McClintock: Plates Killed by 'Friend'

Good News, Etc. ^ | August, 2004 | Dana Serrano Chisholm

[jettester]

Plates Killed By ‘Friend’

Hold onto your hats...it was Senator Tom McClintock who spoke against the bill that would allow Choose-Life Plates and had it killed in the Senate Transportation Committee on June 29!

Yes, the same McClintock, whose staff referred to him as the “most pro-life Rep in Sacramento!” when I called. Really?

Senator Kevin Murray (plates foe) actually stated he was going to abstain from voting and “just let the Committee decide”, which he did. It was McClintock who got into heavy debate with Senator James Brulte (defending the plate’s bill) and McClintock who led the charge against the legislation saying, “Let them just get bumper stickers.” It lost 1 to 5, with 7 absent or abstaining — which included McClintock and Senator Bill Morrow leaving the room (apparently sick that day). Brulte was the only yes vote.

This after the plates had already passed the Assembly Committees unanimously, sailing through without any opposition, and passing on the Assembly Floor 53 to 11.

When I asked McClintock’s staff what his rationale was, I was told McClintock was “philosophically opposed to all specialty plates.” But, in reviewing his voting record he has never before felt so strongly that he had to speak against specialty plates. In fact he voted for Girl Scout plates in 2000, Healing Arts plates 2002, reduced the number needed for veterans plates from 7500 to 5,000 in 2001, eliminated fees for Pearl Harbor plates in 1999, voted for Rotary plates in 2000, and Ronald Reagan plates in 2001.

In fact, there has never been a vote for specialty plates that McClintock felt so strongly that he needed to vote “No” or speak out against them, until legislation that would have leveled the playing field for all to participate in the specialty plate process.

McClintock’s staffer, John Stoos, continued to parrot that “the Senator is philosophically opposed to all specialty plates. He doesn’t want any of them available.”

I then pointed out to Stoos that killing the only good bill available did not make “all plates unavailable.” It only allowed the current unfair system to keep the existing plates going, denied availability to groups such as ours, and left only one other bad bill (SB1235) out there that would make the situation even worse, but none of the options eliminated specialty plates.

So, I asked if Senator McClintock had in fact presented a bill that would eliminate specialty plates altogether, which would also be a fair remedy if not one that supports the plates.

Mr. Stoos informed me that the Senator had not introduced any legislation that would have remedied this for him. In fact, he had not done anything proactive to fix the problem as he saw it — he only killed these (pro-life) efforts.

He went on to assure me that the Senator will “vote no on SB1235 if it makes it to him to vote on.”

It is actually already before the Assembly, and his vote will have no impact one way or the other. Not to mention SB1253 is poorly written, clearly by a lobbyist, not legal council. Just voting “no” on that bill fixes nothing.

Unfortunately, Senator McClintock had his voice heard - in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Stoos then replied that “the vote was 5 to 1. The Senator’s vote would not have mattered in that committee.”

The fact is, the power of persuasion and playing the political game is far more powerful than any one of their votes. The bill had been flying through without opposition up until McClintock stepped up and threw his weight in the way of its progress. When you consider 7 Members abstained, it is unfair to say McClintock’s NO vote didn’t matter.

At this point, I had to end the discussion, and tell Stoos that this would have to continue between the Senator and his constituents - you, the people who had been working so hard on the plates all these years. I could no longer stand to talk about it. Getting excuses and the run around after such an egregious insult to the Pro-Life efforts of Californians was almost worse than the stab in the back that came out of nowhere that killed our years of work.

Feel free to contact the Senator at tom.mcclintock@sen.ca.gov. You can see the form letter response he is sending constituents and our reply by visiting www.CAChoose-Life.org

Dana Serrano Chisholm can be reached at DanaChisholm@cox.net.

[jettester]

I found this while reading a local, small Christian Newspaper from San Diego County. Has anyone else heard of this position by McClintock and why he voted the way he did?

[TwoStep]

**Ping**

[pogo101]

Assuming this is correct, I still like McClintock even though it's a smudge on his record. No representative gets 'em all right.

[Prime Choice]

The only rationale I can think that would explain McClintock's vote in this matter is that a "Choose Life" plate would have paved the way for all manner of Leftist-sponsored special interest causes.

And between you and me, I'd rather not have a "Gay Marriage" plate here in California...

McClintock is right, though. If the car owner has a strong opinion, let 'em get bumper stickers. It's not up to the state to affirm their views with vanity plates.

[Paleo Conservative]

Personally, I would never put a license plate with any political message on my car. I rarely even put bumper stickers on it.

[Tamzee]

Biting my tongue...

