(CA) Gov. Brown ends budget negotiations with GOP

[alp227]

Source: San Francisco Chronicle

(03-29) 16:45 PDT Sacramento - --

Gov. Jerry Brown announced Tuesday that he has halted budget negotiations with Republican lawmakers, saying they have refused to support a June special election on tax increases and extensions "unless I agree to an ever changing list of collateral demands."

In a written statement, Brown said he stopped the discussions Monday and will now focus his efforts "on speaking directly to Californians and coming up with honest and real solutions to our budget crisis."

The governor did not elaborate, but President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, said there will not be a June election, and that the next steps are unclear.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/03/29/BAO71ILUQ8.DTL

[pacalo]

1. Once again, the GOP is targetting the state workers' unions.

However, one of the Republican senators who had been talking with Brown, blamed "public-employee unions, trial attorneys and other stakeholders" for the breakdown.

[PufPuf23]

2. Thanks Jerry. Glad you are my Governor (again). nt

[w4rma]

3. *That* is how you negotiate. (nt)

[bluestateboomer]

4. GOP Falls back to its old standards.

Gotta use those talking points. It's the unions, it's the trial lawyers.

[onehandle]

5. Jerry needs to get some lessons on bipartisanship from President Obama.

First you give them everything they want.

Then they shit on you.

Then you give them even more.

Then they shit on you more and the constituents sit on their hands come midterms.

After the opposition wins an election, you shrug your shoulders and tell them that they were right and the voters agree.

Then you give them things that even they didn't know they wanted.

Silly Jerry. You just don't get it.

[Ramulux]

8. Nice summation of Obama's presidency

Two years of legislative history summed up in 6 sentences. Now if only other democrats admitted this we might be getting somewhere.

[pa28]

6. The bully pulpit.

You test Republican obstructionism by taking your case directly to the public. It's the only way to make them worry about electoral consequences.

WTG Jerry.

[FreakinDJ]

12. So far his "Cuts" have a lot of support

Everyone was very impressed with the New "Get Down to Business" Jerry Brown

Can't wait for the RATpubliCON propaganda machine to start running commercials

[Ramulux]

7. I cant believe Jerry didn't see this coming

He knew this was gonna happen and now that hes gotten the formalities of presenting an actual bi-partisan budget out of the way, he is free to start taking the republicans to task. I'm not sure exactly what he will do, but his quotes tell me he understands how futile dealing with the republicans is and is ready to get more combative.

[shanti]

15. jerry saw exactly what was coming

he's nobody's fool.

[piggy2000]

9. The Republican secret plan is not to negotiate!

Do you see a pattern forming across the nation? There will be no negotiations in 2011. Even when the other negotiating party gives any concessions (i.e. - unions conceding to pay cuts), the Republicans are saying NO!! They want it all in 2011. And they are going all in.

When people reveal themselves to you, believe it!

[lunatica]

29. That's the worst kept secret the GOP have ever had

We've been calling them the Party of No since they told us that's what they were doing. About 2 days after Obama was elected.

[Plucketeer]

10. Hold their butts to the flames, Jerry!

I'm SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO glad we didn't let the challenger buy this seat for herself! She'd have made Walker look tame! :scared:

[Scottybeamer70]

11. Give 'em hell, Jerry

rec.

[yurbud]

13. he's got to throw a hail mary pass to get us out of this hole.

[Samantha]

14. I have ALWAYS loved Jerry Brown and you reminded me why

He's got everything a great politician needs to have. I wish we could clone him, and I am really glad he works our side of the aisle.

Sam

[ProudDad]

16. Gee, too bad we don't have a pResident like this...alas... (n/t)

[TomCADem]

17. Way to bash a Democrats and Give Republicans a Free Pass (n/t)!

[ProudDad]

18. Who's giving anyone a "free pass"?

I wish Obama had half the spine that Jerry Brown does...

We might be a little better off instead of watching Obama cave on every important point...

As for California, you've got to get rid of the 2/3 rule or the pukes will always have a veto...

[TomCADem]

21. Oh please. You just answered your own question. With a 2/3 requirement...

...this means that Gov. Brown has no choice but to pass an all cuts budget.

