California: Republicans force Anti-SUV bill to be sent to governor

KFI AM640, Los Angeles | July 11, 2002

[John Jorsett]

Just heard a live interview with Republican Bill Campbell on KFI AM 640 in Los Angeles. He reported that the Republicans in the legislature have forced anti-SUV bill AB1493 to governor Davis' desk. This gives Davis 12 days in which to sign or veto the bill. Democrats in the legislature had been bottling up the already-passed bill in order to head off a potential initiative challenge from opponents. Had they succeeded in delaying passing the bill to Davis until the legislature adjourned, opponents would not have had enough time to gather the 420,000 signatures necessary to get a recission initiative on the November ballot, and would have had to wait until March of 2004. There may still be insufficient time, but this move by Republicans may give opponents enough leeway to mount a successful signature-gathering campaign. Democrats want to keep the initiative off the November ballot because those pushing it are sure to mount a vigorous campaign, and Democrats think that it will damage Davis' chances at reelection, as well as their own electoral prospects.

[NEWwoman]

Bravo for the GOP! Let's roll!

[John Jorsett]

ping

[Gophack]

PING

[Southack]

This is a pleasant tactical victory for Republicans.

[John Jorsett]

I should also mention that John and Ken, the hosts on whose show Campbell appeared, are mounting a caravan of many SUVs. It will leave tonight and go to Sacramento, where the owners will mount a protest of AB1493. I applaud their dedication to getting this awful law either vetoed or rescinded.

[dalereed]

The small minority finally accomplished something!

I hope someone (auto companies) is preparing for a petition drive and is prepared to file the papers with the sec. of state on the 13th.

If this can make the November ballot and a respectable campaign is mounted Duffus is not only toast but we could conceivably make some major gains in the Assembly and Senate.

The democrap legislators just might have laid the deadliest trap for themselves that one could conceive.

[John Jorsett]

Campbell also said that one of the reasons there are so many whacky laws getting passed and signed into law by Davis is that the liberals in the legislature see that Davis is vulnerable, due to his own incompetence, plus there's a strong Green candidate on the scene stealing support. Davis will sign nearly any liberal measure at this point to shore up his liberal constituency and placate the Greens.

[Inkie]

Those guys were great today talking about the videotaper Crooks (great name).

I wish I could join the convoy of SUVs. I TOTALLY am against this mammoth stealth tax, even though at the moment I can't afford an SUV. But I'd like to get one some day. That's America. You are inspired to GET rich by emulating the people who worked hard and long to get what they have, instead of ENVYING them and thinking it got dropped in their lap.

[John Jorsett]

I hope someone (auto companies) is preparing for a petition drive and is prepared to file the papers with the sec. of state on the 13th.

I suspect that a millisecond after it's signed, the opponents will have signature gatherers out in force. Before the legislature snuck this bill through in the dead of night (figuratively), they were gearing up a multimillion dollar campaign to keep it from passing. Now, with Davis indicating that he's going to sign it, their only avenue is the initiative.

[green team 1999]

this is too good to be true,the governor will have to veto,and more voters will turn against him. and if he sign the bill,the re-election is over.
a reminder to all in california turn everything electrical "on"

[Bernard Marx]

I normally dislike J & K because they often take unprincipled positions, but once in a while they find an issue I agree with. They were doing some very funny stuff a few days ago, publicly announcing the makes and styles of cars driven by people who voted for the bill. Nearly all drove SUV's or other gas-guzzling behemoths and J & K took great joy in calling them the hypocrites they are.

Davis's and the Democrap legislators' feet have to be held to the fire on this one! The public needs to know how this bill came into being, who voted for it and whether Davis signs it. For once we can thank at least one major media outlet for its work.

[Dog Gone]

I'd like to know how they forced the Democrats to do anything.

[NormsRevenge]

Democrats want to keep the initiative off the November ballot because those pushing it are sure to mount a vigorous campaign, and Democrats think that it will damage Davis' chances at reelection,as well as their own electoral prospects.

This IS getting good!

DUMP DAVI$ & the Den of Socialists

GO SIMON

[chainsaw]

This is a pleasant tactical victory for Republicans.

Yes, But one of too few.

[NordP]

GOD LOVE THE REPUBLICANS WE ELECTED IN CALIFORNIA!!!

Now...let's elect MORE of them!!!

[John Jorsett]

I'd like to know how they forced the Democrats to do anything.

Campbell was sketchy on the details, but said they pointed out to the Democrats that they were violating the rules of the legislature and were going to make an issue of it unless they desisted.

[TatieBug]

Let's ROLL is Right! We can all help get the signatures for the Nov election and it will only help us to get the base and other SUVers to the polls...Go Simon!

[Grampa Dave]

Great move by the GOP!

Lets get all of the mileage we can get out of this.

I know where I can get at least 10 signatures and probably 20. I had my hair cut today and dropped the bomb about the SUV taxes. 9 out of 10 of the gals working there, drive a SUV and none are the little bitty SUV's. Being working women, they were outraged. They would sign a petition, force their husbands/boy friends to sign the petitions and keep them going in the shop to get more signatures.

The one non SUV driver is your typical California hypocrite. She drives Mercedes and hates SUV and was making fun of us. Her poor husband is a partner in a successful contracting firm. I decided to verbally "bitch" slap her with her own words.

I asked her how many F250 pickup trucks her husband and partner had for their construction business. She said about 50.

Now the verbal bitch slap, I said, "You SUV hater, your husband's pickups will have the same penalty! You might have to sell your Mercedes to buy a bike or walking shoes if this law goes through. !"

She looked like a deer with the head lights on, as the construction business is getting tight due to our Davis recession. She went to the back to call her husband with her cell phone. She was screaming and crying as she listened to his reality giving her another verbal Bitch Slap!

[Fishtalk]

because those pushing it are sure to mount a vigorous campaign, and Democrats think that it will damage Davis' chances at reelection, as well as their own electoral prospects.

Duh.

Isn't this why we either elect or UNELECT people? And please don't think my derisiveness is directed to the poster because John I think is exactly right about how the Dems' minds work.

They get it into their heads, especially in California, that they have some divine right to re-election. I'm betting half the Dems in California don't see those Simon stats so cockey are they.

So what's next? Oh right. They can pass any ole **shole law and have that divine right to re-election.

I'm all the way across the country from California but that state intrigues me. I live in a smaller version of a liberal hell and often as goes Merryland so goes California. Or visa-versa. I'm crossing fingers that even Merryland will get a clue because the Dems are running Kathleen Kennedy Townsend and it doesn't look good. At all.

Anyway keep entertaining me California. I think Grey Davis is a dolt and it's times like these that doltishness becomes more evident. And now this stupid law.

Hope that SUV caravan thing takes hold. I'd love to see this sight on the news.