Some New Year's resolutions for the Capitol's Big 5

E-Mail

Comments (0)

Text Size:

tool goes here

California lawmakers are skilled at issuing resolutions. In the last session, the Assembly issued 267 resolutions, ranging from Take Your Dog to Work Day to other important proposals, such as new postage stamps.

Wouldn't it be nice if, along with issuing resolutions for everyone else, they issued some for themselves? It's fun to dream.

In that spirit, here are some personal resolutions that state leaders might consider for 2009, especially with the budget in limbo and the state heading toward insolvency.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger

I resolve to:

1. Stop saying bad things about my fellow Republicans, even if they are "out there."

2. Strike from the record any mention of me saying that government is a "monster" and that we need "to starve the public sector," as I said back in 2005. How can I raise taxes and hit the Republicans as being "out there" if I am quoted saying stuff like this?

3. Stop holding press conferences in front of freeways and criticizing all legislators for their "inaction" when they've sent me a budget package, albeit one that is as legally porous as a delta levee.

4. Wait until the state has actually fixed its chronic budget deficits before going on "60 Minutes" and saying my acting experience has helped me govern.

5. Just stop making public statements altogether.

Democratic leaders Darrell Steinberg and Karen Bass

We resolve to:

1. Make at least one decision this year without first consulting the California Teachers Association, the Service Employees International Union, the state prison guards or any other state employee union.

2. Stop assuming that President-elect Barack Obama is the tooth fairy and that he'll place $40 billion under our pillows overnight.

3. Acknowledge that California wastes money on a whole bunch of outdated state programs and commissions. Let's just whack them. Now.

4. Consider waiting until next year before handing out more pay raises to select legislative staff members.

5. Urge our caucus members that, when the state's in a financial crisis, they could perhaps come back from a lavish overseas junket to vote on the budget.

6. Put the state's interests above those of our own party.

Republican leaders Dave Cogdill and Mike Villines

We resolve to:

1. Firm up our egos. If the governor or the media say mean things about us, let's just brush it off. We're men. We can take it.

2. Stop being intimidated by the "Flash Report" and other far-right Republican blogs that threaten us if we even discuss the dreaded T-word (taxes).

3. Ditto for Jon Coupal, the head of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association. We gotta stop being intimidated by that guy.

4. Remember that we come from one of the poorest parts of the state -- the San Joaquin Valley. Many of our constituents depend on the social services that we propose to slash. We should remember those people, even if they didn't vote for us.

5. Urge our caucus members that, when the state's in a financial crisis, that they could perhaps come back from a lavish overseas junket to vote on the budget.

6. Put the state's interests above those of our own party.

Leavenworth is a columnist and editorial writer for The Sacramento Bee.

THE SACRAMENTO BEE