[Better Dead Than Red]

I think getting bumper stickers is just fine. I just cleaned some old ones off my car, but the thing is still a rolling billboard. I wonder what the CHP thinks of all these specialty plates. Sometimes I see these plates from far away and can't tell what state they are from.

[backtothestreets]

I hadn't heard anything on this prior to this post, but I agree with McClintock. Once the mold is cast to allow political issues on vehicle license plates, expect to see them for other political issues such as same sex marriage, pro abortion, and amnesty for illegal aliens.

McClintock didn't backtrack. He saw the potential possibilities and didn't like what he saw. There is a world of difference between vanity plates and political specialty plates.

[El Conservador]

Wow, the "real conservative" Californian voting against a pro-life license plate...

Who'da thunk it???

But, then, it is Arnold, who is the stinking, rotten RINO (/sarc, gag)

[dpwiener]

It took me about 20 seconds on Google to find this reply from McClintock:

From the Desk of Senator Tom McClintock Dear (Name removed): I have been shown an e-mail from a Dana Serrano Chisolm that has been circulated on the Internet regarding my vote on ab477. It contains a wealth of misinformation and I would appreciate your help in setting the record straight. First, she describes the measure as a "Choose-Life Plates Bill." In fact, the measure says nothing about "Choose Life" license plates. Its actual effect is to provide for automatic DMV approval of ALL specialty plates that attract 7,500 applicants - which would include license plates supporting and funding abortion, gay rights, and every other liberal cause you can imagine. Second, she says that I voted "No" on the bill. In fact, I abstained from voting on the bill, as did pro-life senators Bill Morrow and Roy Ashburn. I did so because I oppose the politicization of California's license plates and the out-of-control proliferation of such plates that this bill would unleash. Finally, it should also be noted that this bill permits a sponsoring organization to siphon off 25 percent of the funds raised from the license plates for "administrative purposes," which means that some individuals would be making a great deal of money from it. That may explain the agitated tone of the e-mail. I invite you to review the bill, committee analyses and committee vote at www.senate.ca.gov. Use the "Legislation" link to look up the bill. Sincerely, Tom McClintock

[QQQQQ]

There are already a long list of special interest licence plates in California.

Please see this link:


http://www.dmv.ca.gov/online/elp/elp.htm

The proceeds from these licence plates are used to fund various special causes.

Environmental license plates

September 11th California Memorial License Plates

California Arts License Plate

Whale Tail License Plate, sponsored by the California Coastal Commission

Collegiate License Plate funds need-based scholarships

Lake Tahoe License Plates are deposited in the Tahoe Conservancy Account

Yosemite License Plates benefit Yosemite National Park

California Firefighter Plate are deposited in the California Firefighters' Memorial fund.

Kids License Plate are deposited in the Child Health and Safety Fund

Olympic Training Center License Plate supports the U. S. Olympic Committee's training center

Veteran License Plate benefits participating county veterans service offices

[CounterCounterCulture]

Yup, a whole pandora's box out there.

[Digger]

Tom is no idiot. He's holding out when again next year nothing has changed in the state budget, for the ones that say, "Don't Blame Me I voted for Tom". Next week we find out that Tom uses Northern tissues instead of Charmin. Send him to the guillotine... Maybe AS is correct. If this is the issues that these pols have to deal with then maybe 5 days per yr in Sacramento is enough.

[Bonaparte]

What you said.

Thankyou for sparing me the effort of typing the same post you just did.

[B Knotts]

The only rationale I can think that would explain McClintock's vote in this matter is that a "Choose Life" plate would have paved the way for all manner of Leftist-sponsored special interest causes.

Good point.

[B Knotts]

Thanks for the info. I suspected as much.

[Amerigomag]

Wish you had waited awhile before posting your reply.

It would have been interesting to see more replies laced with emotion based on the limited information in the original article.

Oh well. Reminds me of thousands of other threads that generated enough heat to warm New York City in December only to later learn that the original article was inaccurate.

[ApesForEvolution]

This might be a good thing...I can only imagine what the communists would start putting on plates all over the country...bumber stickers are annoying enough.

Although, they do help you pinpoint communists and their supporters in the area very well...

[ApesForEvolution]

RIGHT ON TOM! Too bad our gene pool has been compromised so horrifically...too few appreciate wisdom and logic and truth these days.

[Heyworth]

Oh well. Reminds me of thousands of other threads that generated enough heat to warm New York City in December only to later learn that the original article was inaccurate.

If there's one thing I've learned from four years of hanging out on FR (and the odd exploratory foray onto DU), it's that there are a lot of people out there who WANT to be outraged.