[8/31/07]
[Walter Moore, Candidate for Mayor of Los Angeles] 12:05 am [permalink]
L.A. Now Aiding And Abetting Unlicensed Illegal Alien Drivers The Los Angeles Times reported Wednesday afternoon that the Los Angeles Police Department "has imposed a moratorium on impounding the vehicles of unlicensed drivers based on advice from the city attorney that sucha practice may be unconstitutional." Let's see . . . who typically lacks drivers' licenses? Hint: it rhymes with "billegal baliens." I think you can connect the dots on this one without any help from me. [Moore is Better blog]
[8/23/07]
[Found in the ebag-from Karen England, Capitol Resource Institute] 12:01 am [permalink] "Tolerance" Curriculum for Elementary Schools CRI has just learned that San Leandro Unified School District will hold a board of education meeting this Thursday, August 23rd to showcase new "tolerance" curriculum for elementary schools. Homosexual advocate groups herald this new curriculum as promoting "true tolerance" and "safer schools." Approved by the school board in late July, while many families are still involved in summer activities and unaware of school goings-on, this new curriculum will promote homosexual "families" and "diversity" to children as young as 5 years old. We encourage every concerned citizen in the area to attend the meeting and see this indoctrination material firsthand. Proponents of the curriculum as expecting opposition from citizens and parents. This is your opportunity, as a parent, to speak out against the radical and aggressive homosexual agenda for innocent young children. Stand up for your values at this meeting! Just in time for the start of the school year, those with radical social agendas to push on innocent minds are busy promoting their "tolerance" programs. Every parent should contact their school and find out if similar curriculum is being used.
[8/20/07]
[Senator
Tom McClintock]
12:01 am [permalink]
Niether Shrewd Nor Wise Legislators wind up their summer vacation and return to the Capitol on Monday, the first Legislature in California’s history to recess for the summer without adopting a budget. No word on when the Iraqi Parliament returns from its summer frolics.
It’s been a busy week for me with very little time for blogging. Click here to link to my budget commentaries, one on the overall budget situation and the other responding to Finance Director Mike Genest’s attack on Sen. Jeff Denham.
I guest-hosted the Roger Hedgecock show on KOGO in San Diego on Thursday and interviewed Denham. Jeff is now the target of a recall sponsored by the usual left-wing groups for his courageous stand for a balanced budget. This week, Gov. Schwarzenegger toured Denham’s very competitive Central Valley district to attack him.
The hypocrisy was pretty thick: Schwarzenegger excoriated Denham for causing hardship to those who depend on state checks during the budget impasse – when it was Denham who moved the continuing appropriation to pay the state’s bills precisely so there wouldn’t be such hardship, only to see his motion killed by Senate Democrats on a straight party-line vote. (The governor was so concerned about the “hardship” the prior week that he left the state on vacation, while Denham remained on duty).
Schwarzenegger’s attack against Denham in a difficult district when Denham is under recall is obviously not in the best interest of California – but it also isn’t in the governor’s best interest. If the Denham seat were lost, Abel Maldonado could combine with Democrats to override ANY gubernatorial veto and enact ANY tax increase – akin to driving a car with no brakes.
Schwarzenegger was best described once by an astute observer as “a very shrewd man … but not a very wise one.” In this case he seems neither shrewd nor wise (although bashing Denham in his district is exactly the advice one might expect from the former executive director of the California Democratic Party, who now serves as Scharzenegger’s chief of staff).
At any rate, it seems to be backfiring – Jeff is getting strong support from throughout the state; California Republican Party Chairman Ron Nehring personally assured me that the party will actively oppose the recall – which pretty much isolates Schwarzenegger as a man without a party. Meanwhile, Jeff is making an indelible mark statewide for courage under fire in demanding a balanced budget from an administration that has just produced the biggest budget deficit in California’s history. Ironically, a balanced budget is what the governor promised, but hasn’t had the courage to deliver.
You can support Jeff Denham at his website: www.joinwithjeff.com.
