In many ways the California Republican Party and their elected leaders are similar to the current attendees at an Oakland Raider game. The only folks who attend Raider games anymore are the diehard true believers in the Raider Nation. Raider fans are a wonderful bunch of people who love the Raiders no matter what the outcome of the game or the season. Their current slogan at tailgate a parties at the Oakland Coliseum (or whatever corporate name they are using these days) is, “It is not about football. It’s a Raider game!” I have to wonder, as I watch the California Republican party continue to shrink down to its base of true believer conservatives if their slogan ought to be, “It is not about winning elections, it is about being ideologically perfect!”

With this attitude, no wonder California Republicans can’t even win one for the Gipper!

If things don’t change soon the question will be if California Republicans on the verge of extinction in the Golden State? They certainly are in the Bay Area. As I stated last week if Abram Wilson does not win in the 15th Assembly District say good bye any partisan seat in the Bay Area.

Recently State Assembly leader Mike Villines showed up for a campaign event for Abram Wilson. Republican leader Mike Villines seems like a nice enough person. I have had the occasion to meet him in the past. He is even well thought of by many of the State Democrats. He gave a typical red meat speech about how they triumphed on the budget over the Democrats. But the facts are that the Republicans in Sacramento have not mattered for a long time. The only time they have anything to do is at budget time. The rest of the time nobody cares. Republicans could be off playing Texas Hold-Em in a corner of the capitol or at one of their retreats in Lake Tahoe (Nevada Side). Things have become so bad for the vaunted GOP Caucus Republicans that many Democrats are worried that there will not be any type of loyal opposition to even marginally shape legislation.

So here is a proposal to help the Republican Caucus in Sacramento. I know this sounds crazy, but I believe that the Democrats in charge of the state legislature in Sacramento should create an Affirmative Action program for minority Republicans so they can feel relevant. Let the Republicans propose a few bills and pass some bills out of committee. If Assembly Republicans get too uppity or radical, the Democrat majority can vote them down in the main chamber. You know Governor Arnold will support it. Maybe over time Republicans will learn to be somewhat more bipartisan. Just think, if they learn how to be a little less ideological maybe the bipartisanship can work both ways and we can have a better state government.

Then Ward Connerly can have a ballot initiative to repeal it, and just maybe the Raiders will have a winning season!

Is this going to be the year when true leadership prevails and our representative’s get down to the business of solving our financial problems?

Not a chance.

The Governor has again failed to propose a balanced budget and instead is relying on more borrowing.

Democrats just unveiled their budget and proposal for nearly 10 billion dollars in tax increases.

Republicans haven’t revealed their budget vision other than saying they want to cut but as usual, and fail to specify exactly what and how much they would cut.

All sides have and continue to miss a key element in the budget debate which is before discussing tax increases or cuts, shouldn’t we first be looking at our current spending and decide if it’s delivering tangible benefits?

While in the legislature, I proposed that the first year of each two year session be devoted to budget and budget oversight. It would have set aside time and resources to allow a comprehensive evaluation of programs, most of which have never faced legislative or even departmental scrutiny.

Unfortunately taking the time to accomplish this kind of evaluation is hard, tedious work requiring real effort, study and not a lot of press hype. As you can imagine, my proposal lasted just long enough for the ink on the bill to dry before landing in the legislative round file.

As it stands, only a small handful of leadership and staff spend any time on the budget and an even smaller number make the real decisions. When a deal is struck members are summoned into caucus and told how to vote without having a clue as to what the budget bills contain. The budget, rather than reflecting the values of the Governor or Legislature, is more representative of the power of special interest groups to carve out parts reflecting their narrow agendas.

It is easy to fall back on the old refrains of tax more or spend less. It’s much much harder to decide if it’s worth spending billions on one program vs. another, each one carrying its own constituency and potential supporters or opponents.

It is past time to take a comprehensive look at how our State runs its finances. But our very first step, just as you would with your own household, is to figure out where the money you’re already bringing in is going and whether it’s worth the expense.