An Open Letter To State Senator Abel Maldonado

Sen. Abel Maldonado, R-Santa Maria, votes no as the Senate takes up the budget bills Sunday morning without success. Image Credit: Brian Baer/Sacramento Bee

An Open Letter To State Senator Abel Maldonado

Dear California State Senator Abel Maldonado:

Please show a Republican backbone, an Abe Lincoln (the one who abolished slavery - abusive taxes are slavery) backbone, a fiscal backbone, a Magan's Law type of backbone for ALL of the citizens of this fine state.

VOTE NO ON THE STATE BUDGET - NO ON ANY TAX INCREASES.

Thank you for your backbone - Living in Los Angeles, I do not have a Republican State Senator to speak for me ... so you are my only voice.

Regards,
Edmund Jenks
Managing Editor - MAXINE, Oblate Spheroid, Symblogogy
Feature Page Editor/Reporter - NowPublic
Blog Roll - Pajamas Media

"This will get done," Senate Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg [pictured] told Sen. Sam Aanestad, R-Penn Valley, who complained that the closed-door meetings were excluding the public. Image Credit: Carl Costas/Sacramento Bee

This excerpted and edited from the Sacramento Bee -

California lawmakers fail to pass budget deal
By Steve Wiegand and Dan Smith - Sacramento Bee - Monday, February 16, 2009

California legislators tried and failed for a second day Sunday to close a $40 billion hole in the state's budget, still one Republican vote short of approving a package that contains $14.3 billion in tax increases.

State Sen. Abel Maldonado, a moderate Republican from Santa Maria, indicated in an interview with The Bee that he was willing to consider casting the decisive vote if he was satisfied with the final version of the tax proposal.

"I'm very concerned with the tax package," said Maldonado, who early Sunday had been quoted as saying he was adamantly opposed to the tax hikes. "We're still working on that. Everything's fluid. I don't like tax increases. … let me just work on the tax issue. I'm working on that. I don't want my state to go off the cliff, OK? I don't want that."

Senate President Pro Tem, Darrell Steinberg, seated, talks with fellow democrats at 5:25 a.m. as they attempt to get the one Republican vote needed to pass the budget plan in the Senate. Behind him from the left, are Senators Mark Leno, D-San Francsico, Christine Kehoe , D-San Diego, Ellen Corbett, D-San Leandro and Jenny Oropeza, D-Long Beach. Image Credit: Brian Baer/Sacramento Bee

Legislative leaders and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger sought to find a way to persuade Maldonado to vote for the tax bill.
----
The Senate adjourned shortly thereafter, with plans to return at 11 a.m. today.

As all sides neared exhaustion, the delay was designed to allow Maldonado more time to mull over his choices.

"This will get done," Senate Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg told Sen. Sam Aanestad, R-Penn Valley, who complained that the closed-door meetings were excluding the public.
---
I wish to God that you could deviate just a little bit," he told Aanestad, "just a little bit from your philosophy, from this endless mantra of no new revenue, no new revenue ever, and be participant and a partner with us in solving this problem."
----
The key bills in the package, which has been hung up since Saturday, require two-thirds approval of both the Assembly and the state Senate.

That means at least three Republicans have to vote for those elements with the 51 Democrats in the Assembly, and three Republicans would have to do likewise with the 24 Democrats in the state Senate. Most Republican legislators have taken pledges never to raise taxes, and fear that doing so could lead to their defeat in GOP primaries.

Even so, legislative leaders had said the three GOP Assembly votes were there. The hang-up was that there were only two Republican senators – Senate GOP leader Dave Cogdill of Modesto and Sen. Roy Ashburn of Bakersfield – willing to vote for the package.

Another GOP senator, Dave Cox of Fair Oaks, was widely believed to be the 27th vote, but made it clear Sunday he would vote no.

The budget-balancing aspect of the package takes a three-pronged approach, with $14.3 billion in temporary tax increases, $15.1 billion in spending cuts and $11.4 billion in borrowing.
----
The plan also relies on voter approval of five measures at a May 19 special election.

Voters would be asked to OK borrowing money from two voter-created special funds for mental health and children's health programs, changing constitutional language that covers lottery operations and school financing, and creating a spending cap.
Reference Here>>

The latter five measure conditions that require a vote by the public on May 19th are provisions that have been voted on by the citizens before - passing by 70% - and now this group of legislators will be asking all of us to overturn our vote on the use of these monies in the State Budget.

Why don't we all vote to end taxation slavery and get a whole new bunch of legislators who know how NOT to tax and spend.

"Obama Is Going To Pay For My Gas And Mortgage!!!"

I Voted - And I voted in a way that my vote was not purchased through income re-distribution by the federal government or through a four to one commercial buy on television. The Main Stream Media did not suppress my vote or depress this voter even though I live in a bankrupt Blue State that is 18 Billion dollars in debt. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2008)

"Obama Is Going To Pay For My Gas And Mortgage!!!"

This IS the “Obama Effect” most people are looking for.

Yep! An Obama win will signal the end to self-determination, self-reliance, and the uniqueness that has made our country the envy of the rest of the world for the better part of 100 years.