[8/17/07]
[Senator
Tom McClintock]
12:07 am [permalink]
Controller Cash Crash? If anyone doubts what the budget battle is all about, the state controller’s August Statement of General Fund Cash Receipts and Disbursements offers some sobering numbers.
First, a quick lesson in state finance. Budget figures are measured differently by the Department of Finance and the State Controller’s Office. The DOF’s method is called “agency cash,” and is what you commonly see reported in budget stories. The SCO’s method is called “controller cash” and the two sets of numbers can sometimes vary widely.
The difference can best be described with an analogy. Suppose you get your January paycheck, but don’t deposit it until February 1. Is that January income or February income? Agency cash accounting attributes it to January, but controller cash accounting attributes it to February. Agency cash and controller cash have their own set of revenue estimates based on their own set of rules.
That said, the state controller reports that July “controller cash” revenues fell $787 million below projections – down a whopping 16 percent.
According to the controller, we ended July with an overdraft of $3.7 billion, which is being covered by internal borrowing from other state special funds (akin to raiding the kids’ college fund to pay for your checking overdraft).
The good news is that preliminary agency cash figures show July revenues down just $94 million. But because controller cash and agency cash measure the same money – just in different time frames – the controller’s numbers are ominous.
Meanwhile, Gov. Schwarzenegger toured a day care home in Santa Maria yesterday to decry the hardship caused by the budget delay and to call upon Republican senators to adopt his spending plan. What he forgot to mention is that the Senate cannot even discuss the budget because it has been on summer holiday (over Republican objections) since August 1st. The governor also forgot to mention that Republican senators tried to get a continuing appropriation so all the state’s bills could be paid during the impasse to avoid any hardship in the first place. And his comments raise an interesting question: If he is as concerned about the budget impasse as he says, why hasn’t he used his authority as governor to order the Legislature to return to Sacramento to resolve that impasse?
[8/9/07]
[Bill Leonard]
- 12:05
am [permalink]
Hooked on Government Back in 1950 the U.S. population was about 152.3 million and 28.3% of those people relied on the government for a substantial potion of their income. By 1980, the population had grown to 227.2 million and more than 55% were dependent on the government. With the election of Ronald Reagan, that percentage began to roll back and by 2000 it was down to 49.4%. Unfortunately, by 2004, that number has jumped to 52.6%. Economist A. Gary Schiller defines “substantial” portion of income as the amount that would cause a very adverse economic consequence to the person if it was no longer available. We seem to be heading in the direction that will overtake that 1980 record high of 55% dependence on government. A look at how that dependence breaks out tells me that we are bound to surpass that record in the next few years:
nearly one-in-five people work for government at either the federal, state or local level or they are employed by a company or organization dependent on taxpayer financing; another one-in-five receives either Social Security or a federal pension; more than two million people receive housing subsidies; nineteen million are on food stamps; and five million receive education subsidies.
[8/9/07]
[Found
in the ebag-from Family Research Council] 12:01 am [permalink]
San Diego Firemen Rescue the Culture In nearly three decades of risking his life on the job, San Diego Fire Captain John Ghiotto said he'd never experienced real stress until he and his colleagues were forced to march in the city's "gay pride parade." Under orders by their battalion boss, who was likely pressured by the city's lesbian fire chief, four firefighters were instructed to march in the parade in their official capacity during work hours. Since refusing the order could have meant disciplinary action, the men complied against their wishes. As they walked along the parade route, homosexuals on either side of the street shouted obscenities, made lewd gestures, and sexually harassed the men to the point where the firefighters are now pursuing legal action. "The experience left me feeling humiliated, embarrassed, and offended by this event." Although lesbian chief Tracy Jarmen said she apologized to the firefighters for the treatment they received, she was quick to point out that the department "has an established tradition of accepting invitations from diverse community groups... to march in parades." Local officials have finally agreed to investigate the complaint, but Ghiotto says he and his colleagues will still proceed with a lawsuit. And rightfully so. The city's hypocrisy is unconscionable! In California, the intolerance for religious conscience continues while forced acceptance of homosexuality is excused as "political correctness." We reported on a case just yesterday in which military officers were publicly chastised for voluntarily appearing in uniform to endorse a Christian organization. In this instance, the city ordered its employees to participate in a lewd rally in official dress against their will--and relatively little has been done about it. Where is the outrage?
