[FairOpinion]

The reason doesn't matter -- only the result.

The bottom line is that they handed a Dems a resounding victory, instead of making a stand.

As Jagermeister said, now the Republicans lost the issue, they can't say that the Dems were the ones who scuttled Arnold's rescue CA strategy, by voting with them.

[SteveH]

The reason doesn't matter -- only the result.

But the immediate result would not have changed, even if the Republicans had all voted for the bond.

Their vote was symbolic either way.

So what was lost and what was gained?

Let me speculate a bit just for a moment.

If the Republicans had voted "yes", and the bill lost anyway, the Democrats could come back with a DIFFERENT bond bill, and a much worse one. How would you like a $30M bond, or a $60M bond, and raised spending? Then the Democrats could say to the Republicans, why not vote for this bond, since you voted for last one? And the Republicans would find it more difficult to argue against.

So the strategy might be to force Democrats into a box canyon: no raise in taxes, no bond bailout.

Only alternative left: lower spending.

Just a thought... ;-)