The political finger-pointing over the state budget mess has manifested itself in Simi Valley, where a political advocacy group funded by three large public employee unions has sent about 100,000 mailers in recent weeks to voters in the 38th Assembly District criticizing incumbent Republican Cameron Smyth of Santa Clarita.
Since Smyth will not be up for election for more than a year, these political mailers are intended to be on the order of a warning shot to the bow -- putting Smyth on notice that he could be targeted in 2010 as interest groups attempt to hold Republican lawmakers accountable for their insistence that the budget be balanced only through deep cuts in state services.
Smyth told me today that so far the mailers have generated about 400 phone calls and e-mails to his office -- about 70 percent of them supportive. He said the mailers won't "make any difference in the way I'm going to vote" and in an essay published today on a statewide Republican blog he restated his pledge to not vote for tax increases.
He is one of four GOP Assembly members who have been the subject of mailers. One of the pieces highlights his vote in support of a proposal offered by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to eliminate funding for home-to-school transportation.
Smyth joked that he is flattered that the group gives the impression that he has so much responsibility for the budget-cutting decisions -- "They're giving me a lot of credit" -- but complained that it's "hypocritical" to criticize only Republicans to vote for cuts that have also been agreed to by Democrats in the Legislature.
The attention comes at a time when most legislators would probably prefer a period of anonymity. The most recent polls show the approval rating for legislators at an all-time low, about 17 percent. From a lawmaker's perspective, it's not a good time for anyone to be spending money to remind voters of the name of their legislator. And after the inevitable new budget cuts are approved and the effects felt by Californians (such as the proposed 30 percent increase in Cal State fees next fall), voters will likely react with heightened anger. With these mailers, the seed is being planted that "Smyth" is the name of someone they can blame.
There should be no "period of anonymity" for any of the lying cheating stealing traitorous dirtbag scum in sacramento.
Voters watch what they say and do and plan to vote accordingly in 2010 and forever after.
Give me a better choice than that between Strickland and Jackson for State Senate. I'm fed up with having to find the lesser of two evils to vote for.
Can we dig up Ronald Reagan's coffin and put it in the governor's office? He could not possibly do worse dead than Arnold has done alive.
The argument that his vote on budget issues often aligns with that of Democrats ignores that one party's attempts to reach an compromise with an uncompromising opponent. They may agree, but for entirely different reasons, specious logic non-withstanding or in this instance outstanding.
With any kind of luck we will modify the budget process to require only a simply majority...of responsible public representatives..., leaving Cameron Smyth to enjoy the anonymity he deserves.