Posted on 03/04/2009 3:12:41 PM PST by nickcarraway
Let's hope Sen. Abel Maldonado (R-Santa Maria) has reconnected with some old high school friends on Facebook. They might be the only people who will talk to him anymore.
Two weeks ago the state senator, whose district runs from Santa Barbara County to Los Gatos, alienated pretty much everybody on both sides of the aisle by refusing to vote for the state budget until he'd extracted a concession on open primaries.
The concept, which would in theory favor moderate candidates, is a staple of reformers, but Maldonado managed to irritate even potential supporters. To wit: former District 27 Assemblyman Fred Keeley criticized Maldo's tactics. Ever the diplomat, Maldonado shot back that it was just "sour grapes" for Keeley, who was redistricted out of a political career when the gerrymandered wonder that is District 15 was created. "This is why we need an open primary," Maldonado said, "so we can keep extremists like Mr. Keeley from coming to Sacramento." But wait! Keeley now works for the reform group California Forward, which supports open primaries.
Another concession Maldonado extracted was $1 million he demanded be cut from the budget for furniture for the "plush" office of State Controller John Chiang . Maldonado waxed outraged about this money, and Fly got grumpy too, envisioning mahogany desks and Tiffany lamps. The facts are a little less outrageous: steel cubicles for 741 employees moving from a prime location in downtown Sacramento to cheaper office space. Now the state is leasing two offices, the cheaper of them empty. Documents from Chiang's office show a savings of $250,000 a year in the new location. That's $1.5 million between now and 2016, more than enough to offset the $1 million in savings. But hey, what's a half-million between friends? Unless, of course, you don't have any left.
Ping
I’m in his district.
He’s lost my vote.
You voted for him? I voted for the independent guy in November.
Yes...
I beg for forgiveness...
Actually, I’ll have to pay for it literally as it is...
I don’t know but I think it’s time he laid off the energy drinks.
Energy drinks?
Don’t forget Roger Niello, my district, who joined his RINO friend Maldonado in selling us out. Niello owns a big car dealership in Sac, from which no one should ever buy a car.
I wonder how much 30 pieces of silver buys these days.
Doesn’t he look....I don’t know....wired as hell?
He just got back from a rave.
Or a La Raza workshop.
I’m not sure if Maldonado would at something like that. He’d be “beaten up,” to put it politely.
I’ve always thought he’s just biding his time, pretending to be a Republican until Villagarosa and Company are running the state at which time he ditches conservatism. Time will tell.
Maldonado's open primary ploy was not aimed at partisans. The ploy was designed to allow cross party voting for a cultural candidate.
Yes, the motive was La Raza
I heard there were more than one.
Abel Maldonado Community Youth Center
Of course, his voting for new taxes, the self serving open primary, minimum wage increases, Arnold's big-bang-bonds,
gun-grabs, and a long, long list of liberal bills also has done nothing to endear me to him.
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