Calif. lawmakers distracted from crisis?

[question everything]

Calif. lawmakers distracted from crisis?
Some legislators focus on pet projects even as state faces fiscal meltdown
The Associated Press

SACRAMENTO - What budget crisis? As California faces what one official this week called a complete meltdown of state government, some lawmakers have their minds on other matters. Like creating a blueberry commission. Or standing up for pomegranate juice. And, in what passes for health reform in the nation's most populous state, ensuring that the name tags of medical workers are in 18-point font. Those are among the hundreds of bills being debated in the California Legislature as the state faces a $24.3 billion deficit and the prospect of running out of cash by late July.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has urged lawmakers to act swiftly so the state can pass a budget before the fiscal crisis deepens. He's proposed eliminating health care for 1 million low-income children and the program that helps welfare recipients find work. Billions of dollars are expected to be cut from education, 5,000 state workers face layoffs and many of the others face furloughs and salary rollbacks that amount to a 15 percent pay cut. So lawmakers' attention to less pressing issues earned a rebuke from the Republican governor, who has backed the idea of converting the Legislature to part-time status.

Among the more eyebrow-raising bills pending in the state Legislature are ones that would:
# Ensure that juice sold as "pomegranate" is 100 percent pomegranate.
# Instruct 9th and 10th graders about the value of organ donation.
# Ban toy cigarette lighters.
# Require day cares to serve only healthy food to children.

(snip)

The leader of the state Senate, President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, said he understands the perception that some of the bills are not as urgent as the budget crisis. "But at the same time, this is a body of 120 members, and the members are entitled to bring forward their ideas," said Steinberg, a Democrat from Sacramento. "I would hate to see the day where any leader or any system said to people, 'You can't introduce the following idea.' This is democracy." Legislative leaders said they are holding daily hearings on how to close the budget deficit, even if individual lawmakers are promoting their own bills.

(snip)

Schwarzenegger could use his authority to call lawmakers into a special session that would prevent them from taking up any items unrelated to the budget. While the governor has made clear his frustration with the slow pace of negotiations, he has expressed confidence that will change as the financial deadlines draw near.

(snip)

URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31255316/

[David__77]

1. There won't be a legislative solution.

It's not possible. The fascist GOP holds a virtual veto, and no responsible progressive can endorse their hard-line position. Might as well get something done.