[8/8/07]
[Senator
Tom McClintock]
12:07 am [permalink]
BUDGET CRISIS UPDATE Six Days And Counting... Yesterday was the sixth day that both houses of the Legislature have been on holiday while the budget remains unresolved --- and yet:
1) The Legislature’s joint rules (51(a)) state: “The Legislature shall be in recess from July 20 until August 20. This recess shall not commence until the Budget Bill is passed.” (emphasis added)
2)The constitution (Art. IV, Sec. 7(d)) states: “Neither house without the consent of the other may recess for more than 10 days or to any other place.”
The Assembly recessed without the Legislature having passed the budget and without the consent of the Senate on July 20th and has been absent from the Capitol since then.
The Senate recessed without the Legislature having passed the budget on August 1st and has been absent from the Capitol since then – over the unanimous vote of senate Republicans to remain in session.
Never in California’s history has there been so complete and flagrant a dereliction of duty by its Legislature, in violation both of its own rules as well as the constitution. Budgets have been at impasse before – but the Legislature always continued working – until this year.
The governor has rightly called for the Legislature to resolve the impasse – but thus far has failed to demand that it return to deliberate. Ironically, the governor has the authority not only to demand that it return – he can order it to return under Art. IV, Sec. 3 of the constitution: “On extraordinary occasions the Governor by proclamation may cause the Legislature to assemble in special session.”
[8/7/07]
[Senator
Tom McClintock]
12:07 am [permalink]
BUDGET UPDATE Last Thursday, I asked supporters to call Senate Democratic Leader Don Perata’s office and ask for an explanation for his (and his party’s) opposition to Republican motions to:
1) Consider Republican budget amendments to reduce the state’s budget by $800 million;
2) Resume senate deliberations on the budget the next day; and
3) Provide $10 billion of continuing funding to assure the state’s bills get paid during the budget impasse.
Many callers reported back that when they called Perata’s office they were told that these were all just “lies,” and nothing of the sort took place.
ACTION ITEM: IF YOU WERE ONE OF THOSE PHONERS, PLEASE REVIEW THESE VIDEO LINKS, AND THEN WRITE A LETTER OR BLOG TO YOUR NEWSPAPER OR CALL A TALK SHOW AND TELL THEM WHAT YOU THINK…
[8/6/07]
[Senator
Tom McClintock]
12:07 am [permalink]
Budget Crisis: We're Finally Getting To Them Kathy posted this comment on the web site yesterday and it hits the very crux of the media distortions over the senate budget debate. She writes:
“This needs to be a WAKE UP CALL to all Republican leaders as the current news media is basically blaming the Republicans for the budget stand-off and fiscal crisis many programs are facing. Tom - you are doing a great job with the blogs, but terrible with the media. GET THE WORD OUT that the democrats VOTED DOWN emergency spending measures. GET THE WORD OUT that the democrats did not continue the session today. DO SOMETHING as I am really tired of hearing that the budget standoff is your fault.”
If you agree with Kathy, I NEED YOUR HELP!!!
If your newspaper today did not clearly report these facts, PLEASE CALL THEM ON IT – by phoning a complaint, writing a letter or blog, or calling a radio station:
• Republicans moved to approve $10 billion in continuing funding to allow the state to pay its bills until the budget is adopted, but Democrats killed the motion on a straight party-line vote.
• Republicans moved to resume the senate session the very next morning to continue discussions on the budget, but Democrats killed the motion on a straight party-line vote.
• Republicans offered $800 million in spending reductions that Democrats voted NOT EVEN TO CONSIDER.
