Posted on 02/19/2009 5:41:14 PM PST by Amerigomag
First and foremost, it's obvious on the face of it to be able to say that the six Republican legislators (Senators Ashburn, Cogdill and Maldonado and Assemblymen Adams, Niello and Villines) who actually voted for the bill that imposed over $14 billion in new taxes were critical to its passage. Shame on them.
But in taking some time to contemplate the politics of the final hours of this Big 5/Big Taxes deal passing out of the legislature, you have to say, how did it happen? You needed three Republicans to support the actual tax increase legislation, and they were one vote shy. Two GOP Senators who were "open" to voting for the taxes, and who presented private lists of demands -- Cox and Maldonado. Cox ultimately decided to vote against the deal, but Maldonado's demands were within reach, and so, the question ended up coming down to whether or not the advocates of the Big 5/Big Taxes deal could get enough Dems and Reps to go up on the Maldonado Open Primary measure (it takes a 2/3 vote to put a measure on the ballot).
I should interject at this point, by the way, that an open primary would literally open the floodgates for tax increases in California. Anyways, when you look at this scenario this way, smart people can easily deduce that when you look at the Republican legislators who voted to place the open primary on the ballot, and subtract those away who actually voted for the taxes, you are left with a group of Republican legislators who either supported an open primary because they actually think we should have then, but who also knew that supporting it early this morning was tantamount to supporting the tax increase.
Again, putting aside the six legislators who voted for the taxes directly (and who in this bizarre context may actually get strange brownie points for having the courage to be up front about it, instead of hiding behind mirrors), the legislators who supported the Big 5/Big Taxes plan are: Senators Dave Cox and Jeff Denham, and Assemblymembers Bill Berryhill, Tom Berryhill, Sam Blakeslee, Muke Duvall, Paul Cook, Connie Conway, Bill Emmerson, Nathan Fletcher, Jean Fuller, Danny Gilmore, Brian Nestande, Jim Nielson, and Cameron Smyth.
Let's have an honest debate, folks. It shouldn't take your friendly neighborhood blogger writing up an analysis like this to connect the dots, should it?
If you are a Republican activist and you see one of these legislators at the convention (many may "duck" it), ask them about this, and see if they are straight forward. Perhaps they will pull you into a corner and tell you their secret "Shhh. Really didn't see any other way out of this mess, and so I really did feel that massive tax increases were a necessary part of a solution..." They certainly won't put that in a press release.
Texas is still a high growth or low-loss job state.
I seriously suggest that you start looking for employment elsewhere straightaway and beat the impending rush.
You don’t know unless you go looking.
I know. He just looks once and a great while, relies on a head hunter, or just posts a resume on one site. I really think that until he really wants to, it just won’t happen.
“Mexico is acquiring it (CA) for free...in slow motion.”
The last time I registered to vote in CA the guy in line in front of me couldn’t speak English but was registered on the basis of his phone bill.
When I asked the lady at the desk for an explanation, she shrugged and said there was nothing she could do about it.
California may lead the way but many areas of the country are close behind.
As a transplanted native Californian, I can say based on my travels that Mexico is acquiring a lot of the U.S.
We are faced with, but are substantially ignoring, a steady, quiet, soft invasion. The majority of the population in some rural towns is no longer NBC’s.
The locals are intimidated by punks and vandalism until they throw in the towel out of concern for the safety of their families.
Local politicians in many areas are threatened or seduced by blocks of votes.
Once in the bag, the politicians petition for state and federal grants and formal recognition for their “constituents”.
We may be faced with significant decisions in the near future.
Yeah, I’m in Texas, with all your concerns for this state, too.
By then it might be too late. I suggest you motivate him.
If you need an example to encourage you, check out the Dust Bowl during the Depression. The first ones to bail out of the Dust Bowl and head for California (where there was still a vibrant economy) were the ones that got the jobs and were able to keep them. The ones that waited until it became blatantly obvious to everyone and the banks were repossessing houses, well, they didn’t fare so well.
Self ping for later....
This is the same system as in Louisiana? I’m assuming you fear that the top two persons will always be leftists?
Sounds like you’re in Laxalt country, or what once was...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.