending plan.
"Everything is on the table," said McKernan, who heads the Orange County chapter of the New Majority, a GOP fundraising group. "We want to be judicious in what we put forward first."
The reform group counts business, labor and community groups in its coalition. The leadership council includes former San Jose Congressman Tom Campbell, California Business Roundtable President Bill Hauck and former state Assemblyman Fred Keeley of Santa Cruz.
California Forward has $16 million in startup money from five major foundations: the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the California Endowment, the David & Lucile Packard Foundation, the Evelyn & Walter Haas Jr. Fund and the James Irvine Foundation.
Organizers did not say how much they might raise through their political action committee.
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Panetta and the New Majority working together.
methinks moderates are the reason we are in such a mess at many levels in the first place, if recent history is a testament to their value to the party much less actual values.. why would we want more?
Instead of putting a stop to fighting, why not just fight harder until someone wins?
The RAT-bastid party is almost solely responsible for California’s woes - they have been in the majority for decades - and they all prefer Marxist policies. Tax, borrow, spend and tax, tax, tax, spend, spend, spend. A massive welfare state combined with an open border is a recipe for disaster. California Forward, my @ss.
Stick a fork in it, California is done.
California Forward, my @ss.
The cliff scene from Thelma and Louise just flashed here ..
Moderate means nothing more than quisling.
Wow, bipartisan. That means we have liberals from BOTH parties ! Will they all sit around a campfire nekkid and sing “Kumbaya” ?
"...reform health care" Translation: We want to further bankrupt the state with an unaffordable, unworkable, massive expansion of entitlements. Damn commies, the whole lot of 'em.
My plan would be to institutionalize legislative gridlock for the foreseeable future. The SOB’s will never make a move to lower spending with cuts to their favorite welfare giveaways.
I was going through some paperwork yesterday and found a 2-year old letter from McKernan, urging me to vote for a bond measure of some sort. Yep—these guys have all the answers, alright. Borrow, borrow, borrow! That sure has worked so far! /s
I recommend a new initiative. If the voters agree, we provide 100 assault weapons to the California legislature, invite the governor over and lock them all in.
We go back in a week.
The dems outnumber the republicans, but the republicans know how to use the weapons.
All in favor...
Just kidding folks, but we’re in such a mess in this state.
This is what I wanta see. lol
http://www.breitbart.tv/html/14374.html
I'm certain I remember lending some of my most enlightening commentary to that previous thread!!! (oh Lord it's hard to be humble, when you're perfect in every way!)
I feel like I keep seeing crap like this all the time, and not just in California. Call me a meanie, but I don’t care to play grabass at an interstate Holiday Inn Express conference room with liberal loonies.
Bottom line: This is an effort to get a legislature that will raise taxes.
Period, end of discussion.
The saner parts of the state ought to try to succeed. Millions of decent folk are trapped there.
“The saner parts of the state ought to try to succeed. Millions of decent folk are trapped there.”
Do you mean “secede”?
Yeah. Spell check screwed me over. By the way it hates the word Obama.
Secession would be great to see all around the country. From states, counties, cities. Isolate the leftist areas and let them crumble without tax $$$$$ from productive citizens.
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