Both the Senate and Assembly are meeting NOW, Sunday morning. Click on www.sen.ca.gov and then on TV, then chose either the Assembly or Senate broadcasts where it says "watch now".

Billions WILL be saved if we enforce proof of legal residency before getting state benefits, like schooling, preschool, free food, free medecine. Start at the schools. If the parents aren't legal, then they have 24 hours to find someone to be a guardian for their kids. That's no different than the schools demanding proof of legal custody in divorce cases, which they enforce.

Anytime you want to watch the Capitol with live streaming video, enter www.sen.ca.gov and then click on "tv channel", then click on the live sessions. Today you will see what a jerk President Perata is. Disrespectful and full of stupid running comments. He really is a bully. Today is his last day as President. Sen Steinberg (very whiny) is succeeding him.

So those of you who think the Republicans are not cooperating, just because Perata is able to get his skewed view in the paper, ask yourselves, What is the truth? How do I really know what the problem is in the Capitol with the budget? Have I bothered to call my reps and ask? Have I bothered to watch the sessions on tv or on the internet? Where am I getting my information, and is it accurate?

Sen Carole Migden is bizarre. The Sacramento Bee and Jon Fleishman's Flash report had the story about her 2 weeks ago, screaming at her staff, and her being locked out by the Capitol police. Her staff was told to go home. The next day there were temps answering the phones. Why didn't the Star cover this story? She lost in the primary to another SF Democrat, gay Assembly member Mark Leno. Migden's own constituents find her an embarrassment. So, with her departure, and with Sen Sheila Kuehl being termed out, the LBGT Caucus of 5 will now shrink to 3. Maybe that will help with getting some balance back into the Capitol. Those 5 people sure had an unnatural amount of influence in the liberal legislation that got passed in the last few years. Glad to see them go.

And those of you who are supporting the DEMS, please note that THEY are in control, being the majority. So what did they spend their time with the last month, INSTEAD of the budget? Well, one of their liberal bills that they passed was the shocking SB 1322 that changes existing law. The change now allows teachers in California public schools to be Communists. The Star didn't cover that, either! The argument was that the Cold War is long over. So, 3 days after the DEMS passed this, Russia rolled her tanks into Georgia. Yes, Communists are alive and well. Vladamir Putin would LOVE to set up cells inside American schools. Perata and the rest of the DEMS are making it easy for that to happen.

I hope the Governor vetoes SB 1322. Please write or call and ask him to do a line item veto on that part of the bill. The rest of the bill has an alternate oath of allegiance for government employees who are pacifists. I'm OK with that part of the bill.

I am really fed up by what I considered a biased blog here. Why scapegoat the illegal immigrants for everything including the state's ongoing budget crisis? It is like you believe the real problem with the state's deficit is the result of immigrants taking advantage of all the benefits this compassionate state offers. I am not saying that they are not eating our budget, I am saying we are disproportionately blaming them just as the Nazis blamed their economic situation on the Jews (no offense intended here).
The real problem is with GOP's disproportionately pro-business stance where billions are wasted enhancing corporations that do little to help responsible workers. A carrot-and-stick approach in which corporations are rewarded for doing mroe to hire and provide economic opportunities rather than stuffing their fat wallets and increasing taxes when they fail would help mitigate the state's budget problems. This should permit the state to cut benefits for the unemployed once they find gainful employment.

I agree wholeheartedly that we need to crack down on those illegally breaking into our country who have been unapologetically exploiting the job opportunities, employment benefits, educational opportunities, and welfare and social service benefits that are supposed to be provided to legal citizens in this country. Who have been flooding our jails, courts, and probation systems. Who have been committing violent crimes against our hard-working, legal citizens, and importing their drugs and gang activity into our country.

WAKE UP AMERICA!!! WAKE UP!!!

No where do I talk about the deficit being a problem because of immigrants.

Read carefully, I am complaining about law breakers, illegal aliens.

There is a difference between an immigrant who asks permission to come into this nation and an illegal alien who sneaks into this country and steals our resources.

