Dan Walters: Battle over Maldonado is just politics

Sacramento Bee ^ | 12/1/9 | Dan Walters

[SmithL]

Let's dispose of one thing right off the bat: Whether the Democratic-controlled Legislature confirms Republican Sen. Abel Maldonado as lieutenant governor will have nothing to do with fitness, or lack thereof, for the job. It will be purely political.

Insiders don't call the office's holder the "light governor" for nothing. He or she has only one real official job: Filling the governorship if the governor dies, resigns or is impeached.

The last time that happened was nearly 60 years ago, when President Dwight Eisenhower appointed Gov. Earl Warren as U.S. chief justice and Lt. Gov. Goodwin Knight became governor.

Otherwise, the lieutenant governor serves on a few boards and commissions, including two university boards, and tries to think up ways to garner attention so that he can run for governor.

But even that doesn't happen very often.

The current vacancy arose when Democrat John Garamendi extended his long political career by running for Congress. After a few weeks of speculation, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger nominated Maldonado, who represents a Central Coast district and has often broken with other Republicans to back Schwarzenegger in the Legislature, as Garamendi's successor.

To take office, Maldonado must be confirmed - or at least not rejected - by both houses of the Legislature, and Democrats are in a quandary.

[Redcloak]

One would hope that the Republicans in the legislature who voted against Aaaahnold’s tax increases will also vote against his tax-hiking pal Maldonado.

[Godzilla]

He stuck a knife into the backs of fellow republicans as well as the hard working Californians. He needs to get a real job and feel the effects of the laws and regulations he’s shoved down the throats of everyone else here.

[CdMGuy]

Maldonado, worse that Arnold. Two bigger California RINOs would be hard to find. The only voters who know this jerk are those in his district and all the California conservative Republican voters who hate his guts.

Here’s a scenario, The Dems do not reject Maldonado and he becomes Lt. Gov., in the next election a Republican defeats a Democrat and fills his legislative seat, and Maldonado gets defeated in his attempt to win the Republican primary for Lt. Gov. Sounds great to me.

[NormsRevenge]

California.. Lost at sea.

Captain’d by a Rino.

He kept hitting icebergs

damn that global varming

Who would trust his judgment now?

he’s a whipping boy and a hand puppet

maldonado? lolol .. aRnold’s sweet revenge