Apparently that elephant is anti-tax too, and he remembers the good old days!

Among their finds, to be formally announced today, is the nearly intact skeleton of a Columbian mammoth — named Zed by researchers — a prize discovery because only bits and pieces of mammoths had previously been found in the tar pits.

OK, Dennis Hollingsworth’s new name is Zed.

I was just on KPFA’s Morning Show with former Assemblyman John Laird, and we’ll have audio of that in a bit.  But as we see the Yacht Party spiral ever more into neanderthalism, I want to make a couple points.  First, Zed Hollingsworth is crazy but that’s a matter of degree.  Dave Cogdill wasn’t exactly reasonable prior to becoming Minority Leader – I don’t think he had ever voted for a budget before.  In the world of the Yacht Party, actually doing something to move the state forward is the highest treason.

Second, it’s truly amazing to witness the utter irrelevance of Arnold Schwarzenegger.  Asm. Laird had the money quote today – “I never thought I’d be wishing for Pete Wilson again, but I am.”  Pete Wilson was a lawmaker.  He actually cultivated relationships with Republicans, and through carrots and sticks actually persuaded them.  The Yacht Party has grown more entrenched over the years, but Arnold governs by magazine cover and doesn’t even really know who any of them are.  He’s not even in the Capitol today – he went home to Brentwood last night.  The failure of the chief executive to have any power within his own party is a major driver in this crisis.  We don’t need an action hero, just someone who knows the least bit about government.

Short-term, we’re still in the same place.  Darrell Steinberg is “making them filibuster,” keeping the Senate in the building overnight.  The perpetual answer is that something will break in the next 24 hours.  It’s a dispiriting choice between a bad deal and insolvency, but the latter is unthinkable.  Your list of calls is short.

Senator Abel Maldanado (R-Monterey County, 916-651-4015)

Senator Dave Cox (R-Fair Oaks, 916-651-4001)

UPDATE by Brian: Audio of Dave’s appearance with John Laird on KPFA over the flip.

Part 1 of 2:

Part 2 of 2:

President Pro Tem Steinberg has brought the Senate into session but there’s no breakthrough to report.  Steinberg had a conversation with Dave Cox, who is seeing lots of his constituents in Sacramento County get pink slips today, and he is encouraged that something will get done today:

“We’re going to get there today,” Steinberg predicted. “I can’t tell you exactly who (will vote for the budget package). We all know who the candidates are. …Today has to be the day.” […]

Steinberg did not elaborate on his meeting with Cox, who was once thought to be the deciding vote but has since said he could not in good conscience vote for the tax increases.

“Dave and I have known each other for almost 20 years, and we have always had a good relationship,” Steinberg said.

On Monday, Steinberg first said he would put up the tax bill at 10 a.m. this morning and keep the roll open — for hours, if necessary — to pressure the final vote.

“There are caucuses and conversations that led me to hold off until noon,” he said.

Anthony Wright and John Myers at Capitol Notes are still Twittering from the chamber.  Myers reports on a talk with the Governor’s press secretary about Abel Maldonado’s ransom note wish list:

McLear: guv willing to look at ways to “augment” budget deal if it gets the 2/3 vote… But won’t comment on specifically adding Sen. Maldonado’s requests… Guv does support, though, both proposals: open primary, legis pay.

I’m more and more convinced that Maldonado is the Governor’s sock puppet.  Arnold has been talking about the same “good government” reforms for quite a while, in particular open primaries.  It’s not that these reforms are completely nutty – no pay for lawmakers without a budget and no legislative pay or per diem raises in bad economic times is fine, I guess – but they are pointless compared to what is needed.  Clearly making Yacht Party lawmakers feel bad or hitting their salaries isn’t going to upend the anti-tax jihad.  And the only definitive outcome of open primaries to this point is a confusingly long ballot and decreased participation, not automatic moderate candidates.  These aren’t germane, and they are just a way to hold up the process to extract more concessions.

You can read the letter that 20,000 state employees got today here.  These are real lives that the Yacht Party is messing with.  And they’re wasting taxpayer dollars by delaying the process in about 10 different ways.