It is the illegal aliens that cost the families of California billions each year--enough to end most of the deficit.

Liberals do not differentiate, the law does.

I presume you oppose illegal aliens..and support legal immigration. I, along with my fellow conservatives support this position.

As for being biased, you are right. I am biased in favor of G-d, freedom, country and family--hope you would as well.

Frank,
I apologize, I was referring to the comment poster "Elephantpower", not you. Maybe I should have said 'comment' and not 'blog', even though there are few points you raised here which I competely disagree with and others that I agree with.
Yes, I am definitely opposed -- and fed up -- against illegal immigration. But I don't blame everything on the aliens -- where are the statistics to back up "Elephantitis"'s conservative rants? Listen, just because you see disaffected, struggling folks who seemed to be illegal immigrants to you committing street crimes does not translate into illegal activities among all or most aliens. In your mind, you seem to equate illegal immigrants (who come in search of opportuntiies just as our ancestors came from Europe) with illegal activities within the state of CA. And blame the liberals (I am not one of them, anyway) for being compassionate and seeking solutions that protect our nation and reduce illegal immigration without failing to reduce human suffering?
So Elephantitis and Elephantpower, wake up and do your critical thinking before you rant. You know, the Public Poicy Institute of California (see http://www.rockridgenation.org/alerts/study-immigrants-less-likely-to-commit-crime-than-us-born.html) cannot substantiate your arguments. The bottom le: It is not true that crime among illegal immigrants in the state is high, and the state's meaningless spending on "combating" this trend is partially to blame for its deficit.

Then answer me this, Frustrated. Why do statistics show that as much as 30% of the California jail population is comprised of illegal aliens? Numerous studies (including aggregate county jail population figures released by the State Department of Finance) point to this as a "low ball" figure.

I would say that this is proof positive that illegal aliens make up a significant part of the crime problem in our State. And the problem is getting worse, not better.

The Republican plan is a FRAUD. They claim to have come up with 11.6 billion in spending cuts but in reality over 4 billion of that is more smoke and mirrors.

On the other hand, the Democrats have come up with $3 billion in new spending and $10 billion in new taxes and fees--I prefer the budget cuts and fiscal responsibility. Too bad you don't.

You asked: "Why do statistics show that much as 30% of the California jail population is comprised of illegal aliens?"
My answer: This sounds like a very conservative estimate (I cannot find any stats to back up this claim). It may be inflated by anti-immigration hawks. Or, the high number of illegal aliens in ourstate's prison system can be attributed to two factors: 1) the state's (and nation's) greater emphasis on punctive, rather than preventive, policies; and 2) the fact that minor brush with the law (such as being pulled over for driving too fast) can lead to jail because of the alien's undocumented status.
I believe cosnervatives' arguments that illegal aliens are causing crime to rise and deplete the state's resources have been blown out of proportion. The incidence of higher crime among aliens may have been grossly overstated by the conservative media.
Let me quote few the California Public Policy Institute's rect report: It stated that aliens are "significantly less likely than American-born citizens to wind
up in a California prison. People born outside the U.S. constitute 35 percent of
California's population - but only 17 percent of its prison and jail population." I must ntoe, hough, that the study does not distinguish between legal and illegal immigrants; neverteless, it is doubtful that illegal aliens are causing serious crimes to increase.
By the way, I wish that our federal government did more to strengthen our borders to blockoff the further flow of illegal aliens; instead, we are foolishly spending billions trying to implement punctive policies and programs.

Seems like a lot of the comments veered a bit...

I know that neither side will get 100%of what they want, and they probably should not get that 100%.

It's just a shame the Repubs have taken so long to put some actual skin in the game, other than saying no.

I think they held their cards too long. We could have maybe had this whole miserable process over with by now. The chips would have fallen and we'd all have to pick up, move on, and figure out how to deal with it.

As far as those who would quote statistics...Disraeli may have made the remark, but Twain popularized it: "There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics." That may hold true here...

I am not surprised the Democrats have refused to vote to pay the bills. Nor am I surprised the goal of the Democrats is to raise taxes, not govern.

