(Jerry) Brown says he does not have GOP votes for budget

[Newsjock]

Source: Contra Costa Times

As Gov. Jerry Brown accused "extreme elements" in the Republican party of trying to intimidate GOP legislators from voting to allow his tax extension on the ballot, Democratic legislative leaders announced they will hold a vote Wednesday whether or not an agreement has been reached.

... "Unfortunately, some of the extreme elements of the Republican Party are about to brand any Republican legislator a terrorist or some evil being if they give the people the right to vote," he told media members before attending a private lunch with probation officers. "When it becomes a situation in America where letting the people vote becomes an act of terrorism, we're in a very serious situation when a major party does that."

... Brown also took aim at a GOP party resolution that would allow the party to endorse certain Republicans in the open primary system that will be tested in earnest for the first time in 2012. Under the proposed party rule change, the party would withhold support from Republican incumbents who vote for allowing the tax extension on the ballot. Typically incumbents have the implied support from the party.

"I think there's a goal to not only deny the people the right to vote but some extremists want to subvert the open primary law by saying anybody who doesn't do what these Republican groups want cannot receive their support," Brown said. "We're engaged in not only a fight for the budget, but I think we're in a fight for the whole political process."

Read more: http://www.mercurynews.com/top-stories/ci_17620624

[flamingdem]

1. The GOP are fubar, a disaster, a scourge, best of luck to Gov. Brown nt

[w4rma]

2. He's good. (nt)

[DFW]

3. Slime, fungus and dirty Republican tactics thrive in the dark

They wither in bright sunlight. We need more like Jerry Brown who are willing to come right out, point the finger and say in public what they are doing.

What's the downside? That they will lie about doing what they are so proud of?

[SpiralHawk]

4. Republicons totally f*ck the state over, then...

...totally refuse to help clean up the mess they made.

Major a-holery...

[no_hypocrisy]

5. All Gov. Brown CAN do is to make it known to the citizens.

We are the last hope. The current mantra of the GOP is extremist and there will not be compromise unless it means giving them THEIR way and until the public forces them to change, they will continue.

[onehandle]

6. Start collecting signatures to recall them. nt

[Kelvin Mace]

7. Just do what they are doing in WI

and tell the GOP their votes no longer count.

[Imajika]

8. I'm pretty sure he can get this tax extension on the ballot without Republican support...

All it takes is a majority to put the measure to the voters as far as I know. There are enough Democrats to get this done with no GOP support.

Brown is trying to reach a deal with Republicans on this in order to make the tax extension vote bi-partisan, because without at least some Republican cover the vote is very likely to be rejected by the voters.

Crushing cuts are coming to California. Think Wisconsin is bad, wait till you see what is coming to California if voters reject this.

I could be wrong but I think this is what is actually going on.

[DBoon]

9. What happens when morning drive time DJs rule the Republicans

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=141x39619

[slackmaster]

10. Insiders have told me he's not guaranteed to get all of the Democratic votes either

Just a data point.

[Rageneau]

11. The word 'republican' needs to become a popular pejorative.

Liberals need to start spitting out that word as if it were the vilest thing one person can call another -- sort of like the way the republicans once made a pejorative out of 'liberal.'