A California Republican

There was a floor vote in the Senate on Saturday to pass a budget deal. They were one Republican vote short.

The Governor went from door to door, trying to get a Republican to vote yes on the budget deal. He had no influence. He has no influence with Republican legislators. The Governor has repeatedly failed to work with Republicans on anything, and is openly defiant of Republican values on many issues. It comes as no surprise that he cannot help with the situation and get a Republican vote.

In order to get Democrats to vote for the budget, Sen. Maldonado in particular, the budget deal had to include money for his major counties - more pork in a year where there should be none.

This is a hard budget year. The members of the California Assembly and Senate are running scared from the prospect of really doing anything. They had an opportunity this year, and won’t have the same opportunity for a while, of really working on the issues. But instead they are doing a mix of cuts, tax hikes and borrowing - just like every other year.

Regardless of what the solution it, California needs and deserves to have its Legislature pass a solution.

It is no surprise the Senate Republican leader won’t get a vote for the budget. He doesn’t want to put his people in a bad position - that of voting to raise taxes.

The Assembly cannot work on the bills. The Senate let it be known that the bills had to be considered by their members first, and the Assembly could go second. It won’t be a problem to get the votes with the Assembly Republicans because their leader, Villines, is much stronger and protective of his members. Who ever votes for the deal in the Assembly won’t be hung out to dry by their leader.