Full disclosure: I work for the Courage Campaign

Cross posted at the Courage Campaign blog

Assemblymember Sam Blakeslee (R-San Luis Obispo) is one of the co-stars of our Yacht Ad, and apparently he isn’t particularly excited about it.  Steve Wiegand notes a “bemused” Blakeslee claiming that the current $8 billion deficit is somehow related to him first voting for, then voting against, closing the sloophole.

Well unfortuantely for Asm. Blakeslee, when you vote for it before you voted against it, Rick Jacobs is right-“There’s a little John Kerry in there.”  It isn’t up to him to decide when votes are symbolic or substantive, and switching sides on the issue “in a sign of solidarity” with fellow GOPers doesn’t really signal a commitment to moving beyond partisanism for the good of the state.  In fact, it’s the “party solidarity” that’s been the problem all along.

Meaning well doesn’t go to far if the votes can’t stay in line with those good intentions.  And as a member of the budget committee through the past year of negotiations and general insanity, Blakeslee should know better than to throw around dumb lines like:

“The fact that the (Democrats) can’t even figure out who did and didn’t vote explains why the state of California has an $8 billion deficit right now,”

That sounds likely to be closer to the true Blakeslee.  Instead of taking responsibility for the budget mess or instead of offering new ways to generate revenue or re-examine with fresh eyes the budget process in general, Blakeslee falls back on good old solidarity.  Throw substance-less bombs across the aisle, try and fail to sound dismissive, and at the end of the day, be no closer to a budget that actually provides a reasonable level of service to the state of California.

So this is your 2008 Yacht Party at work: Even in a rare case where a member may oppose the sloophole, they can’t get past the petty partisanism to maintain the right vote.  Party first, people second.