Dec 04 2008
ACA 4 (2009-10) - Eliminating the 2/3 requirement to pass a budget in California
The Democrats have officially gone crazy and entered dreamland.
They have proposed eliminating the 2/3 requirement to pass a budget, and move it to a simple majority. However, as this would be a Constitutional amendment, this also needs 2/3 vote to pass.
Do they really think the Republicans are going to give up their only chance to make a difference? Everything else in the Legislature is based off a simple majority vote. There are 2 - and only 2 - things that Republicans can make a difference in: budget and raising taxes (lowering them only takes a majority). So it is unlikely that Republicans are going to give up their chance to make a difference here. As Sen. Cogdill (R-Modesto) said - “This bill is simply a way to make it easier for Democrats to raise taxes on hard-working Californians,” Cogdill said in a statement. “This proposal eliminates the checks and balances Republicans have provided to protect taxpayers.”
Now - Speaker Bass said that we should have a simple majority. Her exact words were, “California should be like 47 other states in the union.” Funny how in something that would give the Democrats a huge advantage she wants us to be like 47 other states. But when it comes to allowing same-sex marriage, she wants us to be the leader and unlike 47 other states in the nation. Amusing how her perrspective changes when it would be a change to give her more power.
ACA 4 would only allow a majority vote until June 15 - the constitutional deadline for getting a budget passed in the Legislature. It would then be possible every year for us to have a budget on time - why would the Democrats wait?
I can also imagine what kind of state we would have. We would have so much social welfare services that California would be socialist. Clearly socialist, not just merely leaning that way. It would also be easier to put the blame for spending on Democrats. It might also deal the death blow to the Republicans.
Alternatively, it might provide the Republicans with an incentive to participate, and give them a way to earn back more seats when (not if - when) the Democrats screw up.
But who knows what might happen. This isn’t going to happen. Certainly not by passing a bill through the Legislature.