What does that mean?

With Republicans refusing to agree to a mere extension of existing corporate taxes, California is going to end up cutting taxes which will further widen the deficit, and force Gov. Brown to propose an all cuts budget, which is what the Republicans want! Yet, you are characterizing President Obama's actions as "caving" and Governor Brown's actions as standing strong, when California will be in a far worse place due to an all cuts budget.

Of course, it has become fashionable to blame Democrats on DU, so I am sure Democrats will start blaming Brown for giving Republicans what they want, and give them a free pass.

The truth is that President Obama and Governor Brown are both fighting for the things we elected them for, but the corporate media will convince us to blame the Democrats. When you watch Fox News, and find a liberal prominently feautured attacking President Obama from the "left" or Bill O'Reilly happily pushing the narrative that the "left" is unhappy with President Obama, it will not occur to many of us that this dissatisfaction by the left is just as manufactured as the Tea Party grass roots movement.

When you turn on "liberal" radio and here "liberal" hosts pushing gold as an investment to guard against rampant inflation due to high deficits, what is the difference from hearing Glenn Beck pushing the same trash?

MSNBC was sold to Comcast and fired Keith Olbermann. Huffington Post was sold to AOL. What is to keep from U.S. Chamber of Commerce and corporate media from running sock puppet attacks from the left, as well as astroturf attacks from the right in order to weaken Democrats?

Nothing. Yet, here we are, ignoring Health Care Reform, Financial Reform, the Stimulus, the end of DADT, etc., and claiming that President Obama has "caved." The talking point ignores facts, but they don't matter.

[ProudDad]

27. There was no "health care reform"

There was a give-away of taxpayer money to the health insurance mafia and the drug companies.

There was no financial reform, Obama's "economic" appointments, the ones who CAUSED THE PROBLEMS, made sure of that...along with their blue-dog and republican friends.

DADT could have been ended on day one with an ORDER to the JCS to stop enforcing it... besides, it's a smoke screen wedge issue that deflects attention from the real causes of suffering. Discrimination against LGBT people is on its way out anyway thanks to popular opinion through education -- same way Jim Crow went.

Obama has CAVED on every important, vital issue...

He demonstrated his real character when he hoofed it over to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to kiss ass instead of walking over to the AFL/CIO to demonstrate support for real working people...

As for MSNBC/Comcast, etc. you can thank your buddy Slick Bill Clinton for that shit.

Face it, the democans are the other face of the republicrats -- the two right-wings of the corporate war party.

[EFerrari]

19. So far, I've been very happy that a strong leader is in Sacramento.

Especially after those horrible years of the Grope.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

22. He is doing about what the Gropenator was trying to do

However we applaud him because it is Jerry Brown and a Democrat. Does not make much sense to me.

[huskerlaw]

25. How do you figure?

Arnold went at the budget with a machete, not taking the time to prioritize the cuts. How is what Jerry is doing even remotely similar?

[KamaAina]

26. He cut the budget for developmental disability services deeper than Ahh-nuld ever did

to take just one example.

To his credit, he is at least making some sort of attempt to stabilize things on the revenue side -- note that he proposed not to raise taxes but to extend those we already pay -- only to be thwarted by the obstinate repukes and "The Audacity of Nope". :eyes:

However, those who are in danger of going into nursing homes because of cuts to Medi-Cal and In-Home Supportive Serviecs really don't much care which side is to blame. :(

[proud patriot]

20. That's my Governor

:D

[diane in sf]

23. Talking to Republicans is like trying to teach pigs to dance.

[slay]

24. Finally - an elected Dem who will stand up and say ENOUGH!

enough of being held hostage by republicans and their bought and paid for corporate agenda. obama best get on board with this tactic or kiss 2012 goodbye.

[andym]

28. Too bad he won't be able to continue the tax rates necessary to maintain services

The anti-Tax Republicans non-cooperation will cause the CA government to cut services in such a way as to seriously impact education and services for the poor.
Of course, this is exactly what they want. So they get their way by refusing to cooperate.

Without the GOP's help, Jerry Brown will be forced to take drastic measures. Hopefully he can come up with something creative......