CALIFORNIA: Two-thirds vote still has a role in the Legislature

When voters passed a union-backed measure last year to reduce the legislative vote on the state budget from two-thirds to a simple majority – thereby eliminating Republican leverage – skeptics said it could foster legislative mischief.

Proposition 25 applied not only to the budget but "trailer bills" that the Legislature deemed necessary to implement the budget. And all budget bills would take effect immediately with a governor's signature, making any challenge via referendum legally doubtful.

That legislative loophole, this column and other analysts pointed out, would make it easy to push major pieces of policy legislation through the Capitol with little or no public notice. And that's exactly what has happened.

The last piece of the Democrats' June 28 budget package, placed before legislators only minutes before the vote, revised school finance to benefit the California Teachers Association and make it more difficult for school districts to manage cuts in state school aid.

Democrats were so proud of their newly minted budget hegemony that they did it again Monday by drafting and quickly pushing through the Assembly another major trailer bill with no hearings and virtually no notice. This one gathers idle funds from the state's two major university systems into a special pot from which the state could borrow for cash flow purposes.

There was no rational reason for the bill to be done so secretly or hurriedly. Seemingly, Democrats did it just because they could – thumbing their noses not only at Republicans but at the larger public.

A little late for that. CA died 20 years ago. The only thing left out here are scavengers (Unions, public employees/retirees and illegal aliens) feeding off the state’s decomposing dead carcass.

It truly is a third-world state now.

I know it’s sinful to give up hope, but try as I may, try as I might, I can see no hope for this state.

The aforementioned “scavengers” remind me of “zombies” from the movies. Soon there will be no more people to feed on and they will start feeding on each other. (See my tagline.)

Here's the latest "3rd world" development: California's penal system is simply overcrowded. Lots of news about that but here's the unintended consequence consequence:

Since late 2010, city jails, county jails and the state prison system were at or well above capacity. Starting in late 2010, property crimes committed in most counties have no consequence. There's simply no room in the jails, even overnight, to house property crime suspects. Most municipalities are transferring suspects to county lock-ups were they are immediately released. Cities with limited funds are not even wasting the gas. They simply issue a citation.

Even if the suspect appears as promised, and is convicted, they are simply placed on probation. There's no room to incarcerate them. They're back on the street the next evening plying their trade with impunity.

The consequence has been an explosion in burglary, larceny, car theft, vandalism and trespass across the width and breath of California. The rate is exploding geometrically as the bad guys learn that the system is broken and there's no pain in it for them. Well over 1000% increase in reported property crime in California. in just the past 6 months. Two cities in central California, Modesto and Fresno, have the highest stolen car rates in the United States.

The police are advising: 1) it will get worse, 2) get a gun, 3) get an alarm reporting service,4) get dogs and 5)enclose your yard in fencing. Statements and lifestyles right out of the third world.

What's driving the wagon in California? Who's running the methamphetamine trade at the root of the property crime? Who's supplying the tweakers? All in 3 words:

Illegal Mexican Immigration

Yes, I agree with everything you said.

In addition to the “crimes” they commit, they are also the largest segment of California’s population that depends upon entitlements (welfare, WIC, Section 8 housing, etc.).

By my humble calculations, I estimate that there are at least 2 million illegal immigrant households. I am convinced that there are far more, but who can be sure since the government no longer monitors or maintains tabs on these freeloaders. Per a previous post today, I calculated, that just in welfare, WIC and other entitlements, illegal aliens cost all of us taxpayers about 3 BILLION dollars per year. California could completely eliminate the budget deficit if the state were to shut-off the tap. Stop giving these invaders a free ride, jobs, free housing, free education, etc. They would self-deport in mass.

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