Posted on 02/18/2009 7:40:54 PM PST by Ernest_at_the_Beach
The game of chicken in Sacramento just claimed its first victim, one that has to send a chill down Democratic spines. Republicans in the state Senate ousted their leader, the man who crafted a deal with Democrats to resolve the budget standoff with massive tax increases as part of the package. The GOP has apparently accelerated their car, and the Democrats will have to decide whether to swerve or crash:
A state budget deal to close a $41 billion shortfall has been put further into question early this morning after Senate Republicans ousted their leader who had helped negotiate the long-awaited plan with other top lawmakers in California.
The unusual action occurred as Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Democratic lawmakers tried for a fourth night in a row to persuade at least one more Republican senator to cast the deciding vote on the budget, a move officials said is necessary for the state to avoid insolvency.
Speaking to reporters outside his office, the ousted Minority Leader Dave Cogdill, R-Modesto, said, “It’s a shame it ended like this.”
Cogdill was one of the four legislative leaders who negotiated the emergency budget deal with the governor. Their compromise budget package, reached after three months of negotiations, contained nearly $16 billion in program cuts, $11 billion in borrowing and $14.4 billion in tax increases. The most contentious debate has been over the proposed tax hikes.
Republicans selected Sen. Dennis Hollingsworth, R-Murrieta (Riverside County) as their new Minority leader. Hollingsworth is part of the conservative wing of the Senate Republican caucus and he has been adamantly against raising any taxes.
I’d call that a statement. It certainly sends a message to party leadership that the California GOP will not willingly follow along with more tax increases in a state that already has become one of the worst for tax burdens in the nation. California did not get into its financial crisis through low taxes, and higher taxes won’t provide anything more than a Band-Aid on a gaping wound.
The budget needs more than just $16 billion in cuts. California needs a real austerity program, one that sheds government workers and government programs. The Golden State also needs to stop borrowing money, which comes from the massive spending. How massive? The governor’s office claims that they have kept spending level at $105 billion per year, but even at that rate, they spend more than 20 times what Minnesota does while only having about six times the population. (And we spend too much as well; we’re facing a $7 billion biennial budget deficit at the moment.)
Until the legislature gets serious about budget cuts, higher taxes only provide a junkie’s fix to addiction. The Republicans just signaled a cold-turkey approach, and they’re willing to throw their own leadership under the bus to get it. They look serious about fixing the real problems. Will the Democrats get serious, too, or go tharn in the headlights?
Not Good...pinging my little list for post #9.
Absolotly, Like Mr Steele should be jumping up and down making as much noise about the 3 with the bailout. If he does not force them out of the party he should at the very least publicly advertise no funds for their next election and actively search for contenders to them in their primarys, Yes snow and collins have a couple years to go but set the stage NOW.
There is a thread around here on that.
it is bizarre the hatred for newt on this board. he was the only guy who ever actually extended the reagan revolution. newt was the only one to actually accomplish something since reagan.
everybody else peed in the wind.
now newt is hated because he didn’t do enough?
reagan defeated the soviet union but he did little at home to stop the march of the liberals.
I’m here EATB and just lurking most of time. I have grown to dread most Ballot Initiatives...
There’s oil in them there ocean, that is for sure. But the Democrats could also cut all funding to illegals which could shave billions off the budget. They would rather tax us to death then say “no” to an illegal with a runny nose in an Emergency waiting room.
Did you hear Noreen Evans on FBC this afternoon?! She said this nonsensical, absurd idea they call budget cuts can’t possibly be the answer. She said, ‘you could close every UC university, fire every state worker, close every state park, and it still wouldn’t make up the budget deficit.’ Wrap your head around that noodle of a conundrum. I might just transcribe what she said and post it as its own thread.
With all of those things gone, and $41b still in the hole, I’d like to know exactly what the money IS going to. Besides fire, police, and welfare.
Does he even care that the VOTERS have turned down the open primary, time after time?
Ohhh... he doesn’t care? Never mind.
What a self-serving selfish putz!
Kicking out the illegals would save California $10 billion a year.
Finally, Republicans with balls.
There always seems to be a Republican who is willing to “compromise.” Past examples are Setencich and Briggs. Now maybe Maldonado is going to add his name to the list of the selfish.
Right on. I thought the same thing. Newt is a smart guy, but no ruler
If the old 2/3 vote rule were still in effect in the U.S, Senate , we wouldn’t be in this mess. reducing it to 3/5 was a bad move. This gives inordinate power to a few renegades.
If they got their budget under control, wouldn’t this help sell their bonds?
Here’s a recap about last night’s “Midnight Massacre”
http://blogs.kqed.org/capitalnotes/2009/02/18/the-hammer-falls-the-deficit-grows/#more-1446
Yowza.
Drama is nothing new in politics, and certainly not in state budget standoffs. But you’ve got to take your hat off to Republicans in the state Senate after the midnight massacre, where now former leader Sen. Dave Cogdill was unceremoniously shown the door. In his place, the caucus chose Sen. Dennis Hollingsworth, the vice-chairman of the upper house’s budget committee and a senator termed out of office in 2010.
The chatter (or, twitter, as it were) began just after 10:00 p.m. and the deed was done a couple of hours later. Republican senators confirmed that Hollingsworth was one of two final candidates, the other being Sen. Jeff Denham of Merced.
But the choice of a new leader, while reportedly unanimous among those present, wasn’t unanimous when counting the entire 15 GOP senators. Aside from Cogdill, three others left the meeting early and did not vote for the new top man: Sen. Abel Maldonado, Sen. Dave Cox, and Sen. Roy Ashburn.
Those names sound familiar? Yep, two of the three of those senators are believed to be the final votes for the $41 billion budget package now before the Legislature.
So now what? “There is a very large amount of work to do,” Hollingsworth said as he emerged from the caucus meeting early this morning. Later this morning, the new leader made it clear he’s working to scuttle the deal as it now exists.
(snip)
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