Thanks to everyone around the blogosphere linking to us in the past couple days as we report this out.  In addition, I’ll be on the Bay Area’s KPFA morning show with Aimee Allison tomorrow at 7:00am to discuss the latest.

I’ve been trying to get confirmation on when a special election would take place if and when this horror show of a budget was to get passed.  Well, the actual language in the budget bills (via Around The Capitol) states that the five ballot measures are being scheduled for a May 19, 2009 ballot.  There would be Los Angeles city general election on that date for any seat that doesn’t get a 50% +1 majority in the March 3 primaries, so with that large election already scheduled it makes a bit of sense.  Still, that is fairly soon, and earlier than expected.

You can read and weep at the other bills here – actually 23 of them in the Senate and 22 in the Assembly have to pass to finish this budget deal.

Meanwhile, the New York Times has taken notice of the madness, which means people in LA might actually read about it.

The state of California – its deficits ballooning, its lawmakers intransigent and its governor apparently free of allies or influence – appears headed off the fiscal rails […]

After negotiating nonstop from Saturday afternoon until late Sunday night on a series of budget bills that would have closed a projected $41 billion deficit, state lawmakers failed to get enough votes to close the deal and adjourned. They returned to the capital late Monday morning only to adjourn until the afternoon, though it was far from clear whether they would be able to reach a deal.

California has also lost access to much of the credit markets, nearly unheard of among state municipal bond issuers. Recently, Standard & Poor’s downgraded the state’s bond rating to the lowest in the nation.

This is something that’s not clearly understood.  We can’t borrow money and that market will not snap back even if we pass a budget, especially since it hinges on must-pass initiatives that won’t be resolved until May.  And yet $11 billion of the budget is based on, yes, BORROWING.

By the way, Abel Maldonado’s effort to get an “allow Abel Maldonado to be able to win a Republican primary” rider tossed into the bill takes major chutzpah.

Democrats, who had already given into Republicans’ long-held dreams of large tax cuts for small businesses and for some of the entertainment industry and a proposed $10,000 tax break for first-time home buyers, balked at Mr. Maldonado’s request that the legislature tuck a bill into the package that would allow voters to cross party lines in primary elections.

Mr. Maldonado, who is also seeking a constitutional amendment to prevent lawmakers from getting paid if budgets are late, defended his request that the open primary bill be included in the budget package.

“There needs to be good government reforms in this budget, and no member should be getting pet projects,” he said. “I think with an open primary, we would have good government that would do the people’s work.”

While he’s at it, why not a law making his votes count three times as much as any primary opponent?  I mean we need good government reforms like that.

…CapAlert reports that Maldonado has a “list of demands” – open primaries, no pay for lawmakers any day after a late budget, bans on legislative pay raises and per diem increases in down years, and “cutting out the pork” in the budget, which is just a revival of his nonsensical John Chiang feud.  In other words, Maldonado wants some populist notches on his belt, and he wants the laws of the state tipped in the direction of his statewide electoral prospects.  This part made me laugh out loud:

He wants an open primary system similar to those used by local governments in which the top two vote-getters regardless of party run in the general election. The system is said to favor moderate candidates, such as himself, rather than encourage primary hopefuls to woo voters at their party’s extremes. He acknowledged he plans to run for statewide office, but sold the open primary as more of a “good government reform.”

Um, yeah, Abel, if you are making up LISTS OF DEMANDS as a condition for your vote, the last thing I’d call you is “moderate”.

The Senate is now scheduled for a floor session at 6pm, depending on how much tissue is needed to keep Maldonado from crying.

…John Myers has audio of Abel’s demands.  Amusing to hear him not deny that these demands are entirely based on his desire to run for State Controller, coincidentally against his new feuding partner John Chiang, in 2010, and act like he’s some kind of good government independent voice (“What are the Republicans afraid of from an open primary?”) in the process.

I just want to thank Don Perata for threatening every Democrat out of Maldonado’s re-election last fall.

There hadn’t been that much to actually do about the budget mess.  Personally, I’ve seen as many cute web videos as I can take.  This is from today’s BearFlagBlue (thank you Sean):

Budget details are beginning to emerge and more rumors of a vote on Friday are floating around…but will it pass?

