If it's in the News, it's in our Polls. Public opinion polling since 2003.

POLITICAL COMMENTARY

Dud Deals in California

A Commentary By Debra J. Saunders

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Perhaps one of the most dangerous sentences in the English language is: "It can't get any worse."  

Anyone who doesn't know that should not be trusted with sharp objects or political power. And yet there are California Republican Party convention-goers who made that claim in a city where everyone else asks what's wrong with the Republicans.  

On the one hand, hard-liners want to punish any GOP lawmaker who cuts a deal to put Gov. Jerry Brown's five-year car-fee, income and sales tax extension on the ballot. On the other hand, few Republican lawmakers voted for spending cuts -- leaving Democrats to carry that heavy burden. Thus GOP leaders come across as inflexible and worthless.  

Only five Assembly Repubs voted for a measure to pare state welfare checks and save the state $156 million. Only one Republican Assembly member, Chris Norby of Fullerton, voted to end redevelopment so that $1.7 billion can go to essential services like schools and public safety.  

What are they thinking? That's what Democrats, independents and those Republicans who wouldn't be caught dead at a GOP confab ask me.  

GOP faithful and legislative staffers tell me that voters already rejected a ballot measure to extend the 2009 tax increases by a 2-1 margin -- there's no need for a do-over. GOP lawmakers see no percentage in risking their jobs by voting for spending cuts when there is no real budget -- because the Dems won't put forth a budget that only cuts. Besides, they shrug, things can't get worse. 

They also argue that there are other ways to cut spending -- as in pressuring labor to cut compensation in order to keep schools open. And some of the Legislature's cuts are more gimmick than reality. Take the proposal to save $563 million by putting some felons in jail rather than prison. Problem: Most county jails don't have room for more bodies.  

That said, most Republicans with whom I talk want a deal. They understand that if voters don't get the opportunity to vote on the Brown budget proposal, voters will blame Republicans for every teacher layoff, every canceled school day and every felon released to the streets.  

These Republicans appreciate that there will be bad press during the negotiators' dance. That's OK, if the GOP 5 -- state Sens. Tom Berryhill of Modesto, Sam Blakeslee of San Luis Obispo, Anthony Canella of Ceres, Bill Emmerson of Hemet and Tom Harman of Huntington Beach -- can squeeze out smart concessions, such as pension reform and a spending cap. They should get something for a vote that will get their "heads on a stick" at a certain talk-radio venue.  

Sacto taskmeister Eric Hogue is not a heads-on-a-stick conservative: "Some people believe that control is more important than success." The purists, with their vendettas, are chasing pragmatists from the party.  

Radio-show host and self-described cowboy libertarian Patrick Dorinson is no longer a registered Republican. He notes with disgust, "Only a buzzard feeds on its friends."  

Me? I'm getting to the point where I don't even care if the GOP 5 can squeeze out concessions from the Democratic leadership. They should cut a deal anyway.  

Because if Brown and the Democratic leadership fail to deliver needed reforms, the ballot measure and its tax increase will tank. If the measure fails, it will be on the Democrats -- because they will have failed to convince voters that they can be trusted to spend tax dollars wisely.

COPYRIGHT 2011 CREATORS.COM

See Other Political Commentary

See Other Commentary by Debra J. Saunders

Views expressed in this column are those of the author, not those of Rasmussen Reports.  Comments about this content should be directed to the author or syndicate.

Rasmussen Reports is a media company specializing in the collection, publication and distribution of public opinion information.

We conduct public opinion polls on a variety of topics to inform our audience on events in the news and other topics of interest. To ensure editorial control and independence, we pay for the polls ourselves and generate revenue through the sale of subscriptions, sponsorships, and advertising. Nightly polling on politics, business and lifestyle topics provides the content to update the Rasmussen Reports web site many times each day. If it's in the news, it's in our polls. Additionally, the data drives a daily update newsletter and various media outlets across the country.

Some information, including the Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll and commentaries are available for free to the general public. Subscriptions are available for $4.95 a month or 34.95 a year that provide subscribers with exclusive access to more than 20 stories per week on upcoming elections, consumer confidence, and issues that affect us all. For those who are really into the numbers, Platinum Members can review demographic crosstabs and a full history of our data.

To learn more about our methodology, click here.