Thread: Changing California's government

Changing California's government

By Dan Walters

THE SACRAMENTO BEE
2:00 a.m. April 24, 2009

California's never-ending budget crisis has, if nothing else, solidified broader acceptance of what until recently had seemed to be a radical notion – that the state's governance is deeply flawed and needs fundamental overhaul.

Two centrist, bipartisan civic groups – California Forward and the Bay Area Council – are pushing two different and somewhat competitive reform strategies, both aimed at asking voters next year to take action of some kind, and both appear to be picking up steam.

California Forward, an organization financed with millions of dollars from the state's top foundations, had been pursuing an incremental approach to reform. It endorsed shifting legislative redistricting to an independent commission, which voters approved last year. It is also endorsing the six budget-related measures on the May 19 special election ballot and has been poised to support a form of open primary elections on next year's ballot, aimed at reducing partisanship.

The Bay Area Council, a collection of corporate CEOs, has had a more aggressive approach, working on two ballot measures for 2010, one that would allow voters to call a constitutional convention without going through the Legislature, another that would call such a convention to overhaul state and perhaps local government.

Both have implicit, and sometimes explicit, support from Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. “I think that eventually the state of California has to look at a constitutional convention, to really look at the whole thing, the way government works in California,â€

This would be on the ballot at the same time:

CALIFORNIA TAXPAYER PROTECTION ACT
Sponsored by Taxpayer Revolution

The Initiative’s Laws Will:

REQUIRE issuance of the official "CALIFORNIA BIRTH CERTIFICATE" for births to ONLY citizens and legal permanent residents. Birth to Foreign Parent document issued to all others.

http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-141769-cal ... ection+act

California's state's governance is deeply flawed and needs fundamental overhaul.

You are just realising that?


[quote] “ California has to look at a constitutional convention, to really look at the whole thing, the way government works in California,â€

Originally Posted by WorriedAmerican

California's state's governance is deeply flawed and needs fundamental overhaul.

You are just realising that?


[quote] “ California has to look at a constitutional convention, to really look at the whole thing, the way government works in California,â€

It is the federal governments responsibility to keep illegal aliens out of this country, so why aren't you spewing your hate at them instead of California?

Well it wasn't New Hampshire letting all the illegal flow into the country!
California has 1/4 of all the illegals and you KNOW the stats are dumbed down drastically!
It's many more than 12 million here

Do you really think that the people of one state blaming another state for a problem caused by the federal government will solve anything?

Yes! And I think disease is a good way to get this blind governments attention! I still blame CA

If the feds had done their job there wouldn't be any illegal aliens anywhere in our country.

The Feds aren't allowed ot do their jobs because of the illegal lovers and their posses, mostly in California!
Not to mention when the Feds do it they will let them all stay.
It's up to each state until then.
Hey my state sucks too! BUT we didn't start it.

When are YOU going to demand that YOUR Federal Government do their job,

and stop blaming California for a problem that is caused by the FEDS

I have been, where have you been? It's California that started it NOT the Feds!

We've been through this before, you and I.
You will NOT change my mind because there is too much evidence that California just loved all that cheap help.
Why do YOU suppose most illegals are in CA? BECAUSE THEY CAN!!!

RELATED

CALIFORNIA IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWN FOR BALANCED BUDGET

SACRAMENTO, CA (KGO) -- State Republican lawmakers unveiled a package of 20 bills, aimed at saving money and balancing the state budget by targeting illegal aliens.

Assembly Republicans want to chip away at the state deficit by checking the immigration status of those getting state-funded social benefits and jobs. They especially want to crackdown on those who have committed crimes.

"California is on a financial life raft that is sinking, but at the same time, we continue to pull on more and more people on board," said Assemblyman Jim Silva (R) of Huntington Beach.

Many of the proposals concentrate on criminal activity because in 2006 - 2007, it cost the state roughly $850,000,000 million dollars to incarcerate more than 17,000 illegal immigrants.

