| In which we investigate what various folks think happened to the bond measure last week.
Political Tactics
Structural Problems
- Here at Calitics, Brian and our learned commenters point out that California's supermajority requirement for bonds and budgets and the Proposition 13 revenue handcuffs actually cause most of the gridlock. Schwarzenegger is not much of a leader, but Sacramento is hard to lead.
- Last, Frank Russo of California Progress Report points out that the question before the legislature wasn't whether to approve the bond measure, but to let the voters approve it. The Republican's refusal to do so was essentially a minority veto.
My take on it is pretty simple. The Republicans in California want to be the party of "tear it all down" just like the national Republicans. But since they can't get a majority in the legislature, all they can be is the party of "no more progress, ever" by means of the supermajority requirements. Schwarzenegger is only a very little bit different. He's a one-man party of "no progress except through Schwarzenegger".
Last week, the Republicans in the legislature exercised their minority veto on the "except through Schwarzenegger" clause. No progress, ever. It's that simple. And honestly, though California needs the infrastructure work badly, I can't feel sorry for Schwarzenegger that his own party shot him down. After last year's abusive and expensive failed hard-right Schwarzenegger power grab, this has the scent of poetic justice for Arnold. |
