This just in from Republican Senator Jeff Denham:

“As I looked around the Senate Chamber a little before dawn this morning I couldn't help reflecting back to the lock-in that then-President Pro-Tem Don Perata tried on us a few years back as well as remembering the famous Speaker Jesse 'Big Daddy' Unruh lock-in in the Assembly back in 1960's.”Historically, these lock-ins are not successful, at least from the majority party's perspective. If anything, they seem to harden the will and resolve of the minority party. Indeed the longer it goes on the more strength the minority seems to gain.

It appears the assembly has the votes to pass this budget proposal andthe senate hasall but one vote necessary for the two thirds vote needed in the senate. We have been in this situation before and I believe we willsee the same resultagain, IMPASSE.The will of the minority is once again hardening.

It's just before 11:00 am now and Senate President Pro-Tem Darrell Steinberg announces that we are recessing until 1:00 pm and I and others plan to make a break for our in-session residences to sleep (really nap),… Read More

It’s only a matter of time before Senator Abel Maldonado breaks caucus ranks and goes up on the budget, providing the third needed GOP vote. In his words, there are "no sweeteners," as of yet, but that is presently being worked out. Ain’t politics grand?

My prediction: It will be over tonight.

Once the respective party leaders realized there was no longer any hope for an aye vote out of Senator Dave Cox, the focus turned to Maldonado. Sometime after the Senate recessed late this morning, emissaries went to his office to grab him for discussions. Unlike the Assembly in lockdown on the Floor, the Senate was in an honor system situation, but Maldonado couldn’t be located and his office was locked with the lights out. The knocking on the office door went to no avail.

**There is more – click the link**

View Full Commentary… Read More

I just received a “Breaking News Alert” from the Sacramento Bee. Of course I opened it right away. When you get an alert e-mail from a newspaper — it usually means what it says – hot news. Budget voted out? Wildfire? Another Obama nominee flaming out? What was the NEWS?

You will not believe this, the “news” was the Bee pushing out to it's email list an “online editorial” — “Call Senator Cox And Urge Him To Be A Hero”

That's right — this paper with reporters who I believe try to objectively cover news have had their credibility BLOWN OUT OF THE WATER. Clearly the decision makers at the Bee don't want to “bring us” coverage of the news, they want to make the news — and naturally they are trying to pressure Republican Senator Dave Cox into voting for their liberal dream – over $14 billion in new taxes.

Goldmacher, Sanders, Yamamura, and others at the Bee — welcome to the new editorial/news department. From now on, you should start your stories with your opinion of the news.

So much for journalistic standards.… Read More

I understand that Dave Cogdill thinks he has gotten "the best budget deal" he could. Since I have recently be criticized by Debra Saunders for "being against compromise," I thought I would recite what bad "compromise" has gotten us.

You see, I haven’t always been against compromise in the state budget. I even voted for Governor Schwarzenegger’s first budget because I thought it was a good one. On many occasions, I believed that Republicans actually got something in the budget, so while I may have voted against the budget, I didn’t criticize those who voted for the compromise. In other cases, we were told "this was the best budget we will get" and therefore Republicans had to vote for it. Whenever you hear those words, you know there is a lot left on the table, and that the Republican leader has capitulated, as happened here.

Let’s take a look at the past

1998-99 – Republicans get the car tax cut. I supported the compromise because the deal actually advanced a Republican cause, that is, the cause of tax cuts. The tax cut was not perfect, it was to be implemented through a… Read More

Check out the floor speech of State Senator Tony Strickland, as he handily makes the case for why the Big 5/Big Taxes budget is bad news for California. The video is here.

I guess today it would be the "Day after Valentine’s Day" Massacre. But the point is still relevant.… Read More

The key comment I saw in this Associated Press story by Judy Lin on the deadlock on the Big 5/Big Taxes plan is from San Francisco Democrat Tom Ammiano.

Check this out:

Assemblyman Tom Ammiano, also a Democrat, said the Senate deadlock was causing some in the Assembly to have second thoughts about the unpopular plan.

This should be encouraging news to the Senate Republican "Daring Dozen" who are standing tall for California taxpayers.

You are doing the right thing. I can also tell you that you have a lot of moral support coming your way from Assembly Republicans, many of whom have let me know how glad they are that you are all doing the right thing.… Read More

I just read on the Sacramento Bee’s Capitol Alert website that GOP Senators emerged from a caucus meeting, and Cogdill announced that there were not the votes to pass this deal, and requested that Steinberg send legislators home. Steinberg refused. Senate GOP Leader Dave Cogdill should up the ante, and make it clear that if his caucus isn’t allowed to go home that he will no longer support the plan himself.

Assembly Republican Leader Villines (if he hasn’t already) should tell Speaker Bass that there are no longer GOP votes for this plan as long as Republicans are being "locked down" like criminals. Cross-chamber solidarity is important.

This is not the right way for Republicans to be treated, as if their objections are so trivial that carrots (pork) or sticks (sleep deprivation) are going to weaken their resolve to protect California taxpayers.

Maybe it’s time to hold a press conference and demand the "release" of Republican legislators (if Democrats want to enjoy their own "lock down" party, well, that’s their… Read More

Both houses are still in, the Assembly locked on the Floor, in the lounge, etc., the Senators locked in the building proper, limited to their floor or their office. It sounds like they’regetting pretty cranky too…at least they have TV in the lounge so they can watch the Daytona 500 today!

(Note that Nascar’s #99 – Carl Edwards – is doing a backflip out of a car to celebrate the fact that it’s a new morning and there aren’t new taxes!)… Read More