FLASHREPORT

State Senator Abel Maldonado sat down with the liberal editorial board of the Los Angeles Times.  The paper has put online various short audio-clips from that interview.

I wouldn't call the interview news-worthy in that Maldonado continues to throw the problems that California government faces not at the feet of the big spending liberals who control state government, but rather all "all of the partisans" -- Republicans included.

I'm sure that Republicans in Sacramento, who are largely relegated to the sidelines by the Democrats, are equally to blame for our overspending mess.

It will be interesting to see the politics of Abel Maldonado's confirmation.  His strategy for getting confirmed seems to be to attack just about everyone with a vote.

I'm not sure that personal attacks are going to win you any votes, Senator.  And when you have the nerve to trivialize an elected officials belief system, that is personal.  When you imply that elected officials are only voting the way they are because of partisan politics, that is personal.

Senator, you may not be burdened with the inconvenience of uncompromising conservative principles, but those of us that are sending representatives to the Capitol who have to fend off all of those customers of government who seek big government solutions to every problem actually see committed conservative ideologues not as a bad thing, but a good thing.

Your so-called "open primary" measure will only lead to bigger and fatter state government.  Those "rigid" conservative ideologues that you lump in as part of the problem are all that stand between Californians and lots and lots and lots of higher taxes.

Anyways, here's the interview excerpts.