While the governor was off partying in DC, Democrats back in Sacramento decided to
declare war on the governor, or at least the governor's budget. Democrats, specifically Speaker
Fabian Nuñez, took on the governor directly, "branding him as a puppet of national right-wing think tanks. The offensive began after several days of inertia from the Democrats, who seemed to be caught flat-footed by the ambitious agenda Schwarzenegger laid out early last week to close California's $8.6-billion budget gap.
Senate and Assembly Dems are
joining forces for Budgetpalooza 2005. "Government is in no way, shape or form a monster that needs to be starved," Núñez told the Sacbee. Meanwhile,
Grover Norquist is acting like a proud daddy, but asserts that he hasn't been asked to advise the governor.
In other political warmongering news, Sen.
Dianne Feinstein says she will open another front in the fight to
block the new Casino San Pablo."Feinstein will introduce a bill Monday that would essentially reverse a controversial measure by Rep.
George Miller, D-Martinez, passed by Congress in 2000, tha allowed a card room in San Pablo owned by the Lytton Band of Pomo Indians to be taken into federal trust, enabling them to seek a casino on the site."
This is welcome news to the
legislature's best blogger, Assemblywoman
Loni Hancock.
The Chron's Jill Stewart
pens an evaluation of leadership appointments in the Legislature. She notes that Assembly Speaker
Fabian Núñez has appointed an "anybody but White Guys" slate of leaders, while Senate Rep Leader
Dick Ackerman has appointed a "conservative White Guys" team. Each has their exception--Ackerman picked
Abel Maldonado to be vice chair of Education and Núñez tapped
John Laird to chair the powerful budget committee. Of course, aside from being the annointed White Guy, Laird, along with Mark Leno, was the first openly gay man to be elected to state office.
Stewart quotes
Jim Brulte, former Senate Minority Leader, who says "I describe myself as a pro-life, anti-gay rights, pro-gun, pro-business, anti-environment guy. But if [moderate Republican]
Bruce McPherson hadn't been there with me in the Senate, I would have been the liberal in the Republican Caucus. Me!"
The UC Office of the President is under fire for
creating a $192,000 a year job for the partner of the new Chancellor of the UC Santa Cruz. The position? Director of International Strategy Development. Would people be less upset if she was paid that to be Director of UCLA sports strategy development?
As Ward Connerly
rides into the sunset after his final Regents meeting yesterday, he cautioned those remaining "There will now be great temptation here to relax on the issue of race. For God's sake, don't do it."
Donna Arduin has joined the board of private prison company GEO Group, and CCPOA is crying foul. In what we're sure is totally unrelated news, the governor has decided to open some private prisons run by the GEO Group.
Morain has the goods in the LA Times.
It's never a good sign when politicians start raising money for their
legal defense funds, but that's just what
Jim Hahn has started to do. We guess all that waiving of contribution limits is worth the bad press that comes from starting such an effort.
The OC Register has a piece on the UC's plan to give new meaning to the phrase "tag it and bag it," as they prepare to
mark every incoming cadaver with a bar code to keep track of the bodies.
Cedillo haiku Contest WinnersWe're proud to announce the winners of the
Gil Cedillo Haiku contest. Winners were chosen after sifting through multiple entries. Hey, with the state's poet laureate gig still up for grabs, who knows? Maybe this is the feather in the cap one of these aspiring bards needs to put them over the top. Thanks to everyone who participated. Here are the winners.
Oh the license bill
Thirteen is too few, Gilbert
Or one too many
-Edward ManningDon't listen to them
Honorable Cedillo
You are above it
- Kristine Schultz