Of all the newspaper stories I read today about the dire consequences of the budget impasse, only one mentioned any of these critical facts.
(PLEASE NOTE: YESTERDAY, WE ASKED FOR PHONE CALLS TO PERATA’S OFFICE TO DEMAND AN EXPLANATION. PHONERS HAVE REPORTED BACK THAT PERATA STAFF IS DENYING THAT ANY OF THESE VOTES TOOK PLACE. WE WILL HAVE LINKS TO THE VIDEO OF THE ACTUAL MOTIONS ON THE SENATE FLOOR AND THE RECORDED ROLL CALL VOTES ON MONDAY).
It is unprecedented in the history of California for both houses of the legislature to go on summer holiday without adopting a state budget. Senate Republicans want the senate to return at once to resolve the budget impasse – we can’t negotiate with ourselves.
Click here to go to send a email to your local media outlets.
Click here to go to our media center for media contact numbers.
Meanwhile, Gov. Schwarzenegger made two points in his press conference Thursday.
First, he said he didn’t understand what the Republicans wanted. With all due respect, WHAT IS IT THAT HE DOESN’T UNDERSTAND ABOUT A BALANCED BUDGET? He campaigned on a promise to balance the budget. The constitution REQUIRES a balanced budget. The definition is not complicated: a balanced budget is one that spends no more than it takes in. This may be a novel concept for the governor (who just closed the 2006-07 fiscal year with the biggest budget deficit in California’s history), but it should not be hard to understand. Click here for my analysis of the governor’s unbalanced budget.
Second, the governor said that he had offered to use his line item veto to reduce the budget by $700 million to make the “operational deficit” zero. More on this in my July 20th budget speech. Although he refused to release anything in writing, his staff did offer an oral briefing on the “cuts.” $160 million (or 23%) of the “cuts” were to “slip” Medi-Cal payments due at the end of this fiscal year into the beginning of the next fiscal year – akin to postponing your December mortgage payment into January for a big year-end “savings.” Another $100 million (14%) was in “unallocated cuts,” despite the fact that the governor has a consistent record of not following through on “unallocated cuts” in past budgets.
Budget gimmicks like these got us into this mess. They won’t get us out. Click here for Dan Walter’s comments Friday.
But most importantly, 14 Senate Republicans cannot balance the budget alone. That’s going to take THOUSANDS OF CALIFORNIANS STANDING UP AND DEMANDING IT. NOW IS THE TIME!
[8/1/07]
[Bill Leonard]
- 12:05
am [permalink]
Unusual Budget Battle Often the summer tradition of a budget battle has been for the Senate Republicans and Democrats to cut a budget deal first, send the package to the Assembly and adjourn for the summer, usually before the Assembly even sees the agreement. For the first time in my memory it is the Assembly that has now done the deal and gone for the summer. I do not know if this has any long-term meaning, or if it reflects some other shift in how the houses work their internal affairs. But this is clearly a noteworthy year in budget history. The possibilities include the Assembly Speaker's desire to look productive (to enhance the term limits change he and other incumbents favor), and/or the Assembly members of both parties being less senior than their Senate counterparts are more sensitive to outside media and special interest groups that depend on the budget.
It may also reflect the growing frustration of the Senate Republicans with the state's deficit spending and the knowledge that a budget hold-out gets some bad press, but not in papers that their voters are reading. From my budget experience, no voter without a financial stake in the budget ever called me and told me to change my vote. The Senate Republicans know this, and know well that their unity and their principled goals can make the budget less bad.
In his Sacramento Bee column, Dan Walters suggests that Democrats should involve Republicans earlier in the process of writing the budget as their votes are needed to ultimately pass the budget. Walters is being kind to the Democrats as I believe it is illegal for the Democrats to pass items through committee with simple majority votes when those same items require a two-thirds supermajority vote by order of the constitution. Committees must follow the same rules as the entire body, but the press, it seems, does not want to call them on it. http://www.sacbee.com/walters/story/298548.html
