Experts Expound

Experts Expound

“Should we return to a part-time Legislature? The buzz is that Schwarzenegger is pushing the idea anew. What do you think?”

Here’s a novel idea: Let’s think of ways to make the current Legislature more effective rather than regurgitating unrealistic notions from a previous century.

It will happen…..

Oh yes. That would actually be a huge benefit to California. We have a part-time Legislature now.

No way. Staff, bureaucrats and lobbyists already have too much power. Making the legislature part time further empowers the non-elected crowd.

Like most of the Governor’s ideas over the past five years, it’s all sizzle and no steak. It may make people feel good to punish the Legislature and individual legislators, but it’s not going to make it any easier to solve the structural budget problem, the water problem, the infrastructure problem, or any other daunting task facing this state.

Yes. And no more $5,100 bicycles.

Couldn’t hurt. Might produce different kind of electeds.

Only if you think the voters would enjoy the endless special sessions that would run back to back and concurrently. There will never be a true part-time Legislature in this state.

The legislative term should be limited, like it is in a majority of states. It should start in January and end in June each year. That also would provide additional urgency to getting the budget done on time.

No. If Schwarzenegger needs a showstopper for the State of the State, he should pledge to resign if the budget isn’t passed on time and challenge Legislators to the same. That’s taking the bull the horns. This part-time Legislature buzz is just BS.

Absolutely, part-time legislature…and triple the size of both houses to ensure greater accountability to voters and diffuse power of the political parties and leadership.

It’s the Governor’s 2009 version of calling the Legislature Girlie Men, and it doesn’t contribute to the negotiations.

That would do almost as much good as term limits.

Anything that helps to limit the damage these people can do is a good thing. And for being too self important for the furlough, we should just ignore them.

The Legislature might as well go part-time since it can’t seem to get anything done full-time. Plus, the bonus for taxpayers is they can get nothing done in Sacramento for presumably half the price. Sounds like a bargain.

Andrew Acosta, A.G. Block, Mark Bogetich, Barry Brokaw, Morgan Crinklaw, J Dale Debber, Peter DeMarco, Jim Evans, Kathy Fairbanks, Jeff Fuller, Rex Frazier, Ken Gibson, Evan Goldberg, Deborah Gonzalez, Sandy Harrison, Bob Hertzberg, Jason Kinney, Mike Madrid, Nicole Mahrt, Steve Maviglio,  Adam Mendelsohn, Barbara O’Connor, Bill Packer, Kassy Perry, Jack Pitney, Adam Probolsky, Tony Quinn, Matt Rexroad, Matt Ross, Roger Salazar, Gabriel Sanchez, Dan Schnur, Will Shuck, Ralph Simoni, Sam Sorich, Ray Sotero, Garry South, Kevin Spillane, Rich Zeiger.

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