The three things you can count on by reading the Flash Report on the budget:
1. The Republicans won
2. The namecalling begins
3. Arnold come home.
Let’s address each after the flip.ÂÂ
Republicans won. Sen. Dick Ackerman and Jon Fleischman are spinning the Republican solidarity story so fast that we won’t need new nuclear facilities to power California. The Republicans didn’t get very much, and Flesichman portrays Ackerman as the most respected Republican in the Capitol (despite rumors that Ackerman is on his way out of his leadership position). Fleischman makes the claim that only two Republicans voted for the budget, but to drop the other shoe, only Ackerman votede with Maldonado because the majority of the Republican dsenarte caucus when along with the budget. But by not voting, they get to hold on to their political chops with right wing voters.
It was fun listening to the KQED radio program where real listeners called up to give Republicans crap. Jon was shrill, especially about new single payer healthcare, that polls shwo most Californians want. It was fun to listen to him squirm.
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Name calling — there are no liberals in Jon’s world; only ULTRA-liberals. Extreme Left wingers. Unless you’re a conservative Republican, you don’tcount. Might I suggest a move to New Hampsire or Wyoming? Even Abel Maldonado evolves from someone who needs to be brought back into the fold to a RINO. At John Campbell’s dinner last week, Jon dropped by phrases such as “Hillaryzilla” and O’Bambi.ÂÂ
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Arnold come home. Jon continues to pray the governor will come to his senses and be conservative. Not-gonna-happen. Jon wants the governor to veto the budget. Not-gonna-happen. Jon suggests the Governor’s conservative creds are locked in Susan Kennedy’s desk. The Governor doesn’t have them Jon. And Jon wants the governor to veto any legislation that doesn’t have a Republican co-sponsor on it. Good legislation is good legislation whether it has all Dems or all Reps.ÂÂ
The budget is not perfect by any stretch. But until I hear some Republicans making cuts to corporate welfare, I’ll continue to place the needs of people over corporations any day.