[Lancey Howard]

The Republicans' budget plan -- which they said would minimize deep reductions in health, welfare, education and local government spending that Davis had proposed -- frames the budget showdown as loans vs. taxes.

This part I don't get.
Why would Republicans be interested in propping up the Democrat vote-buying scheme?
Especially since Davis has already provided cover by proposing larger cuts himself?

[goldstategop]

Well its to smoke out the Dems who say Republicans have no real solution to California's budget mess. Now that there's an offer on the table, they have to decide if they want to continue to fiddle while Sacramento burns or work together with the opposition to spark an economic recovery in the tarnished Golden State.