With Cogdill noncommittal, Correa a likely no, and Maldonado at least right now a definite no, there does not seem a strong change that the bill has the votes to pass the Senate.

The result of that is likely on Friday, the Governor firing 20,000 state employees. High stakes if Maldonado ends up being the deciding vote. In essence he will have put the lives of 20,000 state workers in turmoil over a petty dispute with Controller.

The GOP’s latest excuse for why they just can’t vote on the budget comes down to office furniture. The issue isn’t taxes or spending caps at all according to them. What’s important, is preventing Controller John Chiang from getting a new office chair…at all costs. 20,000 state employees be damned.

Seriously.

What the hell is wrong with these people?

 

And most specifically:  what the hell is wrong with Abel Maldonado?

Your state Democratic party helped reelect this guy.  He’s being a bad, bad dog.

Ideas for better discipline for Abel Maldonado after the flip.

And Abel is actually proud of this.

He’s playing this up to the hilt on his GOP nut job caucus web page:

State Controller is Out of Control

John Chiang wants to spend your tax return money on new office furniture

State Controller John Chiang has already spent $2 million on new office furniture in the past seven months. Now we’ve learned he’s asking for another $1 million in this year’s budget for more furniture!

John Chiang claims that he’s not responsible for the money because it was approved by the previous controller. The $2 million was requested in the last seven months! John Chiang has been in office for two years! Tell the controller to stop passing the buck and stop the spending now.

Help stop this insanity. Tell the controller that you want your tax refund. Tell him to stop spending your tax dollars on new office furniture. Click here to email the State Controller’s Office or call him at (916) 445-2636.

Well, yeah, it’s time to stop the insanity.  Only problem — calling Chiang would be barking up the wrong tree.

But Maldonado’s site helpfully tells us where the right trees are:

Capitol Office

State Capitol, Room 4082

Sacramento, CA 95814

Phone: (916) 651-4015

Fax: (916) 445-8081

San Jose Office

100 Paseo de San Antonio, #206

San Jose, CA 95113

Phone: (408) 277-9461

Fax: (408) 277-9464

Monterey Office

590 Calle Principal

Monterey, CA 93940

Phone: (831) 657-6315

Fax: (831) 657-6320

San Luis Obispo Office

1356 Marsh Street

San Luis Obispo, CA 93401

Phone: (805) 549-3784

Fax: (805) 549-3779

If you live near any of these places, consider getting a few friends together and raising some holy hell.  Be creative.  And consider inviting local media along for the ride.

I have been furious for the last year at Don Perata’s idiotic decision not to run someone against Maldonado in last year’s election.  We’re paying for that now.  And unless we really rub Abel’s nose in the mess he’s making, he’ll keep right on making them.

Abel’s been a bad dog folks.  Let’s see how well he does agility testing when folks start running at him.

I think we may be a little premature in calling this budget a done deal.  Dave Cogdill says it’s the best the GOP could get, but won’t even commit to voting for it HIMSELF:

“My deal, one more time, has always been that I would try my best to get it to a position where I felt it was as good as I could get and I was willing to release my members,” Cogdill said in a brief interview in the hallway outside his office. “That’s where I am. So I’m not guaranteeing any votes; it’s up to them (his members) to make that decision.”

“But I’ve negotiated it to the point where I think it doesn’t get any better,” Cogdill said.

Asked if he specifically would support the package, Cogdill hedged, “We’re waiting to see all the language and all of that so I’m not ready to commit who the votes will be at this point.”

Not a guarantee at all.  This still could be torpedoed when the votes come in.  In fact, Abel Maldonado, thought to be the most likely Yacht Party member to vote yes, had this to say:

“All I can say is that there’s still another $1 million for John Chiang for furniture in this budget so it’s an easy vote ‘no’ for Maldonado,” the Santa Maria Republican said.

That’s a reference to the recent spat between Maldonado and state Controller John Chiang over furniture purchases.

