The California Legislature Needs to Miss Christmas

For those of you keeping score at home, California is facing a $14 billion plus deficit. This comes after our state government couldn't pass a budget until it was over 60 days late. Of course, the fine folks in the legislature get paid for not doing their job. Sure, they had to wait to get paid, but they still get paid. In the meantime, regular Californians who are not hand picked to be in the legislature are getting screwed.

So now they are meeting to discuss a revised budget. The state has been warned by the Finance Director that failure to get a new budget in place will harm our schools and social programs. The headline in the Sacramento Bee: "Discussions hit deadlock." Apparently, these folks cannot put partisan politics aside long enough to get a budget passed.

With that background, I have two ideas:

1. Lock them in chambers on December 23. Keep the doors closed with the CHP outside. They stay until there is a budget deal. No budget means no Christmas for them. Since many regular Califorians will not be having Christmas this year because our state is falling apart, our "leaders" should not have Christmas either. I believe its called tough love.

2. Lock them in chambers today. Turn off the heat. Let the Governor come in and light up one of his famous cigars. He can chain smoke for all I care. The smoke will build up until they agree on a budget. That should get the trick done. Oh, its bad for their health? You know what else is bad for one's health? Not having health insurance, but they can't seem to get that done either.

To our legislators: it is not that hard. You need to make cuts. It is not going to be fun or easy, but it needs to be done. And done now. So sit down, put your BS politics aside and get the deal done. Either that or quit because you clearly cannot make the tough decisions.