What is wrong with this homemade political fence sign (photographed while standing in line at the polling station)? ... well, the sign is placed over 100 feet from the polling station so that not it ... Oh!, that is a Mercedes-Benz logo placed inside the Obama "O" ... NO, it's NOT a peace sign! We need high retention, better educated voters out here. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2008)

Opportunity will forever spelled with a small “O” because the big “O” will have been taken up with the tax-giveaway space that a Barack Obama presidency occupies.

People, as teenagers, really never rebelled against their parent’s control over their lives in earnest … they could not have been serious, because if they were, they would NEVER vote for an agenda that the Democrats and a Brarck Obama will bring to their lives.

Operation Enduring Freedom - The proven path toward peace. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2008)

The amount of control the federal government will expect if one has a dissenting voice while receiving a handout will become unstoppable.

Obama’s Folly - A Triple Play For The Clinton Democrats In Denver

The Democratic National Convention Committee 2008 Logo - Image Credit: DNCC

Obama’s Folly - A Triple Play For The Clinton Democrats In Denver

The political convention for the Democrat Party is to be held in Denver starting August 25-28, 2008. Given recent concessions by Barack Obama in the negotiations for scheduled speakers and events, appears to be an exercise in Clinton political power.

This convention is supposed to be constructed to place the best face on the Democrat Party and highlight the characteristics of their nominee for President of the United States in order to build momentum with the voters across the nation to win the election.

If these negotiations were a pitch in baseball and the presumptive nominee Barack Obama were the batter … Obama just WHIFFED!

The way the schedule is set (for now), Barack Obama has allowed the Clinton’s to be an instrumental part of the main three days that the four day convention will be held with primetime speaking and presentation opportunities. The participation will end on Thursday when Hillary Clinton’s name will be placed into nomination so that delegates pledged to her can stand up and raise their voice.

This gesture is intended to be symbolic as the Democrats officially make Barack Obama their nominee at the Denver gathering … but we, at MAXINE, wonder how strong of a showing will this represent when the Democrat faithful on the convention floor will have been treated in each preceding day with a potential stirring speech by former president Bill Clinton, a Hollywood produced review presentation of the Clinton years as president and Hillary’s historic run for the nomination and to have Hillary be introduced in a speech to be delivered by Bill and Hillary’s daughter, Chelsea.

The way the schedule is set on Tuesday night Senator Hillary Clinton, who is a champion for working families and one of the most effective and empathetic voices in the country today, will be the headline prime-time speaker on Tuesday August 26th. Chelsea Clinton is expected to introduce her with a small speech after a video production put together by the Hollywood producers Linda Bloodworth-Thomason and Harry Thomason. Then on Wednesday, the leadoff primtime slot on the third night, Former President Bill Clinton, "will speak on Barack Obama’s commitment to a stronger and safer America, as well as the history of Democrats making positive change in the lives of all Americans." Lastly, on the fourth night, Hillary Clinton will be mentioned over and over again during the roll-call delegate vote before the assumed outcome of Barack Obama being nominated.

Who thinks this is a great way to introduce a candidate that has NO RECORD of accomplishment that would qualify him to become President of the United States?

Not Dick Morris!

This excerpted from the New York Post -

HILLARY PUSHES WAY ONTO STAGE
NAME TO BE PUT INTO NOMINATION AT CONVENTION
By MAGGIE HABERMAN - Last updated: 6:12 am - August 15, 2008 - Posted: 4:02 am - August 15, 2008

Hillary Rodham Clinton has muscled her way into formal recognition at the Democratic National Convention by successfully pressing Barack Obama to allow her name to be placed into nomination, officials said yesterday.
----
The announcement came after weeks of wrangling between the two sides over Clinton's role at the four-day event beginning Aug. 25.

The deal was finalized after several furious Clinton boosters pushed for formal recognition of her campaign, in which she came closer than any woman has to becoming a major party nominee.

"I am convinced that honoring Senator Clinton's historic campaign in this way will help us celebrate this defining moment in our history and bring the party together in a strong, united fashion," Obama said in a joint statement with Clinton.

"With every voice heard and the party strongly united, we will elect Senator Obama president of the United States and put our nation on the path to peace and prosperity once again."
----
Several of those Clinton supporters had said they planned to use the convention to make their case while hordes of media were on hand.

Democrats hoped yesterday's agreement would help avert that.

"I think it allows Hillary Clinton's supporters" to feel she's being honored, said Democratic pollster Doug Schoen, predicting, "We end up with a more unified party."
----
But some Democrats privately expressed surprise that Clinton had agreed to have her name entered into nomination, and said she and husband Bill risk overshadowing Obama.

"John McCain's got to be loving this," said one longtime Democratic operative, noting that Clinton and Obama have done a slow and somewhat pained dance toward unity.

"This is a mistake," said another party operative who backs Obama, arguing that a roll-call vote would highlight the fault lines between the two campaigns.
The method for the roll call is still being negotiated.
----
Both Bill and Hillary Clinton now have prime-time speaking slots during the convention, meaning that the former first couple will be a major fixture at a gala that Obama boosters had considered to be the end of the Clinton era.

Obama held a 364-delegate lead over Clinton when the primaries ended, according to an Associated Press count. A candidate needs 2,118 to win the nomination, and Obama had 2,254 after the last votes on June 3. With Post Wire Services
Reference Here>>

Wake us here at MAXINE when its over and tell us that Senator Hillary Clinton actually received more roll call votes than socialist and Junior Senator Barack Obama … then we will all know that GOD really likes the Clintons.