Doesn’t seem like a deal to me.  And Maldonado is an idiot, because the Controller budget was appropriated before Chiang showed up and was probably agreed to by him at the time.  But this isn’t about intellectual consistency.  It’s about looking for any excuse for the Yacht Party to hide from their responsibilities.

…oh, and the whole thing could be sunk by Lou Correa.  Awesome.

Update by Robert: Someone needs to ask Abel Maldonado why he thinks chairs come before children.

Two nominations here.  By the way, since it recently came up in comments, the reason we here at Calitics call the California Republican Party the “Yacht Party” can be best explained here and here.

Nominee #1: Sen. Roy Ashburn of Bakersfield, who introduced a bill that would eliminate IOUs for tax refunds.

State Sen. Roy Ashburn, R-Bakersfield, has introduced legislation requiring California’s controller to issue state income tax refunds in cash.

Controller John Chiang has announced his office will have to delay refunds for 30 days starting Feb. 1 because of the state’s cash-flow problems. He has threatened he may have to issue refunds in the form of IOUs if a budget addressing the $41 billion shortfall the state’s projected to have by mid-2010 isn’t passed.

Chiang has said refunds will resume when he’s sure there’s enough state cash on hand.

Ashburn has said tax refund money belongs to the taxpayers, not the government, and taxpayers should get it back in the form it was paid – “cold, hard cash.” California’s constantly taking in cash, he’s said.

Hey Roy, I know a bill you could pass that would get cold hard cash back in the hands of your constituents.  It’s called the budget, and without it California is out of money, and fiduciary responsibilities (sorry for the $1 word) stipulate that other priorities must be paid first.  It’s called “how government works,” and though you’re a State Senator I’m not surprised at your ignorance.

Nominee #2: Faux-moderate Abel Maldonado, angry about the Controller’s office “requesting new furniture” even though the current Controller, uh, didn’t do that.

“I don’t like the fact that hard working people in my district are getting IOUs and he’s buying millions of dollars worth of furniture,” Maldonado said in an interview. (For the record, taxpayers due refunds from the state and others missing payments aren’t getting IOUs just yet. They’re simply not receiving anything at all.) […]

Chiang’s office struck back, calling Maldonado’s accusation “pathetic.”

“Had he done any homework, the senator should have realized that the expansion project, including furniture,…began before Controller Chiang took office,” his office said.

Further, Chiang’s office argued, the controller “demanded that staff cut down the costs, and by changing financing, materials, design, and construction, reduced the overall expense of the project by more than 50 percent” – a $4 million savings.

Next for Maldonado, he’ll lambaste Arnold Schwarzenegger for Prop. 187.  Wanker.

Well this is kind of interesting.  So the Yacht Party put together their “Let Them Eat Cake” budget in the Senate today, and predictably, it was voted down.  What was not predictable is that two Republicans didn’t vote for it, the precise number needed to flip to get a budget passed.

In the end, despite all Republican Senators being present, only 13 voted for the bill, AB 1793, and 21 Democrats voted against it. The two Republican Senators who did not vote, Abel Maldonado and Roy Ashburn, raised eyebrows as some consider their move to indicate they could conceivably be two votes in play for some compromise. Together with Democratic votes they could give the necessary votes to reach the two-thirds supermajority needed to pass a budget but gave no other outward signs that this would be the case […]

Democrats are caucusing right now, after the vote. Senator Perata at the end of the Senate debate was clearly frustrated. He asked the Republicans necessary to pass the budget to contact him and let him know what was needed for their votes-or to do so publicly.

It’s instructive to see what the Yacht Party budget would actually do, for the purposes of electoral politics.  I’d love to see it mailed to independent voters in swing districts (call it the “Contract On California”).  But in the short term, troops should be deployed to Sens. Maldonado and Ashburn’s districts immediately.  Ashburn has already proven himself amendable on a budget solution, as has Maldonado.  Neither of them have to run again (the primary’s already over in Maldonado’s election) so that common Yacht Party threat is irrelevant.  We need to end this stalemate as soon as possible, to literally save lives and end suffering, and so it’s time to get it done.  Fighting 2/3, or getting 2/3, is the medium-term goal right now.