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Politics : Politics for Pros- moderated -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: NickSE who wrote (3608)	7/22/2003 1:08:23 PM
From: carranza2	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 793551

Here's a good discussion about the issue in an Arizona newspaper. All good and bad things, including political fashions, start in California and move West. ;) 216.239.37.104 A few other articles you might enjoy. ppic.org researchcouncil.org The Madisonian notion of balancing among factions is going out the window. The yahoos are taking over, and that is not a good thing, however democratic it might be. The bottom line is that our political system is in increasing jeopardy from an unintended source. Ironically, it's what has made us great to begin with. Contrary to popular thinking, too much of a good thing is not a good thing.

To: NickSE who wrote (3608)	7/22/2003 1:10:56 PM
From: NickSE	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 793551

One of the more tiresome features of too many Democrats is their belief that they are not merely the party of virtue, but the party of the smart people. So (in the LA Times, registration required) why is it that a group of Democratic state legislators in California were caught discussing how to stall a budget deal to increase their chances of being able to push through a tax increase. They got caught because they did not know how to turn off the microphone. atlanticblog.com In a meeting they thought was private but was actually broadcast around the Capitol on Monday, 11 Assembly Democrats debated prolonging California's budget crisis to further their political goals. Members of the Democratic Study Group, a caucus that defines itself as progressive, were unaware that a microphone in Committee Room 127 was on as they discussed slowing progress in an attempt to increase pressure on Republicans to accept tax increases as part of a deal to resolve the state's $38-billion budget gap. The conversation was transmitted to roughly 500 "squawk boxes" around Sacramento that political staff, lobbyists and reporters use to listen in on legislative proceedings. According to Republican staff members who captured parts of the meeting on tape, Los Angeles Assemblywoman Jackie Goldberg and others discussed holding up the budget to dramatize the consequences and build support for a ballot initiative that would make it easier to raise taxes. "Since this is going to be a crisis, the crisis could be this year," Goldberg said, according to a transcript. "No one's running [for reelection]. And maybe you end up better off than you would have, and maybe you don't. But what you do is you show people that you can't get to this without a 55% vote." The ballot initiative would let the Legislature approve any tax increase with a 55% vote. The state Constitution requires a two-thirds majority. That means that under the current makeup of the Legislature, at least eight Republicans must join the slim Democratic majority for a tax increase to pass. Fabian Nunez, also of Los Angeles, agreed. "If you don't have a budget, it helps Democrats," he said. While a delay might serve the tactical advantage of Democrats, its consequences are already being felt by students, vendors and the poor: Since the new fiscal year began July 1 without a budget, the state has already begun to cut off money to some programs. Republicans noted that many caucus members have charged the GOP with holding the budget process hostage. Yet, those same Democrats are now caught on tape discussing ways to hold things up. . . . After about 90 minutes, a staffer interrupted to alert lawmakers that their meeting was not private at all: "Excuse me, guys, you can be heard outside," an unidentified staff member said. "Oh [expletive], [expletive]," Goldberg said. "The squawk box is on," the staff member said. "You need to turn it off right there." "How could that happen?" Goldberg said.