Among the proposals:

- Adding ten years to prison sentences for felonies if the illegal had been
previously deported.

- Checking the immigration status of DUI offenders

- Requiring local law enforcement to cooperate with INS

- Denying bail for gang-related or violent crimes

- And reporting dangerous juveniles to Immigration and Customs
Enforcement for deportation.

"To the extent we have criminal activity in our state, we should address it very, very vigorously" said state Senior Gil Cedillo (D) of Los Angeles, Vice-Chairman of the Latino Caucus.

"I think the law enforcement agencies in my city should be focused on crime and violence, which is starting to creep up," said San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom.

Assemblyman John Benoit(R) of Bermuda Dunes is a law enforcement veteran-turned politician, who says it's time cops are part of the solution.
"I have been involved in stopping, finding, and in some cases, deporting people here illegally. I think the rule of law is the reason the United States stands out among nations," said Assemblyman Benoit.

The federal government is supposed to help pay for jailing illegal immigrants who commit crimes, but California got reimbursed only $100,000,000 dollars last year, less than 13 percent of the actual costs.

http://abclocal.go.com:80/kgo/story?sec ... id=6042094

RELATED

Fom the Internet:

Maine: A Sanctuary state for illegal immigrants?! ( ...10 posts - 8 authors - Last post: Nov 14, 2007
Originally Posted by Petertherock This is an e-mail I got from a Republican running for Maine Congress... By Dean Scontras, Republican ...
www.city-data.com/forum/maine/191863-ma ... nts-6.html - 150k - Cached - Similar pages

Homeland Security? Search for Illegal Aliens Alienates City
Published on Friday, January 30, 2004 by the Portland Press Herald (Maine). Homeland Security? Search for Illegal Aliens Alienates City. by Bill Nemitz ...
www.commondreams.org/headlines04/0130-05.htm - 16k - Cached - Similar pages



Maine gives illegal immigrants Driver's Licenses| The Truth About CarsUnder the “Real ID Act,â€

Changing California's government

Two centrist, bipartisan civic groups – California Forward and the Bay Area Council

Neither of these groups are centrist, they are both Socialist. Of course so is the Sac Bee and Dan Walters.

Originally Posted by Bowman

Changing California's government

Two centrist, bipartisan civic groups – California Forward and the Bay Area Council

Neither of these groups are centrist, they are both Socialist. Of course so is the Sac Bee and Dan Walters.

I never heard of either of them because they are in Northern CA.

and I'm way down by the border. But they do have Info at these sites:

http://www.caforward.org/issues/

http://www.bayareacouncil.org/

Boy are you a baby

I have already posted all that stuff here about Maine.
I have complained about my Governor doing an Executive decision in 2002 secretely making us the ONLY Sanctuary state! Please feel free to look at all my posts and you will see.

I have written about all my dealings with the SOS on licenses. In fact I caused trouble that made the DMV implode! I callled them 4 times out of 13 calls in all, getting the run around until my second to last call to ICE! Then I called the DMV again and told them I knew of the SS#'s 999-99-9999. I have insulted my SOS and Governor everyday in our 2 largest papers The Sun Journal and the Portland Press Herald, in the comments section. Go look at that, I'm Chris of Pownal there. I mention illegal immigration EVERY day there.

I have call and written and insulted so many of my reps that I'm sure I'm on some Obama Watch List! I was called by Capitol Security for emails to 187 reps telling them about E-Verify. Believe it or not they kNEW NOTHING about it????? I told them I was watching them. They misconstrued it as peeking at them? I don't know. Believe me, I'm a loose cannon and not afraid to confront authority with my big mouth. It's the only power I was born with.

I've posted it all BEFORE you. You must have not seen my apology for having the dumbest Governor ever.

The new thing in Maine is they are arresting employers in Bangor and Portland. I don't know how because of the Sanctuary status but they are. I guess ICE trumps local law?

No news here, spend your time changing laws and not me. I will change when CA changes.