The people can not pay more in taxes for a failed government. Yet Perata and friends believe only government should get your pay check.

Remember, regardless of how big the tax increase is, sometime next year, businesses will have their unemployment insurance taxes raised by a minimum of $1.6 billion--probably closer to $3 billion, so the Unemployment Insurance Fund can get out of 2010 witho0ut another tax increase.

Tom,the Democrats need to allow a budget to pass. The people need their money. Until the Democrats stop putting government before people, we will not have a budget.

Steve,
I really do try to post here in good faith. I question yours.

Each paragraph of your last post contains ourrageous remarks intended to inflame, if there were not so inane.

Dem's don't want to govern? Seriously? That is just dumb. They ALL want to govern!

Only Government should get my paycheck? That isn't even close to what is being talked about here. Sure, they might want more, but that isn't nearly as sensational as what you said is it?

On the third point, I don't know, that's a new one for me. I'll cede that one to you since I'm not familiar with it.

Frank...frankly we ALL need a budget to pass. I don't beleive either side puts "government" before people...government in many ways is ABOUT the people. Admittedly we disagree about what that means. What is happening here is that BOTH sides are putting PARTISANSHIP ahead of their roles as legislators, and I think Repubs are at least slightly more guilty than Dems on this one. You say that when "Democrats stop putting government before people, we will have a budget"...what you SHOULD be saying is when "One side totally capitulates to the other, only then will we have a budget, and EVEN then, on the MINORITY's terms!"

Steve act in good faith? LOL! He has posted day after day blaming the democrats WHILE REPUBLICANS HAVE nevered even offered a plan that cuts 15 billion so as to avoid new taxes.

Tom,

Check out www.capoliticalnews.com if you really want to see Steve "in action"

jw....my comment was that I try to post in good faith, not that Steve does or does not. I did question his good faith, but did not say he did not have it. A minor distinction, but one that I think is a part of civil discourse...

I may check out "capitol news" or not...

jw, while I'd like to believe your heart is in the right place..I think your aim is wild, and your rhetoric, if not "canned", at least sensational.

in short...you really don't help matters with your sensational posts....

Tom,

I'll continue posting as I see fit and could care less what you think.

ANYONE who reads capoliticalnews.com KNOWS Steve IS the real sensational extremist.

jw....its clear that you care less what people think....the question is..does anyone care what YOU think?

When you lash out all the time...it just loses the effect. You become less the raconteur and more the flamer (in the Internet sense).

Tom,

When you continue to say ANYTHING with no conviction (or knowledge) to back it up you continue to come off as a lightweight .

OK folks. I have studied the Republican plan in more detail. It contains a little less than 7 billion in real cuts, 4.7 billion in smoke and mirrors and 2 billion in borrowing. Somewhere along the way they lost track of almost 2 billion. Apparently they are trying to pretend that the budget only had about a 13.1 billion dollar shortfall rather than the actual figure of over 15 billion.

Steve,
The problem is not with Dems not wanting to do their duties assigned to them by the voters and put government first. It is that they cannot and will not allow conservative/Republican ideologies to turmp the interests of Californians at large. To cave in to GOP demands is like putting party and politics far ahead of the needs of our state. Dems must stand their ground, for they are voted in to fight for the interests of the public, not to be lapdogs of the GOP.

Tom,
I think that if statistics really don't make sense when we try to approximate figures, then the conservatives need to cease invoking inflated stats to back up their "antis" just to ensure their stances are compatible with their conservative ideologies. I'd, however, agree with certain statistics, whatever and however you define stats.

I think the point I was making about "statistics" is that they can often be misleading depending on who gathers them and for what purpose.

jw....I do have conviction..and at least some knowledge. I don't pretend for a New York minute to have it all, maybe you do, but not me.

You want to call me a lightweight...well whatever, but I won't ever presume to be a heavyweight...just a guy with some opinions.

Perhaps your opinion of yourself is different?

I don't require your validation and never will.

Stop being such a clown...the good points you make get lost in all the noise.